How to take long exposure shots with a Nikon d3000?

Can you please dumb down your answer a little? I know terms for photography but could you just make it simple -.-

Added (1). What settings does my camera need to be on exactly as it should be?

* Tripod
* Shoot in low light
* Use your light meter to balance the shutter speed and aperture to get the correct exposure

If you spend some time with your user manual, you will discover some amazing things that you can do with your camera, besides long exposures

Also, try playing with the ISO. It only changes it for a matter of like half a second do a second, but if you're trying to change the sensitivity, this is what you need

or… Are you trying to do that light art stuff when you take a light and hold it and move it around to "draw"?

if so, when you're in a dark room, put it in "scene-night".

there are a few settings, but that's the only one I could get to work.

when you go into a dark room, it made my Olympus take a long exposure shot.

Well, you might "know the terms," but you clearly don't know how to use your camera.

You need to select a slow shutter speed for long exposure photos. If you don't know how to do that, read the instructions that came with your camera. If you don';t have them, download them from the Nikon website.

First, you must have a tripod for successful long exposures.

For long exposures you'll have to take control of the camera so use Manual Mode. When using your camera on a tripod, turn the VR on your lens to "OFF". Turn the A/M on your lens to "M" (Manual). Yes, you'll have to manually focus your camera.

I use and recommend this site for low-light/night exposures: http://www.calculator.org/...osure.aspx

When I wanted to take pictures of the Louisville skyline across the Ohio River from the Indiana shore, I used the Scene 'Distant view of city skyline or floodlit buildings' and ISO 200. Here are the results:

100mm @ f11, exposure of 30 seconds.

200mm @ f11, exposure of 30 seconds.

For exposures of up to 30 seconds you can use your camera's self-timer to release the shutter. For longer exposures you'll need to use the "B" (Bulb) setting on your shutter speed selector which allows you to keep the shutter open as long as you want. You'll also need the Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control.

This article on star trails might interest you: http://www.danheller.com/star-trails

Here is one on doing light graffiti: http://www.diyphotography.net/painting_with_light

This shoud get you started.

1) Read the manual, you need to know what the numbers on your camera means.

2) Buy the following, a tripod, and a cable release.

3) Wait for a suitable time of day. Essentially that means until it's dark outside.

4) The easy way is to set the camera to shutter priority mode (S on your mode dial), and select a shutter speed of however long you want/need. Slap it on a tripod, compose your shot. Plug in the cable release and press the button.

5) If you want to go beyond 30 seconds, you'll need to learn how to expose manually. Live within 30 second limit for now, and then read more about exposure.