There are a few subjects we commonly associate with slow shutter speeds – waterfalls, city lights and star trails are a few that come to mind. What we don't often see is people photographed at slow shutter speeds. 'Tokyo Ghosts' is an exploration of the busy lives of locals who work and play hard. Taken at busy intersections in the bustling inner Tokyo suburbs of Ueno, Shibuya and Ginza, the images capture the frenetic pace of the city and add an ethereal, ghostly feel. If you're interested in trying this technique, here are six tips to get you started.
01 LOCATION, LOCATION...
Half the challenge of getting shots like the ones here is finding a vantage point that has a steady and busy flow of people. Look for busy city corners with lots of passing pedestrians – ideally they should be busiest in the morning or late afternoon when the light is good.
02 POINT OF VIEW
Think about where your camera is placed to your subjects. A high vantage point, shooting from a hotel or office tower can be really effective, creating the impression that the people are like a flowing river. Most of the images here were captured at eye level, which I find creates a more personal and intimate feel.
03 CAMERA SUPPORT
It goes without saying that you need some kind of support to prevent camera shake. A tripod is the best option, but you can also use a flat surface if you can find one at the correct height. A cable or remote release will help minimise camera shake. If you don't have one, use your camera's self-timer function. Be aware that passing cars, trucks or trains can cause vibrations. Check for sharpness after you take your first few shots – zoom in to check that the small background details are in focus. If the background isn't sharp you may need to look for a better support or another location.
04 SHUTTER SPEED
Generally speaking you can use shutter speeds starting from around 1/15s of a second up to as high as 30 seconds. The actual setting you use will depend on the ambient light, whether or not you have access to neutral density filters (see step 05), how fast people are moving, whether they are walking past the camera, towards it or away from it, and how much blur you want. Experiment with different settings, check the results and keep experimenting.
05 FILTERS
Neutral density filters artificially darken the scene allowing you to access slower shutter speeds. ND filters come in varying strengths, darkening the image from one stop (ND2) up to around 11 stops (ND 2048). You can also buy variable neutral density filters which can be rotated to gradually increase or decrease the amount of light that is transmitted by the filter.
06 SHOOT IN RAW
Compared to JPEG, RAW gives you much more control in post-production to adjust variables such as white balance, exposure, contrast, noise and sharpness. The files will take up more space on your card, but if image quality is your priority it's well worth it. 
Born and raised in the Philippines, Alfonso Calero moved to Australia at the age of 15. He graduated from the Sydney Institute of Technology with an Associate Diploma in Photography in 2001 and has been professionally photographing food, portraits, landscapes and travel subjects ever since. He started a travel education and tours company four years ago delivering workshops every Saturday morning in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Fremantle. He also takes groups of four people to Japan, Philippines, Spain and Tasmania once a year for 10-14 day photography workshops.