Photography tips

Exposure time

Night photography showing a starry sky above the silhouette of Mount Pilatus

Key tips

  1. Select an exposure time long enough to capture the stars without excessive blur caused by the Earth's rotation.
  2. Use a long exposure time to capture the faint light of the stars.
  3. Use a long exposure time to capture the faint light sources of the night sky on the sensor.

Photographs on this topic

22 photographs with tips

The exact camera settings for each shot are shown below it - a starting point for recreating the look yourself. Click through to a photograph for detailed photography tips on that specific shot, under "Photography tips for this image".

All subjects Mountains City Architecture Landscape Pilatus Lucerne Lake Lucerne Central Switzerland
Front view of Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne with colourful balcony accents 12 mm · f/16 · 1 s · ISO 200 The Wasserturm tower of the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne at night in thick fog 32 mm · f/16 · 13 s · ISO 400 Light projection onto the Water Tower of the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne during night and fog 30 mm · f/10 · 10 s · ISO 200 View through a metal grate into the interior of the Jesuit Church in Lucerne during the Lilu Light Festival with a person in the foreground. 12 mm · f/4 · 1/2 s · ISO 3200 Light projection on the Lion Monument in Lucerne during the Lilu Light Festival. 14 mm · f/11 · 5 s · ISO 400 Illuminated towers of the Hofkirche in Lucerne with a glowing star between the spires at night. 62 mm · f/9 · 2 s · ISO 1000 The festively illuminated Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne at night 66 mm · f/14 · 2.5 s · ISO 1000 The illuminated Jesuit Church in Lucerne under a cloudy evening sky with a historic street lamp in the foreground. 13 mm · f/7.1 · 2 s · ISO 400 KKL Lucerne at night with light installations from the Lilu Festival and a reflection in a puddle. 15 mm · f/20 · 30 s · ISO 800 Hofkirche Lucerne at night with a glowing star and many candles on the steps 15 mm · f/16 · 8 s · ISO 800 View from inside the Spreuer Bridge onto the Reuss River and the old town of Lucerne 15 mm · f/22 · 6 s · ISO 100 The illuminated Old Swiss House restaurant in Lucerne at night 30 mm · f/32 · 13 s · ISO 800 View through an alley towards the purple illuminated Jesuit Church during the Lilu Light Festival in Lucerne 38 mm · f/22 · 10 s · ISO 400 View through a narrow alley of the purple illuminated Jesuit Church during the Lilu Light Festival in Lucerne 38 mm · f/18 · 6 s · ISO 400 View through a stone balustrade of the illuminated Lucerne train station during the 2024 Lilu Light Festival. 100 mm · f/16 · 6 s · ISO 800 Illuminated facade of the Jesuit Church during the Lilu Light Festival in Lucerne at night 100 mm · f/18 · 25 s · ISO 400 View through an alley towards an illuminated building during the Lilu Light Festival in Lucerne 50 mm · f/18 · 8 s · ISO 800 The illuminated Château Gütsch on the hillside above the city of Lucerne at night. 128 mm · f/18 · 10 s · ISO 400 Close-up of the illuminated tower of the Bern Minster at night 209 mm · f/22 · 30 s · ISO 400 Chapel Bridge in Lucerne at night with snow on the roof 50 mm · f/18 · 15 s · ISO 640 Wasserturm and Chapel Bridge in Lucerne at night with snow on the roofs 50 mm · f/22 · 20 s · ISO 640 View of the Hofkirche in Lucerne at night with an illuminated Christmas star between the towers. 50 mm · f/18 · 13 s · ISO 400

Related topics

  • Mountains
  • City
  • Architecture
  • Landscape
  • Light
  • Camera settings
  • Composition
  • Perspective
  • Pilatus
  • Lucerne
  • Lake Lucerne
  • Central Switzerland
  • Night
  • Sunset
  • Fog
  • Blue hour
  • Evening light
  • Rain
  • Snow
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