Mastering Slow Shutter Speed Macro Photography: Techniques and Tips

Slow shutter speed photography has been around in underwater macro photography for quite a long time. In fact, the winner of the 2016 Underwater Photographer of the Year was a slow shutter shot of a seahorse taken by Davide Lopresti, an image that has inspired many photographers. However, in recent years, British photographer Nick More has been generating a collection of spellbinding slow shutter images that have really taken things to the next level. Nick won British Underwater Photographer of the Year with one of his images in 2020 and continues to be the gold standard in this particular niche of photography, influencing many, including myself. You can view some of Nick's incredible collection on his Instagram feed @nickmoreuw.

Slow shutter speed photography is also known as motion blur because it is primarily aimed at using blur to express motion in our images. Think of a shark swimming; it's nice to use this technique to express that motion, with a nice sharp, strobe-lit image of a shark with a shadow behind expressing the motion. But in macro photography, our subjects are often stationary, so it's interesting to consider why we would use this technique. For me, it is no longer about creating motion but instead a creative technique for producing backgrounds and soft blues in our underwater images, rather than black backgrounds. This is why I chose to write about slow shutter macro separately from wide-angle motion blur. Although there are many crossovers in technique, the objectives are different, and we go about taking the images in different ways.

We can also, with macro, break this down into two subcategories: motion blur on moving subjects and creative backgrounds using slow shutters.

Basics of the Concept

The idea is to have a strongly lit subject that is sharp and in focus with lots of detail, and an unlit background that is soft, dreamy, and shows blur and movement of either the subject or background. It is a great way to separate the subject from unsightly macro backgrounds and to move away from classic black backgrounds and introduce blue ones into your macro photography.

Manage Your Expectations

Before you begin this journey, manage your expectations for the process. Overall when moving into more advanced techniques such as this, your success rate will be a lot lower than traditional macro shooting. Many macro shooters will master black background shooting and then stick with it as it’s reliable and it works, but this new technique will result in you getting less “keeper” images. However, when you get it right it will propel your portfolio dramatically and help you take shots that are much more unique and impressive. I believe it is better to come away with one incredible photo than a selection of average photos.

What Subject to Choose

There are a few subjects that generate their own movement in macro photography. Small, fast-moving fish are great, as they create a dreamy shadow as they move; juvenile sweetlips are a classic example of this. By using these subjects, it is easy to create natural movement in the shot using a long exposure.

For creative background macro shots, static subjects are great. Frogfish work particularly well with this technique as they are stationary and easier to light and control the variables.

Settings

For both styles, you will be using similar settings. The main one we use is the shutter speed. We are decreasing the shutter speed to somewhere between 1/6th and 0.5 seconds, depending on the amount of movement we are trying to create and if the subject is stationary or not. The main thing is not to be afraid to try different shutter speeds according to your subject; this is how you control the amount of blur or movement in your subject, so don’t be afraid to try different speeds.

The key thing to remember is to manage the ambient light and the strobe light. By decreasing the shutter speed, you bring in more ambient light; you need to counteract this using other camera settings. Many of these types of shots are taken with low ISO and high f-stops, such as ISO 50 and F22. The other option is to shoot these types of shots later in the day when ambient light is lower.

When you are shooting in daylight with 0.5 seconds, ISO 50 and F22, you will find that the blue part of your image is becoming overexposed, and that the lit part of your subject is also showing motion blur. So how do we fix these two things?

Managing the Blues

If you are finding that the shutter speed you are using is so slow that it is letting in too much ambient light, then you can add in an ND filter; the ND filter is the secret weapon for taking these shots in the daytime. I usually recommend a 4-stop ND filter; this is usually enough to counteract the ambient light problem but also still manageable for the viewfinder. You can use any 4-stop 67mm filter, but don’t buy a variable filter as these have an air pocket in them that doesn’t work underwater correctly.

When Using the ND filter, if you are on a DSLR, your viewfinder will become 4 stops darker. This can be an issue for people who don’t have the best vision. On a mirrorless camera, though, this is much easier as you have both focus peaking and also you are using an LCD screen as the viewfinder so the image will still be bright in the viewfinder as the camera counteracts the filter when you have your settings effect (live exposure) turned off. This is always the way I shoot macro.

Ensuring the Subject is Sharp

The number one issue I see with people's macro slow shutter work is that the in-focus part (subject) of the image is not sharp enough and shows motion blur on it. I also see images where the subject is not separated from the background enough. The solution to this is very simple; the problem is caused by a lack of strobe light on the subject. If you are shooting at F22, ISO 50, and with an ND filter to counteract ambient light, this is also going to counteract strobe light. Therefore, you really need to turn your strobes up; do not be afraid to go to full power and throw as much light as you have onto the part of the image you want sharp.

Optimizing Light Control

One of the key things to get right in this type of photography is the separation of the sharp part of the image from the motion blur part. Wherever your strobe light falls should be crisp and sharp, and the rest of the image should be blurry and smooth, dreamlike in its texture. Because of this, I like to have full and exact control of where the light falls so I use a strobe with a snoot attached. I also use a very powerful strobe, a Retra Pro Max with a Retra LSD snoot. I have tried this technique with other tools such as the Backscatter MF2, but in order to get this technique right, you need a more powerful light source and better light quality which is why I use this Retra combo.

Also remember that you need very precise control of the snoot; anywhere the snoot light falls will be sharp, so if you light it in the traditional spotlight method then this will not work as the sand will be sharp. So make the snoot light smaller than the subject so there is no extraneous light. For this reason, I always set the snoot myself and have it on my own camera; I do not involve a guide or other person in assisting me with snooting.

In our next article, we will be focusing only on using snoots, so if you are needing more assistance with how to use a snoot tune in for that article.

Front or Rear Curtain?

When it comes to front or rear curtain sync, I always use front curtain sync. This is because when looking through the viewfinder I compose the image, make sure the eye is in perfect focus, and know exactly where on the creature the light will fall. I then press the shutter and want the light to fire immediately freezing the subject exactly as I intended and then allowing me to create the movement I want in the image knowing the subject is composed exactly how I wanted it and it is in perfect focus. If you fire the strobe at the end you have no control of how the image will turn out.

Creating the Blue

When we are using a moving subject, we allow the subject to create the blur behind. But when we are using static subjects, we need to create this blur using panning. People always ask me which direction they should pan; it is simple. Always pan in front of and away from the subject; this way any movement or shadows are always behind the subject and it looks correct. On a stationary subject, I also like to move the camera in a line that matches the direction of the subject, but this is a creative choice. For example, if the subject is on the seabed, then I like to move the camera horizontally in front and not vertically as a general rule. But as I say, this is a creative choice, and I have images in my collection that break this rule.

Also when panning the camera, you need to be much more aggressive than you likely realize. It is quite aggressive to create the movement. But also look at and review the images not just for blues, but for movement. When panning faster you are likely to create lines in the images, when moving slower it is likely to be a softer, smoother background. So review and try different panning speeds.

Editing Tips

When it comes to the edit, the RAW file will be very flat, the separation between subject and blue will likely not be so prominent. Try some Dehaze in Lightroom to make things pop and also then create separate masks for the subject and the background to separate out the two parts. On the subject add clarity and texture, on the background you can try decreasing the clarity and texture to make a softer look. Also, add some saturation and vibrance into the image.

Conclusion

Slow shutter speed macro photography offers a captivating avenue for creating unique underwater images. Through careful manipulation of light, shutter speed, and subject selection, you can craft stunning visuals that transcend traditional macro photography boundaries. Whether capturing the graceful movement of small fish or transforming static subjects into ethereal scenes, the possibilities are as vast as the ocean itself. With dedication to technique and a keen eye for composition, photographers can present viewers with a different look of the same tried and true subjects. So, grab your camera, dive in, and explore the magic of slow shutter speed macro photography for yourself.