Night photography

[leowyatt]

Out of all the "styles" if you can call them that this is the one that interests me the most. Not quite sure what exactly it is but I really like looking at them and taking them. Though I'm not entirely sure how to about it.

I'd love to be able to do something like this (http://www.badasszebedee.com/photos/liverpool.jpg). Is that a panoramic that has been taken and spliced together? I take it to do stuff like that I essentially need a wide angle lens such as a 10-20 etc?

[Mondo]

it may be 10-20 on a 1.6 crop but it's probably like a 24 or 28mm lens, 10mm is almost fish eye in a full frame. which will make the edges really curved out and difficult to stitch together

That I am gussing that photo is taken with a 50mm focal length and then stitched together. I can see about 7 joints (in the water) there might be more.

To take that, its pretty simple really, a tripod, camera at F/8, may be 30 seconds or bulb mode. Make sure you expose every photo with the same settings. Take one, pan the tripod round a little bit but over lap the previous frame by 1/3, repeat until you cover all you wanted.

[leowyatt]

Cool cheers, any other tips for good night photos?

[Mondo]

erm... just need to play with the settings, oh, and get a cable release, and remember. Don't use the flash.

[leowyatt]

Roger about the flash :) try to use it as little as possible. On a related note :p any tips on using the flash for indoor shots and for them not to come out over explosed?

[Mondo]

If you have E-TTL then it'll be all automatic, just use put it in manual mode with the flash. Enough light for some background light and the flash will "freeze" the subject.

[leowyatt]

E-TTL?

[Mondo]

Evaluative-Through The Lens, it's Canon's version. Nikon is i-TTL.

Laymen's term, an inbuilt light meter. When taking a picture, the flash will do a preflash a split second before the real one to work out how much light to output so your exposure will be correct.

[leowyatt]

right ok I see what you mean. The 400D fires the flash rapidly 6 or so times before taking the photo.

[Mondo]

right ok I see what you mean. The 400D fires the flash rapidly 6 or so times before taking the photo.

That's slightly different, what you are doing there the camera is doing 2 things. It's trying to focus as it is dark the camera can't see in the dark very well so it can't focus therefore it burst a few flashes of light. If you have an external flash like a 430EX or 580EX it will use the red beam instead to judge distances (can actually set it in Custom Fuctions). Then when you shoot, it'll do a pre-flash. it is REALLY quick just before the real one.

[Will]

I have nothing to add to the thread (:embarassed: ) however - that picture is fantastic. As far as I'm concerned there's a heck of a lot of skill to be able to do stuff like that. I'm in awe of it - I really am.

[leowyatt]

That's slightly different, what you are doing there the camera is doing 2 things. It's trying to focus as it is dark the camera can't see in the dark very well so it can't focus therefore it burst a few flashes of light. If you have an external flash like a 430EX or 580EX it will use the red beam instead to judge distances (can actually set it in Custom Fuctions). Then when you shoot, it'll do a pre-flash. it is REALLY quick just before the real one.

ah ok cool, so a flash gun is the next thing on shopping list :D

[leowyatt]

I have nothing to add to the thread (:embarassed: ) however - that picture is fantastic. As far as I'm concerned there's a heck of a lot of skill to be able to do stuff like that. I'm in awe of it - I really am.

You have nothing to add? You've said that twice so you have added something :p

[Mondo]

ah ok cool, so a flash gun is the next thing on shopping list :D

Flash photography is mainly used in day light as a Fill in Flash to get rid of unwanted shadows. The other use is in DARK conditions such as night club, it is not design to light up landscapes. I find it funny when people at glastobury, using a flash on their point and shoot. "That little thing isn't going to light a stage 50 meters away love !" :evil:

unless your subject is within your flash limit, tripod is the way to go.

[leowyatt]

I find it funny when people at glastobury, using a flash on their point and shoot. "That little thing isn't going to light a stage 50 meters away love !" :evil:

I find that hilarious myself. I suppose the best thing is to go out and try night stuff and see how it works out.

[petemc]

Ahh that old skyline. Its technically easy enough to do. Raymond is right, the 50mm is a nice enough focal length to get each section. You can cheat with a 10-20 and get it all in, and then some but you won't capture as much detail as a panoramic. With my 10-40 I can get the new Belfast ship dock thing in too. Its uber wide.

Tripod, long enough exposure to capture the detail, pan. I've got a good spot picked out that's safeish for doing it as you can park right on the front so if you see the local villagers you can run to your car :D The best time to try it is dusk. It'll add much more to the shot than a dark sky imho. If you guys wanna meet up sometime, strength in numbers, drop me a line :) Best time of year for it really as dusk is 5-6pm not 12am.

[Dr. Z]

Monks Ferry? ;)

[petemc]

Monks Ferry? ;)

Nah. Its the wrong angle for a pano. Just to the left of Woodside next to the tunnel vent building. I saw a photographer drive his car onto the path there and I've been told it happens a lot for photoshoots.

[leowyatt]

Thanks for the offer Pete, will certainly take you up on the offer :)