Long-exposure photography involves leaving your camera shutter open for an extended period to introduce motion blur. It can be used to show the constant movement of elements around you, from clouds gliding in the sky to a running waterfall to waves crashing on the rugged coast.

Decreasing your shutter speed is the key to capturing motion blur. Generally, anything under 1/30 of a second will introduce some motion blur. However, since the shutter is opened longer, we are introducing two problems.

First, we need to control how much light hits the sensor to get the proper exposure by lowering our ISO and closing the aperture. Smartphones have lenses with a fixed aperture, so you will need a mobile VND filter or an app capable of merging several shots to mimic motion blur, such as the Moment Pro Camera App II.

Secondly, lower shutter speeds will capture any shake while holding your phone, so a tripod is needed to keep our images the sharpest.

There are several ways of capturing long exposures with your iPhone, and while they can produce similar results, the shooting experience and what you'll need will differ.

With the help of accessories like Neutral Density (ND) filters and a tripod, you can shoot long exposures on your iPhone the same way you would on a DSLR/mirrorless camera. ND filters help block some of the light hitting your sensor. They come in many different densities (2 stops, 4 stops, 8 stops, etc.)

I like to use VND with the iPhone as I can quickly decrease or increase the amount of light. A stronger VND is better for capturing motion blur in a bright environment. The Moment VND 6-8 stops filter is a good choice. You'll need an adapter to mount this specific filter onto your iPhone, like the Moment 67mm Filter Mount. OR you can use a QuickLock VND filter for iPhone if you have an iPhone 15, 16, or 17 series.

Next is a tripod to keep your iPhone steady, and a phone clamp such as the Moment Tripod Phone Clamp with Cold Shoe Mount is a good choice as it can be used with different phone cases.

Finally, you need an app that gives you complete manual control over your camera's settings. The Moment Pro app is perfect and filled with beautiful features we'll use through this guide.

Now that we have all the accessories, it's time to head out and shoot!

Once you find the subject you want to capture, set down your tripod, mount your VND filter onto your phone, and open the Moment App. Choose the standard photo mode.

For this method, we will shoot in RAW. You can choose either standard RAW or ProRaw if it's available. To change the format, click on the top banner to change the format. By default, it is set to HEIF or JPEG.

Frame your subject and lock your tripod to keep everything steady. Set your iso and shutter to the lowest available, generally ISO 34, and shutter speed at 1 second. Unfortunately, Apple doesn't let us use a shutter speed of less than a second. You may also find the interface slow. At this point, use the VND to compensate for the light until you get the correct exposure while keeping an eye on your histogram. (To activate the histogram, navigate to the settings, and under "exposure and focus," switch on the histogram.

Finally, use the timer option to delay the shutter by a few seconds. This will ensure you don't introduce vibrations in the iPhone while pressing the shutter. A three-second delay is enough.

• The motion blur you capture is genuine (not generated by software like the following two methods.)

• You can shoot in RAW or ProRaw, giving you more flexibility in post-production.

• The slowest shutter speed on the iPhone is 1 second.

• The iPhone wasn't made to be extensively used at a shutter speed of 1 second.

• A VND of 8 stops might not be enough in the brightness situations.

• It can replicate the effects of shutter speeds slower than 1 second and doesn't require any filter.

• Easy to use

• You only need a tripod or surface to keep your iPhone steady.

• Motion blur is software-generated

• You cannot shoot in RAW, so you'll have less flexibility in post-production.

• The most straightforward way of capturing motion blur.

• There is no need for accessories or a dedicated app.

• It can be shot handheld.

• It can be used on older photos if shot in Live mode.

• The iPhone will automatically crop the image to compensate for the camera shake, even when set on a tripod.

• It sometimes creates funky results that aren't the most natural.

• You cannot shoot in RAW, so you'll have less flexibility in post-production.

Long-exposure photography can be daunting, but the more you practice, the easier it will become. Feel free to experiment with different settings, lenses, and filters, whether the built-in lenses on your iPhone or the Moment lenses.

My favorite method is using the built-in "slow shutter" features inside the Moment app. It creates the best results and still allows me to use manual settings.