Learn the tricks and techniques to obtain a good result in night photography
Night photography is a very attractive type of photography that allows you to capture hypnotic moments wrapped in a halo of magic. However, photographing in the dark is not always easy, it requires technique, some tricks and the right materials.
types of night photography
Urban Photography
Urban night photography is the simplest. It's mainly because the lighting is pretty much given and you just have to play with it. The trick is to play with the light from streetlights, buildings, signs, etc., and adjust the camera settings to get the best result.
The ideal for this type of photography is a small aperture of about f8 to f22, so the light will have a starry and focused effect. On the other hand, if a larger aperture is used (such as f4, for example) the lights will be much larger and expanded.
astrophotography
Astronomical night photography is somewhat complicated, basically because planning is needed, that is, finding a specific time and place to take the best possible photo. The ideal is to avoid light pollution, which is why it is key to find a natural location where you can enjoy a clear sky.
The best option for this type of photography is to use a tripod, as strong and stable as possible, thus achieving the necessary stillness to take the photo. In addition, it is important to play with the objectives and the values of the camera to test the results and find the one that you like the most.
Likewise, it is necessary to warn that this type of photography is not for beginners, since it requires a lot of technique, patience and a very good handling of the camera.
Camera-wise, make and model are not relevant as long as you have the option to swap lenses and can shoot RAW, you don't need to go full frame. In the case of lenses, although this depends a bit on the style you are looking for, it is recommended that it be as bright and wide as possible: like a wide angle,
Landscape photography
Landscape photography is one in which urban light does not participate, that is, in which one seeks to portray natural landscapes such as fields, mountains. beaches, ruins, etc. These photographs usually take advantage of moonlight as lighting, without adding any external light such as spotlights or flashlights, which is why they are usually taken with a very open diaphragm.
Light Painting
It could be said that Light Painting photography, or painting with light, is one of the most fun and creative techniques. Almost any object can be portrayed, as long as the proper technique is used.
The ideal is to use a camera, full frame or not, in manual mode with a wide angle. In addition, you can also use a tripod, flashlights, lights, flares, or any other light fixture you can get.
For this technique it is essential to photograph with a long exposure, that is, low speeds. You have to work in manual focus and in RAW format, so it will be much easier to edit, as well as having many more options. The key is to start with a diaphragm opening of f/8 and, from there, you can play around and vary as you see fit, always with the ISO at a minimum.
You can get started with Light Painting with some beginner tips here.
Picture
It is possible to photograph at night, of course. In addition, night portraits are visually very powerful, and many of them can even convey stories. The nightlife offers many lighting types, from the flashlight of your mobile, to a shop window, lampposts or neon lights.
The key is to play with the possibilities available to the photographer, open the diaphragm to capture the necessary light and play with the focal length. Another option to vary the speeds to capture the smallest movements.
The technique
Photography has basic concepts that help the artist to improve the quality of his photos and achieve the best possible results. In addition, it allows them to experiment and play with the values to obtain something that was not even sought. The basics of photography are aperture, shutter speed, and ISO sensitivity.
diaphragm opening
The aperture of the diaphragm refers to the aperture of the lens that is used at that moment, that is, to the amount of light that enters the sensor. We can compare it with the human eye, the more dilated the pupil is, the more light we will see and vice versa.
Shutter speed
Shutter speed, or exposure time, refers to the amount of light that is allowed to enter the sensor at a given time and speed. Its objective is to freeze or not the movement of what is photographed.
The shutter is a mechanical device located on the camera sensor that is responsible for controlling the time that light is in contact with said sensor. The longer the sensor is open, the more light enters and the blurrier the element will be, on the other hand, the less time it is open, the more frozen the image will appear.
ISO sensitivity
ISO sensitivity is defined as the amount of light that enters the camera lens when taking a photograph, that is, the amount of grain or noise that will appear in the final image. The more light there is in the photograph, the lower the ISO value of should be used.
Value Guide:
- ISO 100 between 200 generally used for photos in broad daylight or at night in long exposures.
- ISO 400 between 640 is used in closed spaces or in low light, it is best to use a flash in these cases, thus avoiding grain.
- ISO higher than 800, is usually used when you have very little light and you can't use a flash. This means that, in general, the final photograph will have quite a bit of noise, although this will also depend on the camera used.
Tips for night photography
There are a number of tips or tricks that, if taken into account, can make night photography easier. Taking night photos is a great experience and you can get some very impressive images if you have the right light. Although, there are also other resources that can be taken into account for this photograph.
The team
- A camera with interchangeable lenses, in order to adapt the equipment to external circumstances
- If you are going to take pictures of the moon it is necessary to have a telephoto lens
- Multiple memory cards, you never know how many you'll need
- Spare batteries, as you may have to wait or have the camera on longer than normal
- Flashlights, for places where there is no external lighting
- Flash, jellies or filters, any accessory of your lighting kit that can bring photography to life
- Tripod, the best night photography is achieved with stability
On the other hand, for night photography, recommend cameras that have the option of taking photos in RAW format, the possibility of noise reduction, live view screen and manual focus.
diaphragm opening
The more open the diaphragm is, the more light will enter, and, logically, it is necessary to have light in the middle of the night. This means that the ideal is to try with the lowest aperture levels (f / 2,8 or even f / 4).
Don't touch the camera
Night photography is very sensitive, you work with delicate parameters that cause any false movement to spoil the photo. For this reason, it is necessary to leave the camera placed on the tripod and, once the shutter is pressed, not touch it again. This being the case, it may be a good strategy to have a remote trigger, thus avoiding involuntary movements.
Manual focus
The ideal is to always keep the camera in manual use. The automatic mode of the cameras tends to make the photograph appear as sharp as possible, therefore, if the environment is very dark, the photograph will be burned or grainy. That is why both the main values and the focus must be manual, so each artist can highlight what he deems necessary and give a personal and unique touch to the final image.
