Digital night photography can very well be very rewarding and an exciting activity. This is usually done using digital SLR cameras as you will want long exposure times of more than a second. If you are thinking to invest in a digital SLR for digital night photography make certain you have creative settings not just the automatic choices available to you with the camera. Particularly search for the 'B' or bulb setting as this will allow you to open the shutter manually for as long as you like.
The following are a list of digital night photography techniques to consider:
1. A Good Base Purchase a tripod to provide you with stability and avoid hand shake on long exposures that might lead to poor pictures. During my use of your tripod try to use solid ground positions to decrease camera shake. The main pitfall with tripods however, is that they can be bulky and awkward to move around with around.
2. Wireless remote A remote allows you to trigger the camera without touching it allowing for minimum contact and reducing the risk of camera shake. If you do not have a remote then consider using the self timer.
3. Exposure Be weary of your digital SLR camera's exposure meter at night. You can certainly get started with the exposure given, but experiment with different shutter speeds to get your desired effect.
4. Noise Reduction CCDs used to capture images are usually not always optimised for extended exposures and noise can be introduced that could degrade an image. Some digital SLR cameras have noise reduction features available through their menu system. If not, try to keep your exposure as short as you can. As a last resort you could use noise reduction techniques with your picture editing software.
The key to digital night photography is to be at the right place at the right time and give yourself time to setup. One of the most intergrading times for interesting results is during twilight. Look out for buildings which are floodlit at night to blend in comparison together with the fading skylight. Another great vantage point might possibly be rivers and coastlines with cityscapes that might provide interesting and mysterious reflections in darken waters. High point and bridges are useful in cites to capture the flow of artificial lights and traffic using long exposures. Watch out, however, not to over exposure to lose the balance of moving lights with building lighting.
Definitely cites and towns can provide some of the best subjects of digital night photography with a multitude of artificial lighting, however other subjects could include the night sky, interior buildings at night, carnivals and firework displays.
The following are a list of digital night photography techniques to consider:
1. A Good Base Purchase a tripod to provide you with stability and avoid hand shake on long exposures that might lead to poor pictures. During my use of your tripod try to use solid ground positions to decrease camera shake. The main pitfall with tripods however, is that they can be bulky and awkward to move around with around.
2. Wireless remote A remote allows you to trigger the camera without touching it allowing for minimum contact and reducing the risk of camera shake. If you do not have a remote then consider using the self timer.
3. Exposure Be weary of your digital SLR camera's exposure meter at night. You can certainly get started with the exposure given, but experiment with different shutter speeds to get your desired effect.
4. Noise Reduction CCDs used to capture images are usually not always optimised for extended exposures and noise can be introduced that could degrade an image. Some digital SLR cameras have noise reduction features available through their menu system. If not, try to keep your exposure as short as you can. As a last resort you could use noise reduction techniques with your picture editing software.
The key to digital night photography is to be at the right place at the right time and give yourself time to setup. One of the most intergrading times for interesting results is during twilight. Look out for buildings which are floodlit at night to blend in comparison together with the fading skylight. Another great vantage point might possibly be rivers and coastlines with cityscapes that might provide interesting and mysterious reflections in darken waters. High point and bridges are useful in cites to capture the flow of artificial lights and traffic using long exposures. Watch out, however, not to over exposure to lose the balance of moving lights with building lighting.
Definitely cites and towns can provide some of the best subjects of digital night photography with a multitude of artificial lighting, however other subjects could include the night sky, interior buildings at night, carnivals and firework displays.
About the Author:
Want to find out more about Digital Night Photography, then visit Steve Campbell's Digital Photography site also find out how to choose the right Digital SLR for your Photography.