Stillness in Motion: Architectural Long Exposure - Hands-On Workshop

Learn the Magic of Long Exposure Photography - Hands-On Workshop

Join fine art photographer Thibault Roland for an immersive, online lecture followed by a hands-on workshop focused on photographing modern architecture with a strong emphasis on long exposure techniques. Taking place in April, this event will explore how time, light, and structure can be combined to create refined, expressive architectural images.

Weather* permitting, participants will learn how to use long exposure to simplify busy urban scenes, soften movement, and reveal the quiet geometry hidden within contemporary architecture. Thibault will guide you through both the technical process and the artistic decision-making behind creating compelling fine art photographs.

Throughout the event, you will gain:

• A deeper understanding of, with intention
• Practical mastery of long exposure techniques using neutral density filters
• Insight into how time can be used as a creative tool to remove distractions, emphasize form, and use clouds to create stronger images
• Guidance on visualizing the final image before pressing the shutter
• Tools to create cleaner, more minimal, and emotionally resonant architectural photographs

This workshop is designed for photographers who want to move beyond documentation and toward fine art expression, whether you are new to long exposure or looking to refine an existing practice.

Come ready to slow down, observe more deeply, and transform Bellevue’s architecture into timeless, contemplative imagery.

Online Lecture - Tuesday, April 6 | 5:30pm - 7:00pm PT: The lecture is a prerequisite to the workshop and is included with your workshop registration. You will learn the process and what equipment you need to create breathtaking images using this unique approach. This lecture is meant to prepare you for your workshop held in the downtown Bellevue area. You will receive a recording of the lecture for reviewing on your own. Online Lecture `a la carte

Hands-On Workshop - Saturday, April 11 | 9:00am - 1:00pm PT

The second part of this event consists of a half-day, hands-on workshop in and around downtown Bellevue, where you will have the opportunity to capture shapes, lines and patterns. Thibault will be available to assist you while you practice your long exposures.

Workshop Gear: Gear will be covered in more detail during the online lecture. We have also linked a PDF list of gear you will need for this workshop.

*Weather contingency plan. If the weather calls for rain, we will pivot to Mukilteo Lighthouse Point to create long exposures along the water. We will discuss this during our Zoom if a location change is imminent.

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Your Instructor

Born in France in 1981, Thibault Roland is a black and white fine art photographer.

He grew up with a love of science, eventually obtaining his PhD in Physics in 2009. His scientific research brought him to work in the United States at both Cornell and Harvard Universities where he investigated the mechanics of DNA.

A large portion of Thibault’s studies and subsequent work as a scientist focused on optics and microscopy. His art has always been tied to his scientific background. At the beginning of his photographic journey, he started much like the entomologist and botanist by capturing the vibrant colors of macro photography.

Very soon he started integrating scientific notions in his imagery, such as the Theory of General Relativity, which predicts that time and distance are relative and depend on the location and point of view. It is why he has a special affinity for long exposure, which allows for the contraction or dilatation of time and moving objects. Another example of him marrying science and photography shows in his use of the tilt/shift technique. By introducing blur in a highly controlled way and keeping only his main subject sharp, he recreates the Heisenberg’s principle that predicts that location and speed cannot both be known precisely. Thibault is also a machinist and experimentalist who loves to tinker with equipment, modify and create cameras in order to obtain unique looks.

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