Mackinaw Bridge from St Ingnas, MI
Shooting in low light of night isn't as hard to get those great motion shots as you might think. You just need the right equipment and the time to do it.
The Dancing waters of Las Vegas
The real key to begin with is to think of what you want in the shot, what you are shooting and what your shooting with...the camera. What I mean by this is the times when we go to concerts or other night events where everybody thinks that their little camera's flash will make it all the way down from the bleachers to the center court or the concert stage. It wont. If your lucky it may get 20...30...or a real powerful flash 50 feet. after that its just darkness. Better to know your camera, and how to use the big 3 of night photography...ISO("film" speed), Aperture (f-Stop), and speed settings. With these...of which the last 2 are more interchangeable wth slr & Dslr cameras.
A Carnival ride in Wyandotte, MI
If you have a digital Point &Shoot have a special mode called Fireworks that does manipulate these areas to create a motion picture...moving traffic, waterfalls and fireworks. Personally I like that your not as limited, but having to live with the outcome of the camera's decisions bothers me too much not to bring a Dslr & tripod to the event. That's just me, but if its all you have grab your beanbag or tripod and shoot away.
Iargo Springs in Huron National Forest
Between Hale & Tawas MI
When I go out to shoot night or low light pictures I always have my tripod. I also will be shooting most of the pictures in the A-mode set to the highest f-stop available. The reason is that I am seeking depth of field...as much as possible in focus...for the picture is to make it as spectacular as possible.
Miners Falls in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Munising, MI
I do let my camera control the speed setting for the picture when I am in a set situation. The systems today do a pretty good reading of the light levels, so you can feel pretty comfortable in the calculations that way. It can leave you with amazing shots.
Lisa Loeb in concert 7/3/2006 at Suncoast Casino Las Vegas, NV
Some Night pictures are a matter of knowing to mess with the ISO settings. I was at an outside concert late at night that said no flash photography, and I happened to be close enough to the stage to be able to get some nice shots. I just boosted the ISO setting to 400+ setting, and locked in the speed setting to 1/45 second and then didn't push the button till I got a f-stop reading other than low. It worked.
A carousel pony while in Lincoln Park, MI
If you can use a flash at night just keep in mind what you are shooting, and how it sits in the overall picture. by not keeping this in mind when you are using the camera can leave you standing, many times in front of a bunch of black night instead of the real background you are in front of. This is when you add the flash to your night setting...have a tripod or beanbag handy...because many of todays cameras will keep the shutter open to catch that backlight. Use these modes, when you can.
Freedom Festival Fireworks from Windsor, ON
For me, and may photographers the true test of your skills as a camera person is the fireworks photo. The reason is that it takes time, talent, planning, hope, and some basic knowledge...sorta like geometry or algebra...sorry dad for the comparison. The photography isn't the hard part. The equation isn't hard... f-22+ @ 30 seconds for one blast area and subtract 10 seconds for every other blasting zone...leaving a minimum of 10 seconds for the shot no matter the number over 3. USE A TRIPOD for this. It makes the shot possible. The rest is up to you. You need to know where they launch from. You need to be aware of other lights. You need decide if you want the full shot or just the boom. Thats you. I have given you the numbers. Now it is your toy to enjoy...
Wyandotte's last fireworks :-( ...per the Torrey city council...boo
Wyandotte MI 2011
The Detroit People Mover & the Freedom Festival Fireworks
Reflected Freedom
Cobo hall Detroit, MI
Exploding Oak St
2007 Wyandotte, MI
So it is possible to shoot a good picture in the dark. Just need to use what light you have, and be patient in its crafting. Now get a tripod and a reflective vest and enjoy the Dark...
Merry Christmas...HE HAS COME!
Carnival Carousel
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