How to Make Car Lights Solid Lines in Photography
- 1). Select a location to set up the camera equipment. It should be far enough away from traffic that it is safe while still having an unobstructed view of oncoming traffic. Ideal locations include a pedestrian overpass above a freeway, a parking lot that overlooks traffic or a spot near a bridge where vehicles driving over the bridge are easily seen. Be sure that photography is permitted at the chosen location.
- 2). Open a tripod and set it up so that the camera will be facing traffic. Make sure the tripod is on an even surface.
- 3). Set the camera to manual control. If using a digital SLR, turn the ISO setting to 200. Move the aperture to f/8 and the shutter speed to 20 seconds. Make sure the lens cap is removed and the flash is off. A small flashlight can be useful when changing camera settings in the dark.
- 4). Attach the tripod shoe or mounting plate to the bottom of the camera and secure the camera to the tripod. Put the shutter release cable on the camera. The tripod will keep the camera steady, which is essential for long exposures, and the shutter release cable helps prevent unwanted movement when opening the shutter.
- 5). Look through the viewfinder and compose the shot, using the traffic as a guide. Step away from the camera to avoid accidentally bumping the tripod. Open the camera's shutter using the shutter cable release and wait 20 seconds for the shutter to close. Experiment with different aperture and shutter release settings for the next shots. Shooting with long exposures can be unpredictable and trying different settings will increase the likelihood of successful results.
Source...