Night photography mode. Remote shutter release

Photos taken in the evening and at night look unusual: the light of the moon and electric lamps transforms the landscape. The photographer can only capture it artistically and technically competently. A picture is created when the required amount of light hits the photosensitive element of the camera, so in the evening and at night in low light, the shooting rules change. The material presented in this article is designed for a photographer who is familiar with the basics of exposure and the functionality of his camera, and all the advice is given on the condition that we want to take not just a beautiful, but also a technically correct shot.

How to take photographs at night: preparation for shooting

Preparation - an important part location shooting. In low light conditions it is difficult to take a sharp, blur-free shot. To avoid blurring (in the slang for “shaking”), among other things, you need to use a tripod.

The tripod's tripod is responsible for stability, the head is for the orientation and mounting of the camera. The entire tripod or tripod in particular can be metal or plastic. Plastic is light and cheap, but does not hold the camera well, is fragile, unstable in the wind, and even a slight vibration does not fade for a long time. Metal structure more expensive and heavier, but stronger and more stable. There are also tripods with carbon tripods: they, having a lightweight carbon frame and high strength metal parts, combine best characteristics plastic and metal models.

Professional tripods have interchangeable heads - universal and specialized (for example, for shooting horizontal and vertical panoramas, macro photography). They also differ in the way and ease of adjusting the camera position. For example, a ball head, where the base is a sphere enclosed in a vice, is convenient for shooting in which the camera is constantly moving in several planes. It ensures smooth and precise movement of the camera and is fixed at all angles.

The three-axis head has separate adjustment levers for each of the three planes. And the main difference between a panoramic head and others is the ability to rotate the camera with the center of rotation at the nodal point of the lens. That is, the rotation occurs around the point at which the light streams converge before hitting the photosensitive element of the camera. If you need to shoot a panorama consisting of several rows, panoramic heads are used with the ability to tilt the camera up and down - up to the zenith (vertically up, +90° from the horizon) and nadir (vertically down, –90° from the horizon).

Remember that there are several positions in which a tripod is most stable. When installing, you need to spread the legs of the tripod widely in order to move the center of gravity lower and, if the shooting tasks allow it, do not raise its head high.

When shooting at slow shutter speeds, even pressing the shutter button can cause slight vibrations in the camera and ruin the shot. If possible, set the shutter delay mode to 2, 5, or 10 seconds, or use a remote control. If you'll be shooting in cold weather, fully charge the battery and take a spare. Remember that batteries discharge faster in cold weather.

Taking photos at night

Night photography refers not only to shooting at night, but also at sunset. The sunset lasts about an hour, so you need to plan your shooting location in advance and arrive at least half an hour before it starts. This time will be needed to select the angle and camera settings.

Setting an accurate white balance when shooting at night is quite difficult. When changing the composition, the number of lighting sources changes, the variety of which in a city can greatly change color temperature. In our case, it is best to leave the white balance in automatic mode. Shooting in RAW format will allow you to get an original file that you can work with many times without changing the digital negative: correct the white balance, perform exposure compensation.

The final result depends on the chosen exposure metering method. Matrix metering determines exposure settings based on data collected from all areas of the frame. It is perfect for evenly lit shooting scenes. The center-weighted method measures the entire field of the frame, but the bulk of the measurement is concentrated in the center of the frame within an 8-10 mm diameter circle that appears in the viewfinder. This method Metering is best used when a very bright light source enters the frame and you need to determine the exposure without its participation. The point method for determining exposure reads information from a point 1–2% of the frame area located in the center of the current focus area.

So, in uniform lighting, matrix exposure metering is used, and in difficult conditions, center-weighted or spot metering is used.

You should not raise the ISO value above 400. The higher the sensitivity, the more digital noise there will be in the image. The ISO400 level on most SLR cameras gives acceptable quality for a monitor, and even more so for printing. More high values, as a rule, lead to a sharp drop in picture quality.

Focusing is often a problem in low light conditions. For clear shots, try to focus on a contrasting or well-lit subject. For example, on road markings or on bright windows of a building. The main thing is not to focus on a homogeneous object, be it gray wall, sky or asphalt.

Working with endurance is the most important point night photography. Relatively short shutter speeds (1/30 - 2 seconds) emphasize the movement of objects, blurring them against a static, clear background. Shutter speeds longer than 2 seconds show movement differently: moving cars are not visible, headlights turn into streaks of light, fast-walking people are not shown in the photograph. If your main goal is to emphasize movement, it's best to shoot in shutter priority mode. If you're photographing a landscape, use aperture priority mode to be able to influence the depth of field.

Working with light

When shooting at night, the flash will not be able to illuminate the entire frame evenly, but with its help you can highlight and make a moving object static. Set rear curtain synchronization - the flash will fire at the end of the exposure of the frame, due to which the subject will be sufficiently illuminated, but at the same time its movement will be emphasized by a blurry trail not in front of it, but behind it.

In low light conditions, light becomes a tool. Using a flashlight, you can control the amount of light falling on an object, thereby making it stand out among its surroundings. This method is called a light brush. With the camera mounted on a tripod, take a flashlight, set the shutter speed to 30 seconds or Bulb (in this mode, the shutter remains open for an arbitrary period of time) and while exposing the frame, evenly illuminate the parts of the subject that you want to focus on. This method requires care and training.

Bulb mode has one strong point - using it, you can shoot night thunderstorms. To do this, you need to set the shutter speed to this mode and focus the lens to infinity. The aperture needs to be selected taking into account the situation: for example, when you catch lightning in the frame, it will make your photo brighter. In this case, it is best to use a lens with a focal length of less than 28 mm, since it is convenient not only for a wide angle, but also for a large depth of field. Remember to be careful when shooting during a thunderstorm: do not stand with your tripod in open field. It is also dangerous to be near tall tree, tower or power line.

Often during a long exposure, an extraneous light source enters the frame. For example, when filming the movement of cars during exposure, a red light turns on and the cars stop. At the same time, spots of light will appear in the frame where the cars were motionless, and their outlines will become noticeable. To avoid this, use a small piece of black paper to cover the lens temporarily. It can also be used to take multiple exposure shots. If you alternately cover and open the lens several times during a fireworks display, you will get a shot with multiple volleys of fireworks.

Night photography: universal settings for any scene.

Do you only shoot during the day? It's great to take pictures on a sunny day, but hiding your camera as soon as dusk sets in means missing out on several hours of beautiful photography. In the future, night photography may become one of the most attractive genres for you.

In low light conditions, your DSLR camera can capture beautiful images. But he will need your help. If in such conditions you shoot as usual - “framed the frame and pressed the button” - then either you will get blurry pictures, or you will not convey the atmosphere of the night in the photographs.

Don't be afraid of the dark! We have answers to all your frequently asked questions about how to prepare your camera for night photography.

We'll show you how to set up your camera and what extra gear is worth bringing along. We'll spice it all up various tips, which will help you awaken your camera's nighttime potential.

Selecting the appropriate aperture value

Night photography: how to choose the appropriate aperture value.

When preparing for night photography, it is important to ensure that you can securely mount the camera. In low light intensity it is difficult to achieve fast shutter speeds.

In some situations, such as when photographing sporting events in a well-lit stadium, the camera can be handheld. But to shoot most night scenes, the camera must be mounted on a fixed support.

The ideal option is a heavy, stable tripod, on which the digital SLR camera will definitely remain motionless even during an exposure of several minutes. In addition to the suggested option, you can mount the camera on a relatively stable support - the roof of a car or the edge of a window - and set the shutter release to be delayed to avoid unwanted camera shake when pressing the shutter button.

So, the camera is stationary - your hands are untied. Freely choose the shutter speed, aperture value and sensitivity (ISO) that can achieve the appropriate exposure for the scene, not just the combination of settings that will not affect camera shake. To estimate what settings you will need when shooting a particular scene, take a look at the table below.

With the camera resting on a tripod (find the best way to mount the tripod), set the ISO sensitivity to 100 (to reduce digital noise) and great importance aperture (f/16). In this case, the shutter speed can be as long as desired, which is not a problem as long as the camera is securely mounted. Read about some common problems that arise when shooting at different shutter speeds and the best ways to solve them.

Here is a short but convenient cheat sheet containing combinations of approximate settings for shooting some popular night scenes:

How long should the shutter speed be to blur motion beautifully?

Night photography: blurring motion.

Cars and trucks can ruin the composition of the photo if you shoot during the day. At night, their movement turns into an advantage.

The moving headlights and taillights are depicted in the photograph with red and white ribbons running throughout the image. This effect suddenly turns high-speed highways into film sets. To achieve it, you need to set a moderately long shutter speed.

In this case, shutter speed depends on how fast the cars are going and how much of the space “fits” in the frame. In any case it works general rule: The longer the shutter speed, the better.

Then the ribbons appear wider and more continuous in the photographs. For an average city street, a shutter speed of 20 seconds is suitable (but don't forget about a tripod!). If there is a traffic light on the road, its signals will help you understand at what point to start exposing the frame in order to cover the entire period of movement.

How do I set my shutter speed to be long enough?

The simplest way is to select the “Av” shooting mode. Then use the control wheel located behind the shutter button to set the aperture to the largest aperture your lens will allow (usually between f/22 and f/32).

Night photography: shooting with a long shutter speed - 1/8 second.

Night photography: long exposure photography - 15 seconds.

Night photography: long exposure photography - 30 seconds.

In this mode, the maximum available shutter speed for most DSLR cameras is 30 seconds. To be able to shoot at slower shutter speeds, switch the shooting mode to “M” (“Manual Mode”).

You can also use Bulb mode by holding the shutter open as long as you hold down the remote shutter button (see article on that). You may need a neutral density (ND) filter to reduce the amount of light hitting the light sensor.

What sensitivity should you set when taking night photos?

Night photography: the right sensitivity.

When adjusting sensitivity, make a rule: sensitivity is 100 ISO. Change it if you know for sure that it should be different.

Increasing sensitivity increases the ability of the photosensitive sensor to “absorb” light. Therefore, you will have to reduce the amount of light hitting the sensor. For each frame you can set your own ISO value.

But be careful: increasing sensitivity increases the amplitude of the electrical signal generated by the sensor when converting light energy into electrical energy. This increases digital noise and makes it visible in the photo (see how to reduce digital noise when shooting at high ISOs). If you want high-quality photos, set the sensitivity as low as possible (translator's note - on those cameras that allow values ​​​​less than 100 ISO, to maintain the widest possible dynamic range, set the sensitivity to 100 ISO).

When shooting in low light intensity, you don't necessarily need to increase the sensitivity (for the camera to "see" in the dark). If you're using a tripod or flash, keep the sensitivity at ISO 100 in most cases.

When to increase sensitivity?

Increase sensitivity when you want to avoid directional blur. It's always better to have a little bit of digital noise in your photo than to have a blurry image due to camera shake during shooting. Therefore, only increase the sensitivity when you are unable to shoot on a tripod.

ISOin night photography - ISO 100.

Using Large ValuesISOin night photography - ISO100 + flash.

Using Large ValuesISOin night photography - ISO 1600.

A good alternative to increasing sensitivity is to use flash. Using flash, you can still shoot at ISO 100. But the light from the flash changes the chiaroscuro, which can ruin the atmosphere of the photo (look at the middle photo of the three above).

Long exposure

When the scene is dimly lit, set the sensitivity to ISO 100.

Correct valuesISOfor night photography - adjust ISO 100.

The photo above shows an indoor Polish market late at night. A tripod was used. This made it possible to lengthen the shutter speed so that the light required quantity hit the light sensor. This photo turned out to be moderately lit - normally exposed - without any changes in sensitivity.

What is digital noise?

All digital cameras make mistakes - the image taken by any digital camera contains digital noise. It is similar to the grain of a photograph taken on film. It is enough to brighten the photo to see the noise. Fortunately, manufacturers digital cameras from model to model, they successfully cope with the problem of digital noise appearing in images.

What is digital noise -ISO 100.

The error increases with increasing sensor sensitivity - digital noise appears more strongly in the photo. It is especially noticeable in dark areas of the image. In addition to the fact that homogeneous dark areas acquire a rough texture, they are covered with colored dots.

What is digital noise -ISO 1600.

Digital noise can be reduced by turning on the camera's digital noise reduction function. Or in a photo editor at the processing stage.

Controlling white balance

Night Photography: How to Avoid Horrible Shades.

How can I avoid terrible color casts?

In most cases, your DSLR camera will reproduce the colors correctly in your photos, regardless of lighting conditions. Internal system The camera's white balance function strives to convey colors as we humans see with our eyes (check out our solution guide for more on this topic) common problems with white balance.

In standard mode (automatic white balance - “AWB”), the system better detects colors when daylight than under low light intensity conditions. For example, pictures of illuminated buildings or pictures taken in your living room may contain a subtle but unpleasant orange-yellow tint.

This is a sure sign that the white balance is not set correctly. This tint can be easily adjusted in Photoshop, especially if you're shooting in RAW format.

Correct white balance setting for night photography: incorrect color shade. The photo will turn orange.

Correct white balance setting for night photography: Manual white balance adjustment.

Correct white balance setting for night photography: manual adjustments even out color rendition.

However, it is quite simple to adjust the white balance while shooting. All you need to do is set the mode to manual (“PRE”). This approach is especially effective if you're going to take multiple shots of the same building under the same lighting conditions. The standard technique is to use as a reference a photograph with a gray or white object occupying a significant area of ​​the photograph.

Is there an easier way to avoid color shift?

Even if you adjust the white balance manually, the colors in some areas of the photo may still not match reality as seen by the human eye. The reason is that the building can be illuminated by different types of light sources.

You can adjust the white balance based on one type of light source, but balancing the color rendering across all sources at the same time is a non-trivial task. There is a simple solution. Convert color photos taken in difficult lighting to black and white.

White balance in night photography: converting to black and white.

Shoot in color, and at the processing stage, use a photo editor to convert the image into a monochrome image. This approach will allow you to adjust the contrast and tonal range of the photo as flexibly as possible. It also works great for party portraits.

How to adjust white balance manually?

All digital SLR cameras allow you to precisely adjust the white balance using a pre-photographed reference image. The following technique shows how to adjust white balance on DSLR cameras. Camera settings from other manufacturers may vary slightly.

1. A sign that white balance requires “manual control” is when the entire image casts an extraneous tint, such as orange.
2. Take a photo of a white or gray object illuminated by the same light as the scene you are shooting. Select manual white balance (“Custom WB”) in the camera menu. Make sure the reference image is displayed on the screen and press “SET”.
3. Now change the white balance mode from Automatic (“AWB”) to “Manual” (“PRE” - indicated by a square with two triangles near the tops). Now subsequent images will display colors correctly. Remember, when you shoot a different scene under different lighting, you'll need to re-adjust the white balance.

An alternative way to manually adjust white balance

The traditional way is to photograph a sheet of white paper or a special card for a reference image. gray. But you can do it differently: choose an image of the object being photographed as a reference image.

Alternative way manual settings white balance - white balance is determined automatically

Photo of the castle in Krakow takes off orange. We used this photo as a reference when manually adjusting white balance.

An alternative way to manually adjust white balance is to set the white balance manually.

The use of this little-known method allowed us to obtain a more acceptable result.

Creative uses of flash for night photography

Night photography: universal settings for any scene

When to use flash?

Photos taken using flash can be frustrating. Flash light changes the lighting atmosphere, making the subject too light and the background too dark. For this reason, instead of using flash, sensitivity is increased.

However, increasing sensitivity is not enough to shorten the shutter speed or narrow the aperture to obtain a sharper image. The built-in flash is handy here.

Flash is necessary when taking portraits in low light intensity conditions. The subject can be “frozen” even after exposure for a few seconds.

The thing is that the need to use a flash in this case is less obvious. The flash fire is combined with a long shutter speed. This is a feature of the reception.

This technique is called “slow synchronization”. It is simply implemented on your digital SLR camera with built-in flash.

When to use bounce flash?

Bouncing the light produced by an external flash is another great technique for creating natural-looking photos in low-light conditions. It works especially well for portraits, illuminating the subject's face evenly and hiding the fact that flash is being used at all.

How to use bounce flash - direct light

Flux reflected from a nearby wall or low ceiling light is wider and weaker than the original and limited by the size of the external flash head. But the thick shadows with clear edges disappear. They are a consequence of the light flux “released” directly onto the subject.

How to use bounce flash - reflected light

Unfortunately, you won't be able to use the built-in flash. You will also need to purchase a tilt-head flash that is compatible with your camera. It is installed in the “hot shoe” connector.

How to set up slow sync mode?

In slow sync mode, the camera sets the shutter speed to the desired length to properly expose the background and calculates the power of the flash pulse to sufficiently illuminate the subject in the foreground.

Flash disabled

Flash on

The flash fired in slow sync mode

The subject was not blurred thanks to the flash light, and the background was normally exposed (compare with the case when the flash fires in normal mode).

To enable , set the flash mode to “Slow Sync.” On Canon cameras, all you have to do is set the shooting mode dial to “Av” and raise the built-in flash. If you have a camera from another manufacturer, check the instructions.

When not using a tripod, set the aperture value, usually by rotating the control wheel under your thumb, so that the corresponding shutter speed is not too slow. Starting from a certain shutter speed, the background will appear blurry and the longer the shutter speed, the more “blurred” the background will be.

Observe the play of light, evening and night colors. We associate night with darkness and darkness, impenetrable emptiness. But in reality even small settlements at night they begin to glow with many shop windows, lanterns, car headlights. Therefore, familiar things become unusual and mysterious even in natural night light.

First of all, night photography– this is the charm of sleeping streets, the play of lights on the surface of the lake, mountain landscapes at sunset. There are many stories. At this time, everything around is transformed. Acquaintances before the smallest details neighborhoods plunge into twilight, boulevards and squares wink with illumination - the main thing is to learn, how to take pictures at night to convey all this as effectively as possible.

Subtleties of night photography

This is a rather interesting area of ​​landscape photography. If during the day the camera “sees” the same picture as we do, then at night everything changes. It often turns out that where there is nothing to photograph during the day, after sunset you can get very spectacular pictures. At night, the surrounding reality transforms, and a special charm appears in the photographs.

Photographer: Jing Magsaysay.

Photography can be called the art of painting with light, since lighting is the determining factor here. The amount of light is the main problem. night photography, because it is sorely lacking (by the way, you can read more about natural light). Our brains and eyes adapt to light so we can see the world both on a sunny day and in the evening twilight. The picture may not be identical, but we can see something. And the decrease in color perception at night is perceived by us as a completely normal process.

As for how to take pictures at night, everything is more complicated here, because the capabilities of photographic equipment are much more modest. In order not to delve into the jungle of physics and photographic technology, I will briefly note that the camera matrix or film will be more receptive to light, the higher its ISO. A sensor with a sensitivity of 700 ISO will be 7 times more sensitive to lighting than an analogue with a sensitivity of 100 ISO. Consequently, the photographer can make the shutter speed shorter or close the aperture further.

Calculation of the amount of light entering the matrix or film, depending on the set aperture value, is carried out using a more intricate formula. However, for a general understanding of what happens when night photography, the above information will be sufficient. Eager photographers will ask what the problem is then. In modern cameras, sensitivity can be adjusted through the menu. Set it to maximum - and you can photograph night landscapes or take portraits!

Photo workshop "Big City".

There is still a problem. You have to pay for everything. If you want to know how to take pictures at night, then be prepared for noise to appear in your images at maximum sensitivity values. Physically, any matrix has one sensitivity. Let it be called nominal and equal to 100 ISO. This parameter can be increased electronically.

In other words, the signals coming from the cells are simply amplified. This leads to an avalanche-like increase in the amount of noise and defects in the photo. They appear in photographs in the form of gray and colored dots that are randomly scattered throughout the image. And the photographer gets whole line problems - from reduced detail to reduced dynamic range. Moreover, the dependence will be direct, although not linear. Simply put, the higher the sensitivity of the matrix, the more noise there is in the images.

Let's look at the features of the camera settings for night photography on specific advice:

• Be sure to use a tripod for a night session. As a last resort, use a stable surface. At short shutter speeds the lighting will not be enough. And the noise that is formed due to high ISO will be visible very clearly in the dark areas of the image (there are many of these in any night photograph). If you are using a tripod, you must forcefully turn off the stabilizer, because when using it, the image will “walk” a little, and with a long shutter speed this will cause blurring.

• Practice using full manual photography mode. Neither autofocus, nor built-in flash, nor exposure metering in such extreme conditions will not be able to provide maximum quality. Before how to take pictures at night, set exposure metering for areas with average illumination. Do not turn on the flash, since the built-in model is unlikely to illuminate the entire street or objects ten meters away. Most likely, it will simply illuminate a nearby object, leaving all the most interesting things in the dark. Manually set the focus to the main element of the frame.
• ISO, shutter speed and aperture settings. Keep the ISO minimal so that the pictures are not spoiled by a lot of noise. The sensitivity of the matrix and the aperture ratio of the optics are not critical. The lack of aperture can be compensated for by long exposure times. If the camera is on a tripod, the shutter speed doesn't matter.
• Night photography promises several problems. The biggest challenge when shooting at night is white balance. There are many colorful light sources on the street. The most optimal way is to shoot with auto white balance in RAW format. Then you can adjust this parameter during subsequent processing in editors.
• Use a cable, remote control or timer with a 2-second delay. If you do not have a cable or remote control, before how to take pictures at night be sure to enable the specified timer mode. The fact is that even pressing the start button can lead to movement in the images. And we also take long exposure photographs.



• Sometimes you have to make a shutter speed of more than 30 s. In such cases, we take photographs by turning on the BULB mode (this is a mode in which the shutter speed is not limited by time).
• Sometimes you can still use an external flash, for example, to deliberately illuminate objects that are located in the foreground. We do everything according to a familiar pattern. Turn on the flash and set its mode to rear or slow. In the first case, the flash fires at the end and beginning of shooting, in the second - only at the beginning.

Obviously, DSLRs perform better when photographing with long exposures. Then the dynamic range will be better and the noise level will be lower. But with a soap box it’s also possible to achieve relatively good results. Now let's look at the tips above in more detail!

How to set up your camera for night photography

Before how to take pictures at night, put the device into manual mode (M), if present. Otherwise, set P - program mode (about creative modes I). We set ISO to minimum to reduce noise. If the camera supports RAW shooting format, enable it. This will allow you to adjust colors without losing picture quality.



Photographer: Dominique Palombieri.

If the specified format is not available, set the white balance to match the type of light sources. For shooting under the moon or just under the sky, it will be a “cloudy day” (you can also experiment on your own), for street lamps– “halogen”.

If you want to take high-quality photographs with night photography, you will also need maximum file quality, and this means shooting in RAW format. Then your pictures will contain a maximum of “information”, which expands the possibilities of subsequent processing and correction in the appropriate programs. RAW is important precisely because it allows you to preserve the maximum detail in highlights and shadows.

Before how to take pictures at night, set up the self-timer on the camera. This will eliminate the need to touch the device while the shutter is firing. When we press the start button, we move the camera, which is unacceptable. Many SLR cameras have a mirror lockup mode for such cases, in which the shutter is released after a few seconds.

Place the camera on a tripod. Obviously, holding the device motionless for a long exposure time will be unrealistic. The heavier and more stable the tripod, the better.



Photographer: Matt Molloy.

It would be great if at the very bottom of its central rod there is a hook on which you can hang a load to increase stability. You can even use a backpack or a bag from the device as a weight. It is not advisable to support the tripod with your hands while shooting.

At night photography On the street you should forget about autofocus - we don’t rely on it. If you are using a soap dish, before how to take pictures at night, set the focal length at the short end of the zoom from 2 to approximately 2.5 meters, and clamp the aperture to 4. In this case, you will get a depth of field from 1.5 meters to infinity.

If you use a DSLR, you will have to aim at some light object located at the desired distance. Having “hooked” autofocus, switch to manual focusing and do not touch the lens again.

Step-by-step algorithm for shooting at night

Frame your shot properly and secure the tripod head.

When working in M ​​mode, set the aperture and shutter speed. The latter is usually between one and ten seconds (depending on the amount of light available).



Photographer: Dmitry Bilichenko.

The aperture needs to be set in the range of 4-5.6. But don't go higher than f11, otherwise you'll lose image clarity.

Press the shutter

At correct execution the above advice on the topic of how to take pictures at night, the self-timer will fire first. Then the camera will stand for a few seconds with the shutter open. It is important to ensure complete immobility of the equipment.

If the wind is blowing, stand on the windward side as close to the camera as possible to protect it like a flower from vibrations. You should not stomp your feet near the device, since vibration is transmitted through the ground.

After shooting is completed, the camera will process the image for a while to suppress noise. The display will show “busy” at this time. It may even seem like the camera is frozen. The longer the exposure time, the longer the treatment will take. Wait for it to finish. Once you see the results on the screen, check the histogram to see if your exposure settings are correct. Unfortunately, in terms of contrast/brightness, the display may not display the image correctly.



Photographer: Sarah Vivienne.

It is important to understand that images night photography should remain in a dark tone. Before how to take pictures at night, you shouldn’t set shutter speeds that are too long, since even Photoshop can’t save overexposed photos. Try to take at least 3 frames of one scene, experimenting with the lighting level so that you have plenty to choose from.

Before a photo shoot, try to thoroughly study the camera's capabilities - do not shoot in scene modes. Knowing the capabilities of the lens and camera, you can predict the results of the photoset.

Shooting city nightscapes can be an excellent opportunity for self-expression. You will be able to look at your city in a new way, try to convey its gloomy beauty. At night, people look like ghosts and the streets turn out brilliantly black (with long exposures). Don't limit your imagination, experiment, create new stories. Using advice on how to how to take pictures at night, leave room for your own developments.

To night photography proved to be successful, be sure to keep the following in mind: When filming in busy areas, remain vigilant. After all, night is not only a time of transformation of the surrounding world, but also a period of activation of criminal elements who may well covet your photographic equipment worth at least $600. Therefore, take care of your safety first.



Photographer: Maxim Sudorgin.

That's all for me. In the next article I will try to offer some ideas and give some more tips for night photography. So don't miss out - subscribe to updates!

Hi all. After looking through the information about search queries on the topic of photography, I decided to shed some light on the issue of night photography without a DSLR. Indeed, photography on the street or at home does not require any skills from the photographer; you can simply use the auto mode, but if necessary to photograph night city or fireworks, or a fire show, or a portrait against a sunset background Standard modes are not enough, and you have to get smart. I will try to describe what and how to be wise in this article.

1. Night photography theory

Let's start with theory. The problem with shooting at night is that some objects are too light, while others are disastrously dark. In addition to this, a flash also adds fuel to the fire, which is needed in some cases when we need to photograph people against the backdrop of the evening city. But let's start with simpler things.

For example, to photograph a city at night, it is ideal to use a tripod. We need a tripod in order to set a relatively long shutter speed in the camera. If you don’t have a tripod, but there is a stabilizer in the lens and you are ready not to move your hands, then you can do without it. A comfortable shutter speed for wide-angle shooting (for panoramic city photography it is advisable to use focal lengths in the range from 18 to 35 for crop; for a regular kit lens this is not a problem) can be within 1/50-1/60 or shorter. If the lens has a stabilizer, then you can shoot at 1/30-1/40. If your hands don’t shake at all when shooting, you can try shooting at 1/10-1/20. If the city is well lit, then even at ISO up to 800 you can already shoot, but if there is little light, ISO will have to be raised to 1600 and 2000. Since we are shooting in the dark, I recommend opening the aperture to maximum; in whales this value f3.5.

Camera settings: f3.5, 1/40, ISO 1600. Shot handheld.

To take pictures with minimal noise, it is recommended to use a tripod. Then the shutter speed can be 1/5 or even several seconds, and the ISO value, in turn, is reduced to a minimum.

If you want to take a photo of e.g. fire show, and so that the performer is not too blurred in the pictures, it is better to make the shutter speed values ​​shorter, at least 1/60-1/80.

Camera settings: f4.5, 1/50, ISO 2000. Shot handheld.

At first it will seem that all this is very difficult, and to do good pictures of fireworks or the city at night it will be very difficult, but if you understand the theory and get practical experience, then you will select very quickly desired value all parameters. In fact, you usually only have to change the ISO. Now let's move on to complicating the task.

3. Night photography with a DSLR and flash

If you want to photograph people at night, but you don’t like photos in which you can only see faces illuminated by the flash, then read how to make your photos more attractive. I think for ease of understanding I will again write it down point by point.

1. Turn on M mode on the camera.
2. We carry out five points from section 2.
3. Set the flash to M mode.
4. Let's take a test shot.

Having taken a test shot, you should now adjust not only the overall exposure using ISO, but also the flash power. Please note that the flash power directly depends on the distance to people's faces. If the overall exposure is good, but the faces are overexposed, then we make the flash less bright, and if the faces are not highlighted enough, then we make it brighter.

Camera settings: f4.5, 1/40, ISO 1600 + built-in flash. Filmed handheld.

Rate the post!

Diversity

At night there is always a huge variety of things happening, accompanied by different lighting. From bright blonde lights to cool blue shades. Observe the difference in shades. You already know how important light in photography. Earlier photographers, even professionals, spent a lot of effort to overcome the difficulties associated with lighting and color. Setting up the device has always been difficult. But in today's digital world, new technologies are challenging new technologies.

Preparation

Take only a few essential items with you. You can use a tripod, but make sure that the load does not burden you and that you can easily move around. Don't waste your time thinking in vain about which lens use and how to arrange it correctly frame where to shine the flashlight. All this should happen unobtrusively. In addition, people have a wonderful organ of vision. Your eyes will begin to adapt even in the harshest low-light conditions. If you wait a little, you will be able to see a lot.

Object and composition

Whether it's day or night, choosing a subject to shoot is very important. The subject characterizes your photo. And what is included in the frame can contribute to a better presentation of your work, raise it to a higher high level. Of course, difficulties arise here due to difficult conditions night lighting. But you need to be sure that whatever was photographed during the day can also be photographed at night. There are a huge number of lighting techniques you can use to make your subject even more interesting.

Focus and aperture

The most difficult task- define an object and the correct composition. On your menu cameras there must be a luxury feature - autofocus with great capabilities to catch an object in the right place, but it does not help in these lighting conditions. You need to learn how to manually focus, and also try checking the frame in the viewfinder before deciding final version. This is a tricky experiment because when an object is difficult to see with the naked eye, it must be even more difficult to detect with a viewfinder. Try a higher one International Organization According to Standardization, more portable exposure tests, ideal central placement and everything should work out.

Diaphragms

Not every time you can use it all the time aperture with the highest value. Of course, everyone knows that the largest aperture allows for more light, longer shutter speeds, and therefore less blur and more opportunities to get a great shot. It is important to note that when planning a time or long exposure plan, your aperture settings will be adjusted accordingly. Some decline aperture may also be useful in this case.

Dynamic range

Night filming distinguishes big variety light sources from everywhere, as opposed to just one natural light during the daytime. This makes the space look like a theater stage with various sources light and different lights. Dynamic range is the difference between the brightest white and the darkest black within your scene. Shooting only in moonlight cannot be very dynamic, it is weak compared to sunlight, and therefore at long shutter speeds, this produces subtle shadows, turning the range into a narrow dynamic range.

Conclusion

At the very beginning, most likely, you will find it difficult. You need to learn to adapt to unusual lighting conditions. It is also quite difficult to determine the subject of your photo and its framing. People are not relaxed because they are in a hurry to get home or are busy with their own affairs, uneven light with different sides, varied color balance with highs and lows in color palette. And yet you will begin to find correct solution. Little by little, challenges will turn into opportunities to make you a better photographer.

Tonight you can go outside and start mastering night photography techniques. Discover the unknown, improve yourself!