Why I love night photography, and why you should too
When I only started using the camera, nightfall was always some kind of border between “I may shoot” and “I have to wait till the morning”. The low knowledge, the slow lens and the short experience are not the best friends for night photography (yes, I hardly believe that experience and knowledge are independent from each other). This inability to keep shooting in the low light hours challenged me to find a way to take pictures in accordance with the 24/7 scheme, and i don’t don’t talk about the studio light and special or camera flash as an addition to camera accessories. My “tool of choice” was cheap, small and fast Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens, affordable for every photographer – both beginners and advanced. Night photography forced me to learn a
“correct” exposure technique effective for the extreme light condition situations.
Here are some “tips” and recommendations for night photography beginners:
– Use a prime lens with a high aperture. These are lenses usually faster, sharper, and you will be free from the need to think about the choice of focal length – your legs become your zoom and the right focus plus interesting composition are only stay in your worries.
– A long time ago the Aperture Priority was my preferred choice for the low light situations, but during my walks with film cameras I found that the Shutter Priority is much more useful, and I changed this to my main mode and not only for low light hours. Put your shutter speed 1/60-1/125, depending on how blurry you want to express the motion effect and be happy with the results. With 35mm lens I use 1/20-1/30 and have excellent, stable images without a tripod.
– Don’t be afraid to use high ISO values. Even with my old 5dmk ii I just set the ISO to 1600 or 3200 and don’t think about it anymore.
– Be creative – use the natural (artificial) spots of light, installed by caring about us -photographers, people, the street lamps, the shop windows, the lights of passing cars – everything could serve you. This outdoor night space is your spontaneous studio – just catch the light at the right moment.
– And the last and the most important “tip” – enjoy the night street life, even you will stay with nothing appropriate in your opinion. The process of exploring, the incoming moments quick investigation, the joy of pushing the button in the exact time of the happening in front of the camera.
Enjoy the low light and be happy…
thank you and welcome to visit again…
Great work!
Thank you !
Really like this set of images.
Thank you ! You’re welcome to check my other posts too ,-)
Amazing set and inspiring writing, Victor! I have to get my ass up from the couch in the evening and go out. Last time I did night photography was 2014 in Lisbon…
Thank you my friend ! This is my first post for this series and i already have the stuff for more. I shoot a lot at nights maybe more then at days ;-)))
I’m ready and look forward to see more of your fantastic work!
What an amazing collection ! Loving it.
Nice and inspiring
Hey Victor, your exhibits are creative as usual and overtime a joy to watch it. But your explanation is just one ( your ) way to take nightshots. A EOS 5D mk ll is not really a low-cost cam and also not for beginners too. Most will ask: “ISO 3200 whats that, i find just ISO 800”. They will mostly not get a shutter speed between 1/60 and 1/200, they will be much slower. What is your solution for them? In one point you are very right, a proper lense is absolutely necessary, otherwise it will be difficult to get the right focus. So to use 50mm f1,4 is a good idea also for a low budget too. But be true by yourself, how many beginners do know, who how a proper gear can be looks like also for a low price too.
This crossed my mind too.
You’re right about pricy gear but i use this camera for more then 7 years and possible to find it in second hand market just for $1000 today next month mkiv vill meet the market but who carry i still love my old “expensive” camera and i know newcomers who buying Leica with an idea that this choice will make the first click better 😉
And i dont teach, i just recommend and hope that a few photographers will find something helping them. Btw – i use Sigma 35mm 1.4 and find it good enough for the night photography and really want to have same but Canon just dont like the price
Oh yea…Love your advise, so sound, love your photos and the eye that makes them and shall pull myself out of my warm house and get out and about in the dark hours. Thank you for the push.
Thank you for taking a look and reading a few words writing by me. More photpgraphs are on the way ! And good luck to you too !
Very good recommendations, Victor, and fantastic photos !
Thank you Carlos !
love the set Victor and a very constructive explanation. Have a good saturday
Thank you Yuri !
Nice set of shots, I’ve just got a 50mm f1.8 Canon lens and will be out trying this. Will also try it on my EOS 1 film camera with the highest ISO film I can find. I’ll post the results.
Thank you very much and good luck to you.
Great post and photos! If I go into London it’s always more inspiring at night! I agree very much with you 🙂
What an inspiring and great pieces of labour! 🙂