Night Photography Techniques

By Ronald M. Daylo
Getting Started:
Basic needs for night photography
Invest in a Tripod: You need to keep your camera as steady as possible, so unless you can find a solid object that
you can set your camera on youll need a tripod. Most photographers that Ive read about invest in a sturdy well
made tripod for night photography.

Remote Cable Release: You want to avoid any camera shake during long exposures, so its best if you use a cable
release remote to trigger the shutter. Cable releases are camera specific, so make sure you get the right model.
If you dont have a remote, you can always set your camera to 10s self-timer mode which will give your camera
enough time to settle after you press the button and hopefully not cause any movement in your shot.
One technique that is used in night photography when shooting stars is to cover the lens while keeping the
aperture open to expose a black exposure for use in photo shopping the final product. For these reason, make
sure you bring your lens cap. Here are the words of Grant Kaye, a Lake Tahoe based, time-lapse and night
photographer, Lets say you want to shoot a long, 15 minute exposure to make a star trails image, and there is a
half moon, says Grant. You might be at f/2.8, ISO 400. After you make your 15-minute exposure, put the lens
cap on, cover your viewfinder with your hat, and then make another 15-minute exposure, or dark frame. Then
take this image into Photoshop or Lightroom as a layer above your star trails image and change the blending
mode of the dark frame to difference. This post-production technique removes the noise and gives a cleaner
final image.

Flash Light, head lamp, or cell phone:
If its dark and you drop your lens cap in a bush, or you need to change lenses on a windy beach, or you need to
change your cameras settings in the pitch black, youll thank yourself for carrying a flash light! Cell phones are
decent, but sometimes they dont have enough light to see what you are doing.
Photograph (untitled by: Jose Maria Cuellar
To view his night photographs please use this link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cuellar/
Basic Techniques
1. Set your camera on Manual (M):
Its good to get used to shooting manually. Shooting photographs at night can be a
trial by error experience. If you use your cameras Auto settings, chances are your
photos will either be under-exposed or you will get ghosting of lights so its a good
idea to get used to you Manual mode.
2. Use a shutter speed from 5 seconds to 15 seconds for starters: If its totally pitch
black, or you want to capture star trails, you may need to use a shutter speed of 30
seconds or more. In this case switch your camera to Bulb Mode. This feature allow
you to start your exposure, and end it when you think you have adequate exposure
time.
3. ISO Setting debate: There seems to be debate on this point. Some photographers
say you should keep your Film speed or ISO as low as possible. Using a ISO results in
less noise they say, and since you have a tripod they say there is no need to increase
your ISO to get a brighter exposure, but this will be dependent on light conditions. If
youre in a brightly lite city like Las Vegas, exposure should not be an issue Other
photographers say you should use as high an ISO as possible. Other photographers
who are taking star trail shots, for instance, are using the highest ISO setting possible,
which is usually 800 or 1600. The conditions for their exposures are pitch black ideally
without the visibility of city lights with a large aperture setting. Your preference will
only be decided by experimentation of your own.

Photo by Grant Kaye/Racetrack Playa, Death Valley National Park, CA -
long exposure of star trails at new moon with dark frame subtraction.

Other considerations
These are other things to consider when shooting pictures at night:
Night photography is subject to the same set of constraints as daylight
photography, namely aperture, shutter speed and light sensitivity, which
are often pushed to their extremes. In the past, before digital cameras
came along, one would have to take their picture and hoped they exposed
it to whatever light was available, but would not find out about the fruits
of their labor until their film was developed. Today we have digital
cameras with instantaneous display, so there is not that hindrance to
contend with anymore.
Importance of moonlight: Night photographers need to become cognizant
of the moon and its cycles if you are to be successful. The moon has
varying degrees of intensity depending on where it is in its 29.5 day cycle
of waxing and waning.
Gauging exposure times: Depending on available light and what type of
night photography you are interested in, gauging exposure times is
paramount in being a successful photographer at night. Again there is
debate over fast vs. slow ISOs and Large vs. Small aperture settings.
Photograph by Jim Richardson
Contributing editor Jim Richardson is a photojournalist recognized for his
exploration of environmental issues and advocacy for the night sky. His
photos appear frequently in National Geographic magazine.
Other considerations continued:
Appearance of Star Trails: Depending on whether you like streaks of stars in your photographs, or
are aiming for an instantaneous exposure, by leaving your aperture open for extended periods of time
your shot will result in that effect.
Even modestly long exposures can begin to reveal the rotation of stars in the sky. Normal focal lengths
(28-50 mm) usually have minimal star movement if exposures are no longer than about 15-30
seconds. If star trails are desired, using a large aperture and higher ISO can enhance the brightness of
each streak.
FOCUSING AND DEPTH OF FIELD
When photographing at night there is also the added difficulty of focusing in on your subject. Auto-
focusing can work at night if you your subject has enough light, like a well-lit bridge or building, but
more often than not, youll have to use Manual focus.
One solution is to try and focus on a similar point of light, but most night photographers end up
setting their focus on infinity (the symbol) on the distance indicator of their lens. If you are in an
urban
setting, near city lights, then focusing in should not be an issue. It is recommended that if you are
uncertain about exposure time in an urban setting to bracket your photos and be sure and shoot them
in the RAW mode to retain the most information. Afterwards you can adjust your photographs in
photoshop.
Camera Noise-
All digital cameras create a certain amount of noise in the images they capture. Noise looks a bit like
the grainin a picture taken with film . Fortunately, digital camera sensors are getting better and
better at minimizing noise. Noise gets more noticeable as you increase the ISO setting. Its
particularly noticeable in the darker shadow areas, where you obtain a grainy texture and the blacks
become mottled.

Photo Courtesy of Grant Kaye
Photo by Grant Kaye/Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, CA - short exposure, wide
aperture, high ISO, just before moonrise.

Closing thoughts
As you can see, there are a few difficulties in taking night photographs.
My thoughts are that one can become too caught up in the techno
difficulties and all the obstacles that might be encountered once the sun
goes down. All one needs to do is look at some of the fantastic shots that
dedicated night photographers have taken and be inspired to get out there
and take a few of your own. Just like anything else, you dont know what
to expect unless you try. So grab your camera, tripod, flashlight, remote
shutter release and anything else you might need and try filming the
Milky Way, Northern Lights, or the Fireworks on the next 4
th
of July. I think
you will be happy and amazed with the results!

THE END
Credits and Sources
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/11/09/60-beautiful-examples-of-night-
photography/

http://blog.photoshelter.com/2012/05/six-standout-night-photography-tips-to-help-
you-master-the-craft/

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/night-sky/

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/night-photography.htm

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2012/12/07/free-night-photography-cheat-sheet-
how-to-shoot-popular-low-light-scenes/

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/09/15/best-settings-for-night-photography-
how-to-shoot-in-a-range-of-situations/

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2012/06/18/night-photography-set-up-your-
camera-to-shoot-anything/6/