| Shooting in low light can produce some stunning | | | | scene with traffic passing by. Slow shutter speeds |
| results. Colors are richer in the early and late | | | | capture the motion of vehicles as they pass and |
| hours of the day, and subjects such as buildings | | | | the light trails from head and tail lights, adding life |
| that are dull and uninteresting during daytime take | | | | and energy to the scene. For many low light |
| on an entirely new persona lit up at night. This | | | | situations, a tripod is an essential piece of |
| article looks at some techniques for making the | | | | equipment and the only way of coming away with |
| most of low light situations. | | | | a decent image. An alternative could be to rest |
| ISO and Shutter Speed | | | | your camera on a flat surface if one is available. |
| It is tempting when shooting in low light to simply | | | | Flash |
| increase the ISO sensitivity on your camera (or | | | | Another method of low light photography is the |
| use a faster film if you shoot with film). This may | | | | use of flash. Using flash photography can produce |
| not always be the answer. Increasing ISO | | | | quite different results. Like the tripod, and just |
| sensitivity decreases image quality. You will find | | | | about any other photography accessory, flash can |
| that grain begins to appear. How visible this is of | | | | be used to correct an exposure or enhance it. |
| course depends on your camera or choice of film. | | | | Set it to low power to fill in a dark area, or use |
| An alternative is to set yourself to use slower | | | | maximum power for create highlights and high |
| shutter speeds. How much you are able to slow | | | | contrast effects. Using flash also enables you to |
| down your shutter speed without creating blurring | | | | hand hold your camera, giving you more freedom |
| due to camera shake depends on how steady | | | | to move around your subject. Flash photography |
| your hand is. Try leaning against a wall or post, | | | | is not suited to all subjects though. If you are |
| holding your breath and squeezing down slowly on | | | | shooting say, a seascape just after sunset and |
| the trigger. This is a method I use quite often and | | | | pointing your camera out into the ocean, there is |
| I have found that results improve significantly with | | | | nothing out there for the light to bounce off and |
| a bit of practice. | | | | so it is lost. |
| Tripods | | | | Low light and night photography can be very |
| Using a tripod can have both technical and | | | | rewarding. It does usually require a little additional |
| creative benefits. A tripod stabilizes your camera | | | | equipment, but is well worth the expense. Taking |
| producing a sharp image when a long exposure is | | | | pictures at different times of the day also puts |
| needed. It also enables you to reduce the ISO | | | | you in the frame of mind to experiment, which is |
| speed used to create a better quality image as | | | | necessary if you want to improve your |
| discussed above. A tripod can also be used to | | | | photography. Try things out. See for yourself |
| create interesting effects should the scene | | | | what works and what doesn't. You'll be pleasantly |
| contain moving objects. For example, a street | | | | surprised at the results. |