Capturing the Magic of Fonts d'Algar Spain - Long Exposure Photography

I didn’t plan to shoot a long exposure that day.

We were exploring, enjoying the sound of the water and the warmth of Spain, when I noticed a photographer standing on a stone ledge near a waterfall with his tripod set up. Camera ready. Completely in his element.

After a while, the crowd cleared. The spot opened up.

The Filter Moment

When I stepped onto the same ledge, I noticed an ND filter lying on the stone. I picked it up to check the diameter - photographer habits never switch off.

Close… but not the same size as my lens.

For reference, my Nikon Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 uses an 82mm filter thread. That tiny disc of glass was easily worth around 2000 SEK - definitely not something you’d want to lose.

We spotted the same photographer walking away with his wife, and my husband returned it.

His wife immediately said, “Did you really drop this?”

That look. That tone. The universal “how did you manage that?” expression.

It was adorable. I just know that the filter has a history. That look said everything.

No Tripod

Inspired, I decided to try a long exposure myself. Using my ND64 (6-stop) filter, low ISO, and a 3 - second exposure, I balanced my camera carefully, held my breath and let the shutter do its magic.

The Magic of Slowing Down

Long exposure transforms water into silk. Instead of freezing motion, it softens it, turning movement into something calm and almost painterly. That image holds more than just flowing water.

And, I love long exposure photography. Long exposure teaches you to slow down. In a world where everything moves fast, it forces you to:

Pause.

Stabilize.

Control light.

Trust the process.

And when it works, the result feels almost like a painting - like you didn’t just capture a scene, but interpreted it.