There are a couple of planning tips you will need to bear in mind before you take any night time photographs of cities, so start Learning Photography Online today, and you will soon be impressing your family and friends…
First, you need a good viewpoint;- And second, you need either a tripod or a solid base to place your camera on. The viewpoint – this depends a little on the type of shot you are after. My preference is for somewhere that is above the ground (a set of steps, for example), but not always. Sometimes the best shots can be had at ground level.
A tripod or solid base is recommended because your camera’s shutter will be open for several seconds, and you want to make sure your camera is absolutely still during that time. Then, if you have a tripod, secure your camera upon it. If you don’t, find a solid surface to rest your camera on; propping it up with something like a bag or jumper.
Once you have your camera in place you want to set your shutter speed for a few seconds. I would recommend you start with about 15 seconds. If your camera doesn’t let you control the shutter speed, set it to “night” mode. You are ready to take your pictures once you have everything arranged (camera on a solid surface and self timer primed).
First, check your scene. Is everything in it that you wanted to be in it? If you are aiming to get streaking car headlights, is there any traffic around? – Once you are happy with things, press the shutter button.
If you set the timer it should begin to count down. Please be aware that if you are waiting for something to appear in your scene (i.e. headlights) you need to remember that your shutter speed will have to count down first – time for this.
When you hear the shutter click it is actually opening up so you want to wait. And wait, and wait . . . until it closes again. Remember, depending on the length of time you set it for, that this could take a few seconds.
Don’t worry if you must wait some more. Due to the long exposure typical digital cameras take longer than usual to process the photo, so the preview on your LCD screen may take a while to show up.
If you are looking for some ideas on what to photograph here are a few things that I have used which make a good night photography shot:
Neon lights Streaks of car headlights and tail lights Available light For both of these you need to plan a little in advance. Find an area where you can safely photograph neon lights.
Again, you will want to find your solid spot, or put your camera onto a tripod, and then take a few shots. Since neon lights flash you will want to keep the shutter open for a while in order to catch all the flashes.
And for photographing streaks of car headlights and tail lights – find a spot with a lot of traffic, but again, be safe in your choice of locations.
One thing to try is to use something in the background as well; usually streaks of light photographed on their own can be a bit boring! – Now you can take your shot.
The longer the shutter is open, the more streaks you will capture. And of course, the more traffic there is, the more streaks will appear too! The available light also has a part to play in making a good night photography shot.
You will find that there are times when a scene looks its best when you set it amongst inky-black skies. By playing around you will also find that there are times when a little light works best, so photos just prior to dark really sets in are worth a try too.
The best bit of advice I can give you is to try both situations and see which captures the effect you are after best. You will find that sometimes a 10 second exposure gets the look you are after. Sometimes you may need up to a minute. If you practice you will soon get a feel for what you will need for any given situation.
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