If you want to take long exposure photos on the go, when you're out and about without your beloved tripod, then look no further. ReeHeld is the ultimate long exposure photography app, designed to let you capture stunning 30-second hand held long exposure photos on your iPhone without the need for a tripod.
How does ReeHeld allow you to take long exposure photos without a tripod?
Reeheld utilises computational photography and a smart Frame Averaging algorithm to take a series of photos over a certain time period, between 1 and 30 seconds, and then averages them together to create the long exposure capture.
What makes ReeHeld unique is that, unlike other long exposure camera apps, ReeHeld utilises the Neural Engine (AI) of the iPhone to smartly recognise the sequence of images captured and align them together in order average out the differences between each photo to produce a final image that is sharper, clearer and has less noise than any of the individual photos.
In this tutorial you’ll learn how to quickly use ReeHeld so to take incredible long exposure photos - wherever, whenever.
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
REEHELD - HOW TO?
1 - Select the desired lens and field of view for the composition
2 - Select the capture duration (frame averaging exposure time)
3 - Set the focus by tapping the screen
4 - Make sure to include a/some fixed object/s in the scene, a reference point like a tree, a rock, a building or a shore. That is essential for the AI algorithm to have a reference point in order to work as designed and process the smart images’ alignment.
5 - Tap the shutter button and keep steady
6 - Watch the magic unfold... in real time!
WATCHOUTS
1 - If you encounter any issues, you can reframe the composition to avoid a fast moving foreground element, adjust the exposure time and frame the photo to include a static object.
2 - While ReeHeld's cutting-edge AI technology does an amazing job in stabilising your long exposure shots, it's still necessary to hold your iPhone as steady as possible. Keep steady and your photos will be sharp and memorable.
IMPORTANT NOTE
ReeHeld utilises artificial intelligence to figure out how to align images and neutralise camera shakes. For this process to work, there must be something fixed in the image, something that doesn’t move. The AI recognises it and "grips" on it.
If for example you'd be pointing ReeHeld at the horizon with only the sea and the sky in the frame, or pointing ReeHeld at the sky with only some clouds moving and no fixed reference, then the app will not produce the desired long exposure effect, as there is no reference for ReeHeld to latch onto, and the final result will show some blurred diagonal black shadows on the edges of the image.
This is a sign that the AI is not able to understand what to align, due to the fact that it cannot find a reference, and therefore cannot provide the desired result.
Therefore, keep in mind that for the best results, you always need to have something fixed in the image (a rock, a far-away object, a building etc).
LONG EXPOSURE TIPS
1 - Look for interesting subjects
Long exposure photography is particularly effective when there's movement in the frame. Look for interesting subjects like waterfalls, waves, traffic, or people walking to create dynamic and engaging long exposure photos. Lateral movement across the scene will be more prominent than movement directly toward or away from the smartphone camera.
2 - Moving clouds
Fast moving clouds are a fantastic addition to your long exposure capture. The Clear Outside app provides a forecast of the low, medium and high cloud, wind amount/direction, as well as sun and moon rise and setting times.
Composition Tip: The most visually appealing way to capture moving clouds is pointing the camera in the same direction as the cloud movement.
3 - Experiment with exposure times
The exposure time you choose will impact on the final result of your long exposure photo. Experiment with different exposure times begging with a shorter exposure time and gradually increase it until you achieve the desired effect.
