Night Photography Part 1

Introduction

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fig n-1 Epcotdome - Day and Night

Once the sun has set many photographers will pack away their cameras and go home. They are missing out capturing some of the most stunning and visually exciting images to be had (fig n-1).

Throughout our courses we emphasise the importance of light for the photographic image. This does not mean that if there is no daylight, there are no good photos to be captured.

Taking photographs at night is a lot simpler to achieve then one might think. The results can be very stunning and strange effects are easy to master. It is also possible to take top quality night images with just basic equipment.

Here we have some guidelines on the possibilities open to us with night photography.

fig n-2 Köln at Dusk

With many night photography subjects, total darkness at night isn't necessarily the best time to actually do 'night shots'. Late dusk is usually an excellent time to take night shots. This is when there is just a bit of light left in the sky after sunset or before sunrise for the early rising photographer.

The advantage of shooting at this time is that there is less large areas of black in the image, this cuts down on excessive contrast and adds more color to the image. The residual daylight that is left will also 'fill in' the large shaded areas that are not lit by artificial lighting.

This does not mean that all night shots should be taken at dusk. There are certain subjects and night photography techniques that are more successful with the total darkness of night.

Equipment

fig n-3 Slow speeds + B

There are two essential pieces of equipment for night photography: The camera of course and some form of support such as a sturdy tripod.

The Camera - Many cameras are capable of taking good night photographs. Even some compact cameras come equipped with "Night Scene" modes. In night photography you will use settings on the camera that you probably never have used before. When shooting in daylight and using the camera hand held, you will find that less than half the shutter speed range is ever used on the camera.

fig n-4 Electronic Shutter

In order to achieve the best results and have maximum versatility, a camera with a manual exposure mode and a wide range of slow shutter speeds is best. Most manual exposure cameras and digital SLR's have these facilities. Modern electronic cameras will have a range of sub 1 second shutter speeds (most appropriate for night photography) up to 30 seconds (fig n-4). Older mechanically driven cameras may only have 1 second as the slowest shutter speed (fig n-3). However this lack of shutter speeds is overcome by the "B" or "Bulb" setting or alternatively the "T" or "Timed" setting.

Timed Exposures

B or Bulb setting - This is still a widely used shutter setting that can be found on nearly all SLR cameras. Once the shutter dial is adjusted to "B" or BULB (fig n3), the shutter will stay open as long as the shutter button is pressed and will not close until the shutter button is released.

On film cameras, one way to see this effect in practice is to open the back of the camera when there is no film in it. Then set the shutter dial to "B" and press the shutter button. Take care not to touch or put your fingers into the open shutter! They are easily damaged. The shutter will stay open until you decide to release it. This operation cannot be seen in the same way with a digital camera but the effect can be viewed on the LCD screen after an image is taken. Using this setting may take a small bit of practise because we automatically tend to release the shutter button as soon as we press it.

T or Timed setting - This setting is used in a very similar way to the "B" setting and the same effects can be achieved. The difference between the two though is that using "T" the shutter is pressed once and released to open the shutter. The button is then pressed again to close it. The advantage of this over the "B" setting is that the photographers hands are free and the risk of camera shake is reduced. Unfortunately very few cameras have this setting.

When using either setting the timing is done manually by the photographer. Rather than depending on a cameras shutter timer, the photographer must count off the desired seconds (or minutes) the shutter is to remain open. The risk of camera shake, especially with the "B" setting is extremely high. In order to avoid blur from camera shake some sort of remote release is almost essential.

The Tripod - It is vital to keep the camera steady as you will be using very slow shutter speeds and will not be able to hand hold the camera steady. The result would be camera shake, which appears as blur in the final image. There are other forms of camera support such as the Monopod or even a 'bean bag'. However the tripod is the sturdiest and most versatile form of support.

Like everything else in life there are good tripods and there are better ones. Because some very long exposure times may be necessary, a good sturdy tripod would be recommended. Camera shake is still possible even when the camera is on the tripod. Windy conditions or simply just keeping the shutter button held down during the exposure time can cause blur due to camera shake.

fig n-5 Manual Cable Release Socket

The Remote Release. Each time you press the shutter you induce movement in the camera. To overcome this unwelcome effect invest in a remote or cable release. This enables you to trip the shutter without directly touching the camera.

There are two types of remote release; 1) the modern electronic release or 2) the "old fashioned" push cable type which screws into a thread usually located in the center of the shutter button of old model cameras (fig n-5).

It should be noted that most (if not all) new models of cameras now only have facilities for a modern dedicated electronic release. Remote releases are dedicated and only particular models will suit particular cameras. They can basically come in two types; with a wire connection or infrared remote connection.

There are also a few different types of the "old fashioned" cable release. The more suitable type is one that can lock the cable so the shutter can be kept open without continually holding the cable. The lock is activated by turning a screw or knob on the release to lock it up. This will hold the shutter open for as long as you need. To close the shutter just undo the lock and the shutter will close.

Self Timer

fig n-6 Self Timer

If you do not own a cable release, an alternative is to use the self-timer for tripping the shutter (fig n-6). This only works however for shutter speeds that can be selected on the camera, so you are limited to the longest shutter time set by the manufacturer.

So, put the camera on a tripod, compose the shot, adjust your aperture and select your shutter speed. When you are ready, set the camera timer, then trip the timer and stand back while the camera takes the shot for you. Remember to wait until the shutter closes before approaching or touching the camera.

Flash guns

Some may think that flash is necessary but this is not strictly true. For some effects the flash can be handy, as we will explain in part 3. Another set of accessories that could be considered are coloured filters. It's true that artificial lighting can create color casts, but in night photography these color casts usually add to the effect of the image. If we are using flash, we can add color to an otherwise drab scene, at least to parts of the scene closest to the flashgun.

Camera Controls

Compact Cameras

fig n-7 Night Mode

Many film and digital compact cameras have a "Night Scene Mode" (fig n-7). This allows the user to take photos at night outdoors. The way most of these work is to set the camera to the mode and simply take the picture. In most cases the flash fires automatically to light a subject in the foreground and a prolonged shutter speed will record any ambient light in the background.

Some cameras will allow the flash to be switched off if preferred. On other compact cameras the exposure can be adjusted through "Compensation" to fine tune the exposure. In most instances the exposure would be deliberately over exposed for best results.

The results can vary with these cameras depending on the situation and how well the particular camera can cope with the situation. Because of the lack of full control however the results are "pot luck" in the end. Remember though that a tripod is still necessary for these cameras and using the Self Timer would also be a help for preventing camera shake.

Manual Exposure Control Cameras

When we speak of manual exposure control it may be assumed that we are talking about SLR cameras. Nearly all of this type of camera, film and digital, will allow full exposure control. However there are in fact many other designs of cameras that allow full exposure or manual control. These include film cameras such as range finders but many compact digital cameras now have these controls. The exposure control in film cameras works similarly to film SLR cameras but with digital cameras with these capabilities, operation will vary considerably from model to model.

In order to control the camera manually it must first be switched to manual exposure control. This setting is usually indicated by the letter "M" on the command dial or exposure menu. Once this is achieved access to shutter and aperture controls is possible. In manual control the light meter is used to determine the proper shutter and aperture settings.

In daylight conditions the light meter is a fairly accurate tool for determining exposure. However at night some meters perform better then others but all can only be used as a rough guide. In such low light situations the light meter can only be used as a starting point for exposing the scene properly.

The Digital Advantage

Though some compact digital cameras have restrictions regarding the capabilities of shooting at night, there is one major asset that all digital cameras have; the LCD monitor. Once the photo is taken it can be reviewed in the monitor. If it doesn't look right the image can be taken again. Those using film cameras will have to bracket their exposures (taking a number of photos at different exposure settings) and live in hope that one image comes out right. One important word of advice though is to zoom in the image on the monitor if possible, to inspect for blur due to camera shake.

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