night time photgraphy????

[Travism56]

AAHHHHH help please,

ok so i have never tried this, but am intrigued, how do people get those night time pictures looking so beautiful?? ie bridges with lights buildings or even the highways with cars flying by them?? i have tried to do some reading and research but seem to find a lot of different things, i would figure first is a stable tripod. or base to shoot from, next do i need an ND. filter? i would guess using a fairly hi f-stop would be the logical thought> i keep reading only use f8 to12 ? this seems to open... anyways any advice and help would be appreciated. or at least a nudge in the right direction.

[asysin2leads]

Search "long exposure" and you'll see results and tips.

1. Get a GOOD tripod. Don't run down to Walmart and pickup a $12 tripod. Also, get a good tripod head. I have the Manfrotto 322RC and am happy with it.
2. Try to get/use a remote shutter release. It eliminates camera shake when you depress the shutter
3. Keep iso low (100). That will eliminate a lot of noise at higher iso.
4. Shutter speed around 30" or even bulb (release comes in handy here). You can alter the shutter speed to suit your needs.
5. Use an aperture around f/11.
6. Shoot Manual
7. Turn off auto focus and use manual. Cameras hunt in AF in very low light.
8. HAVE FUN!!!!
9. Post your results!

Some of my night photos

[Travism56]

cool thanks for some reason i was searching night photg..

thanks for the tips...

[ImRaptor]

Originally Posted by asysin2leads

Search "long exposure" and you'll see results and tips.

1. Get a GOOD tripod. Don't run down to Walmart and pickup a $12 tripod. Also, get a good tripod head. I have the Manfrotto 322RC and am happy with it.
2. Try to get/use a remote shutter release. It eliminates camera shake when you depress the shutter
3. Keep iso low (100). That will eliminate a lot of noise at higher iso.
4. Shutter speed around 30" or even bulb (release comes in handy here). You can alter the shutter speed to suit your needs.
5. Use an aperture around f/11.
6. Shoot Manual
7. Turn off auto focus and use manual. Cameras hunt in AF in very low light.
8. HAVE FUN!!!!
9. Post your results!

Some of my night photos

The only thing I can think to add to that list is to use mirror lock up and x2 on a good tripod. I used to be ignorant in aspect of thinking for the most part a tripod was a tripod, I was stupid and am very happy with my Manfrotto 190XBPro now and can tell the difference every time I use it.

[yogestee]

3pod, shutter remote and camera set on manual focus and exposure..

Exposure is not quantum physics but guess work,, later becoming an educated guess as your experience grows..

[yogestee]

add to that list is to use mirror lock up

Not entirely necessary when using very long exposures over say 20 seconds for example..

[Travism56]

Originally Posted by yogestee

Not entirely necessary when using very long exposures over say 20 seconds for example..

will i bennifit from a ND filter with long exposures? or will this just slow things down a little more ?

[yogestee]

Originally Posted by Travism56

will i bennifit from a ND filter with long exposures? or will this just slow things down a little more ?

No mate,,not necessary..

[asysin2leads]

Originally Posted by yogestee

Exposure is not quantum physics but guess work,..

Dangit! A perfectly good education in quantum physics shot to hell.

[alessandro2009]

Originally Posted by asysin2leads

...
5. Use an aperture around f/11.
...

It isn't necessary use this type of aperture.

Use the depth of field necessary based on the distance of your subject and your focal length.

[neilwood32]

Also be prepared to ignore your cameras meter. Setting the needle dead centre probably will not give you the exposure you want.

You will probably find that you end up balancing your exposure so that lights dont blow out but still allowing you to capture shadow detail.

[jenclark]

I know this is not part of your thread on gettings bridged or people but this help in some way. Here is my first attempt at a night shot of the moon.

1/160, ISO 200, f/11 and I used my 70-200 2.8 with 1.4 extender. I shot with a tripod and without so both will work.

[Harm]

Originally Posted by asysin2leads

Search "long exposure" and you'll see results and tips.

1. Get a GOOD tripod. Don't run down to Walmart and pickup a $12 tripod. Also, get a good tripod head. I have the Manfrotto 322RC and am happy with it.
2. Try to get/use a remote shutter release. It eliminates camera shake when you depress the shutter
3. Keep iso low (100). That will eliminate a lot of noise at higher iso.
4. Shutter speed around 30" or even bulb (release comes in handy here). You can alter the shutter speed to suit your needs.
5. Use an aperture around f/11.
6. Shoot Manual
7. Turn off auto focus and use manual. Cameras hunt in AF in very low light.
8. HAVE FUN!!!!
9. Post your results!

Some of my night photos

Oh and if you do use the above advice, turn off IS too (lens dependent) for a nice, crisp photo.

[PryorKnowledge]

Rather than using a remote shutter release, could you use the automatic timer instead? Seems to me that would equally reduce camera shake as you wouldn't be touching the camera while the shutter was open

[PhotosGuy]

Rather than using a remote shutter release, could you use the automatic timer instead? Seems to me that would equally reduce camera shake as you wouldn't be touching the camera while the shutter was open

Yes.
Some of the best "night shots" I've seen were taken before it's totally dark while there's still some light left in the sky. You don't need much, but you need some.
Lets See Your 30 sec. exposures