How to fix brightness in long exposure photography shots?

Hi, I'm just beginning to experiment with long exposures, and I need a little bit of help
I went out to try to get some misty waves (an effect I've always loved) and after taking a few shots I realized they were all super bright
I went out on a really overcast and dark day, had the shutter speed set to bulb, and aperture at the smallest setting I could go (somewhere in the 20s I think)
I even set the iso to the lowest settig possible (100)
What else can I do? I know I should get a filter, but
A. What kind would you recommend (for Nikon D60)
And B. Is there anything else I can do in the meantime?

Try some and filters: http://en.wikipedia.org/...ity_filter

Your best bet, besides getting a polarizing filter, is to schedule your shooting times around sunrise and sunset. Not only will it be dark enough to get the effect you are seeking, but you will not be disappointed that you did it. If you absolutely can't go out at those times, if you can't invest in a filter, then my best advice would be to shoot in the woods where your water scene is shadowed by trees.

In the meantime, you go out when it's less bright (sunset or even after dark). But to shoot long exposures in the daytime you need neutral density filters.

If your exposure at f16 on an overcast day is around 1/30 sec at ISO 100, then you are never going to get the seconds exposure you require without a filter.

these are the whole stop shutter speeds;

etc 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1", 2", 4" etc

if you want 2 seconds exposure & you're getting 1/30 at f16 then you need 6 stops difference, so you'd need a 6 stop and filter.

Good idea to buy two - a 4 stop & a 6 stop - you can use them singly or stack them to get 10 stops.

This was taken using a 10 stop and during the day;

There's only one level of light on your sensor that will give a correct exposure, the two basic ways your camera has for controlling this is aperture, which controls the amount of light reaching the sensor, and the shutter speed which controls how long the light can act on your sensor.

The balance between these two is called the exposure. There's also ISO which is how sensitive to light your camera is, for your purpose we'll assume it's on the lowest setting.

If you put your camera into Aperture priority, point the camera, select your smallest aperture and half press the shutter the camera will tell you the shutter peed it needs to select to maintain the balance for a correct exposure with the light currently available. This is the only speed that will give a good exposure. You can't just slow it further without over-exposing.

If the shutter speed is too fast we have to reduce the light entering the camera by using and filters. And filters are not calibrated in f stops, but in fractions. They miss the 1/ part off, so an and 2 filter will be 1/2 or half the light, i.e. 1 f stop darker. An and 4 filter will be 1/4 of the light will pass through it 1/4 is 2 f stops. An and 8 is 1/8th of the light which is 3 f stops, and so on.

You can stack them to increase the effect.

A polarising filter will give you the equivalent of an and 4 filter (2 f stops).

If you leave your camera on Aperture Priority your camera will work it out for you down to a shutter speed of 30 seconds, which is often all you need. You only need to use the B setting and guess the exposure if you want more than 30 seconds which is unusual. 5 to 15 seconds is more than enough to turn flowing water into 'milk'. Results are usually more realistic with 1/2 to 1 seconds.

With your camera on a tripod set up as above (lowest ISO, small aperture), just hold the and filter in front of the lens, half press the shutter and the camera will show you the shutter speed it's going to select. Add or remove filters to get the shutter speed you want. No guess work, a perfect exposure every time.

B mode is only required when you want shutter times longer than 30 seconds, Astro Photography, and starlight photos at night for instance.