Night photography is an exciting and creatively
challenging pastime. Photography relies solely on light to capture images; at
night there is less light. Objects take on a whole different feel at night, and the
photographer must be skilled at capturing that feel. As most photographers
know, what the eye sees is not necessarily what shows up on film. This is
especially true for night photography. Shooting in low light can make pictures
look darker than the environment or make images grainy.
Increase
the Exposure
The exposure is the total
amount of light that is captured by the camera. Photographs with low exposure
have less light in them, while photographs with high exposure are bright. The
higher the exposure, the longer the shutter stays open to capture light. If the
exposure is high and either the camera or subject is moving, this can result in
the image appearing blurred or moving. If the subject is a light source, like
the lights of a car, it can look like a streak of light going across the
screen. Experiment with high-exposure shots
Shooting with a Flash Filter
At night, a flash can make
images in the foreground appear white and the background very dark. Put a
filter, such as a tissue or colored gel over the flash
to play with how the flash works. The filter can soften harshness of the flash
and add some interesting effects to the image. Alternatively, putting a hand or
cutout design a few inches from the flash can darken certain portions of the
image. A cutout snow flake pattern can superimpose a snow flake shadow over the
subject.
Create Time Lapse Shots
Mount the camera on a tripod,
and take several photographs with varying high exposures. Pick the exposure
that is on the brighter side. Set the timer for the camera, and run across the
framed area of the shot from left to right (or right to left) when the camera
shoots. This will create a time lapse shot of the subject running. Add jumping
or spinning to enhance the effect. Carry sparklers or a light source to draw
light lines on the image. It may take a couple shots to get the timing right.
Adjust Exposure and Flash
As stated, images in the
foreground have a tendency to become overexposed with a flash. One way to solve
this problem is by lowering the exposure when shooting with a flash at night.
This should offset the brightness
of the flash and also allow the camera to capture movement without distortion.
The background of the image will become really dark with this method.
