Long Exposure Portraits: From Setup To Post-Process

In this guide, we’ll explore what taking portraits with long exposure can look like, and how to make it work without needing fancy gear. Just a bit of planning and a good eye—that’s all it really takes.

Once you’ve got the shot, we’ll walk through how to polish it using the Aperty studio photo editor, so your image keeps that magic but looks clean and professional too. So, let’s get started!

How to Take Long Exposure Portraits: Technical Aspects

Long exposure portraits combine creativity and control. While the artistic results can look spontaneous or surreal, they rely on a strong technical foundation. Let’s walk through the gear and settings that will help you get the most out of this technique.

Essential Gear

We first need to make sure we have the right equipment. As mentioned before, you don’t need the latest or most expensive camera gear to get great results, as almost all digital and even analogue cameras allow you to adjust the shutter speed, which is how you achieve a long exposure. 

For this reason, we won’t be recommending any particular camera or lens. You just need something with manual mode and an appropriate portrait lens, such as a 50mm. As for the rest, here's a short list of what you might need when working on a photo:

• Tripod: One essential piece of equipment is a tripod. With the shutter open for an extended time, any shakes from hand-holding will create unwanted blur in your shot. A tripod that allows you to adjust the height and angle of your shot will help you get the best results. Alternatively, any stable surface can also provide a steady base.

• Remote Shutter: When we press and release the shutter button, there may be some shake that causes a blurred image. This can be an issue with certain cameras, so either a careful, steady press or the use of a remote shutter release may be required.

• Light Source: Ample light is needed for a sharp image. Whether shooting indoors or outdoors, make sure your scene is well lit. You can also introduce additional light sources such as LED lights, torches, or glow sticks to create light trails and movement for a more dynamic shot.

Long Exposure Portrait Settings

Long exposure portraits are all about balance — capturing motion while keeping control over exposure and sharpness. The right camera settings are key to getting that balance right.

This technique works best in manual mode, where you have full control over how your camera behaves. If you're new to shooting manually, this is a great opportunity to get comfortable with it. Expect to take a few test shots as you go—long exposure often takes a bit of trial and error, but that’s part of the creative process.

Long Exposure Portrait Techniques

There are a couple of ways to approach a long-exposure shot for your subject’s pose. You can choose between a static or moving pose depending on the themes you are going for. Let’s take a closer look at these options.

1. Using a Static Pose with Movement Around

The idea of doing a long-exposure shot with a static pose might seem redundant. But it is what you do around your subject that adds interest. This can be done with moving lights or objects, such as tree branches flowing in the wind. The hair of your subject may also be moving, yet they themselves remain still.

2. Capturing Motion in the Shot

Capture your subject performing actions for a dynamic long-exposure shot. These can be actions such as dance movements, jumping, and much more to bring energy to your shot. You can also include moving objects in the background to further enhance the sense of motion.

Learn more: How to Guide Clients for Stunning Portraits

3. Combining Long Exposure with Flash

This is a more technical approach, but it can produce highly creative shots that grab the attention of your audience. It allows you to showcase both motion and a sharp freeze frame of your model in the same image. You will need a flashlight source, either mounted on your camera or as a separate standalone.

Top Tip: Use Rear Curtain Sync. This will trigger the flash at the end of the exposure instead of the beginning. The result is movement leading up to the moment of the flash, and then a frozen frame of the subject at the end, all in one photo.

Post Production: Editing with Aperty

Once your photo session is complete, it’s time to start editing. We will be using Aperty, the portrait-dedicated software that helps you get professional results in no time at all. You will be able to do all of your essential photo editing tasks, alongside retouching, reshaping, and creative work, all within the software. 

So let’s break down how to help your long-exposure photo truly stand out.

Step 1: Import Image

Start by creating a project folder to keep your work organized. Click the folder icon in the top bar, then select Create Project. Give your project a name, and once it’s ready, simply drag and drop your image files into the window to begin editing.

Step 2: Essential Editing

Now that you’ve captured your long exposure portrait, it’s time to build a strong editing foundation. In this stage, focus on setting up the technical side of your image—things like exposure, contrast, structure, and noise. Creative effects like color grading should come later, especially in portrait work, so you can preserve natural skin tones during retouching.

Here are the key tools to start with:

Develop

Start here to adjust overall exposure, contrast, and basic tonal balance. If you want more refined control, use the Tone Curve to shape highlights, midtones, and shadows exactly how you like them.

Structure

This AI-powered tool adds clarity and depth by enhancing the texture in your image. You can push it to emphasize detail, or dial it back for a softer, dreamier look. For more targeted control, use the Details tool, which lets you adjust small, medium, and large details separately.

Noise Reduction (Optional)

Long exposures can sometimes introduce noise, especially in low-light settings. Use the Noise Reduction tool to clean up your image while keeping important details intact. This step is optional but useful if you notice grain in the background or shadows.

Step 3: Retouching & Reshaping

Traditionally, this process can be extremely time-consuming. But Aperty is here to save the day and get your edits done in record time so you can head back out with your camera. You also need not worry about dedicating a great deal of time to study and become an expert with these tools. They are intuitive and super easy to use, so let’s take a look:

Clean-Up & Smoothing

• Blemish Removal: Small distractions like acne, redness, or uneven patches can be cleaned up quickly with the Blemish Removal slider. Freckles are recognized separately (which is great), so they stay unless you specifically decide to remove them using the Freckle tool.

• Skin Texture: You control how much texture stays in the skin—that’s key to avoiding the over-edited, plastic look. Keep enough detail to make your subject feel real, just a bit more polished.

• Wrinkles & Fine Lines: You can target different areas of the face — forehead, eyes, smile lines — and soften them one by one. No need to erase everything; just reduce what distracts from the overall feel.

Eyes, Lips, Expression

• Eyes: Brighten, sharpen, or add a little saturation to help them stand out, especially if your exposure was lower due to the long shutter. Even small adjustments here can create a stronger emotional connection.

• Mouth & Teeth: Subtle lip enhancement, teeth whitening, or tone adjustments are all possible without making it look fake. These small tweaks can bring life to a smile or help balance your overall color palette.

• Digital Makeup (Optional): Didn’t have a makeup artist on set? No problem. Aperty can apply realistic-looking makeup—blush, contouring, lipstick—and you have full control over the intensity and shades. It works surprisingly well, especially for stylized portraits.

Gentle Reshaping (If Needed)

If something feels slightly off — posture, symmetry, proportions — the Reshaping tools let you make soft adjustments while keeping the result lifelike. Think of this step as fine-tuning, not changing the subject. A little can go a long way in bringing harmony to the frame.

Step 4: Creative Tools & Colour Grading

Now we can enhance the movement and energy of your photo. Long-exposure shots often contain light trails, and we want to make sure that they stand out and catch the eye. Let’s take a look at how we can do that, plus some of the other wonderful tools available.

Light Source

This tool lets you introduce custom lighting into the image. You can replicate color gels, add textures, and control the angle and softness of the light. It’s a subtle but powerful way to emphasize movement, guide attention, or simulate creative in-camera effects after the fact.

Portrait Bokeh

Use this to create a creamy background blur that adds separation between your subject and the scene. It works beautifully for portraits — just be careful not to mask out any interesting light trails or motion you intentionally captured.

Color & HSL Tools

To make your light trails stand out, go to the Essentials panel and open the Color and HSL tools. Increase Vibrance or Saturation for a more vivid base, then use the HSL sliders to fine-tune individual colors. Slight hue shifts can help unify your palette or bring out unexpected tones in your image.

LUTs (Look-Up Tables)

If you want to quickly apply a stylized look, try using an LUT. It’s a fast way to test different moods and tones, great for experimenting or setting a consistent aesthetic across a series.

Top Tip: Use a mask if you’re doing extensive colour work, so that your subject’s skin tones remain unaffected. Head to the masking tool (second option on the right-side menu) and select the Mask Background option. Now, any changes you make will apply only to the background, letting you get as creative as you like.

Step 5: Export the Result

Once you're happy with your edits, it’s time to export your image. In Aperty, the export process is streamlined—just choose your preferred resolution, format, and compression. If you’re sharing online, exporting in high quality while keeping file size manageable ensures your work looks sharp and loads quickly.

The Bottom Line

Long exposure portraits are a powerful way to bring motion and emotion into a single frame. They let you capture energy, the feeling of a moment. That dynamic quality is what makes these images stand out. You can get as creative as you like: light trails, subtle background movement, or having your subject in motion — all of it adds a unique, expressive layer to your work.

Once you’ve wrapped your shoot, bring your images into Aperty to refine your vision. You’ll be able to edit, retouch, and add creative touches—all in one place. It’s a focused, time-saving space for photographers who want pro-level results without jumping between apps.

With the right setup and a bit of experimentation, long exposure can become more than a technique—it can be a signature part of your creative voice.