Learning Photography Online – Tricks For Taking Shots In The Dark

Learning Photography Online is quite honestly the easiest way to start feeling confident with your digital camera. If you are planning on doing some night photography I have a few planning tips you will need to keep in mind prior to taking your shots in the dark… The first thing you need is a good viewpoint!

Once you have chosen your viewpoint the second thing you will need is either a solid base or a tripod to set your camera on. Viewpoints always depend on what type of shot you are looking for. I will typically try to look for somewhere that is little bit above the ground (a set of steps, for example), but not always. Some times the best photos are those which are taken at ground level.

I recommend a tripod or solid base simply due to the fact that your camera’s shutter will be open for several seconds and you definitely want to make sure that your camera is absolutely still during that time. If you are using a tripod you will also want to be sure you secure your camera using the screws provided. If you simply can’t find a solid surface to place your camera on you can always try propping it up with something like a bag or jacket.

Once you have figured out how to secure your camera you want to set the shutter speed for a few seconds. I recommend starting with about 15 seconds. If you can’t control your camera’s shutter speed, set it to “night” mode. Once you have everything arranged (camera on a solid surface and self timer primed) you are ready to take your pictures.

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 have everything in place you can finally press the shutter button.

Your self timer will count down. Special Note! – If you are waiting for something to appear in your scene, you will need to remember that your shutter speed will have to count down first – time for this. When the shutter clicks, wait. And wait, and wait . . . until it closes again. Remember that this will be a few seconds.

Then wait some more. Because of the long exposure digital cameras take longer than usual to process the photo, so your preview on your camera’s LCD screen may take a while to show up. If you are wanting to try out night photography but don’t have any idea where to start here are a few ideas on what to photograph:-

Neon lights Streaks of car headlights and tail lights Available light For all of these you do need to plan a bit in advance. You want to 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.

Try to get something in the background too – streaks of light on their own can be a little 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!

Available light also plays a part in capturing a good night shot. There are times when a scene looks its best when you set it amongst inky-black skies. There are also times when a little light works best, so photos just prior to dark really sets in are worth a try too.

Try both, and see what 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.

Enjoy Learning Digital Photography Online with Dan Feildman, and if you would like to download his FREE Digital Photography Report, please visit www.LearnDigitalPhotographyNow.com or just CLICK HERE