The Looney 11 Rule is a guide to photography that was created by photographer and author Michael Freeman.
It offers advice on how to take better pictures, including tips on how to use your camera and how to frame your shots.
The rule was first published in 2005 by Amherst Media as part of The Looney 11 Guide:
A Photographer’s Handbook for Digital Cameras.
Since then, it has been revised twice (in 2008 and 2012).
Benefits of the Looney 11 Rule
The Looney 11 Rule is a simple technique that can be used to improve your photography.
It involves using the 11th shutter speed in your camera’s exposure settings, which is usually 1/1000th of a second or faster.
By doing this, you’ll increase your image quality by reducing motion blur and noise while also improving dynamic range (the difference between highlights and shadows).
The benefits of using this technique are:
Increased exposure:
The darker areas of an image will get brighter due to less motion blur during long exposures, so you won’t have to worry about overexposing them when shooting handheld at night or indoors without strobe lighting.
This means more detail in those areas!
How to Apply the Looney 11 Rule
Understanding the concept of stops
Calculating the correct exposure
Adjusting the camera settings
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Not allowing enough time for exposure:
The Looney 11 Rule is all about making the most of your camera’s settings, but it doesn’t mean you should forget about the importance of timing.
If you’re trying to capture an action shot or a moving subject, you may need to adjust your shutter speed accordingly.
If you don’t have enough light in the scene (or if it’s changing quickly), then adjusting ISO could help compensate for those changes by letting more light into your camera sensor.
Not accounting for light changes:
Lighting can change quickly and dramatically depending on where you are and what time it is–and sometimes even within just a few minutes!
You should always keep an eye on how much natural light there is around you so that when the sun goes down or clouds roll in suddenly (as they often do), it doesn’t ruin all of your photos before they’ve even been taken.* Not adjusting ISO:
Tips for Mastering the Looney 11 Rule
To master the Looney 11 Rule, you’ll need to practice with a variety of subjects.
The more you shoot, the better you’ll get at understanding how different settings affect your photos.
To achieve a desired effect with shutter speed, try adjusting it while shooting in manual mode and taking note of how each change affects your image.
For example:
If you’re shooting outdoors on a sunny day and want to capture motion trails from clouds passing by overhead or water droplets falling from trees onto leaves below them (called “leaf splash”), then increase your shutter speed until these effects appear naturally in your photographs without having to edit them later on in post-production software like Lightroom or
If contrast is too high for your liking–for example when photographing landscapes–try using filters such as ND grads which reduce brightness across all colors equally instead of just darkening certain areas like traditional sunglasses do when worn outside during daytime hours so they don’t reflect light back into our eyes making us squint!
Equipment Needed to Use the Looney 11 Rule
The Looney 11 Rule is a photographic technique that uses the sun, clouds and an ND filter to create long exposures.
It requires a DSLR camera with interchangeable lenses, a tripod and some kind of neutral density (ND) filter.
If you don’t have these things yet, don’t worry! You can buy them separately or as part of an all-in-one kit like this one from Amazon:
Canon EOS Rebel T6i/750D DSLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm IS STM Lens – Black (2635B005)
SanDisk 32GB Extreme PRO SDHC UHS-I Memory Card 95MB/s Class 10 U3 V30 A2 Micro SD Card With Adapter SDSQXA1-032G-GN6MA
Best Practices for Using the Looney 11 Rule
Know the limits of your camera.
The Looney 11 Rule is a good starting point, but it’s not perfect.
You’ll need to learn how to adjust settings quickly and accurately so that you can get the shot you want.
Use a light meter for accurate readings.
If you don’t have one, try using an app like PhotoPills or LightTrac on your phone–they’ll give you an idea of what kind of lighting conditions are best for taking photos in different environments (e.g., indoors vs outdoors).
How to Create Unique Images Using the Looney 11 Rule
The Looney 11 Rule is a great way to create unique images.
You can experiment with long exposures, try using neutral density filters and use the rule to capture motion blur.
Looney 11 Rule In Photography – Summary
The Looney 11 Rule is a powerful tool for photographers.
It can help create stunning images with a wide range of tones and textures, but it’s not the only way to get there.
With practice and experimentation, you’ll find your own ways of using this rule to make beautiful photos that are uniquely yours.
