BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Questions

PICTURES AT NIGHT

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February 27, 2002

More seriously:
Without actually seeing exactly what you are trying to do, and where you are doing it, here are a few suggestions based on what I've seen others do:

1. If your area tends to have clear nights and the moonlight illuminates them, then get a chart of the moon phases along with moon rise and set times and time your outings to make use of a 3/4 to full moon at a time when it will illuminate them. The moon follows about almost the same path as the sun. You can judge what the moon will illuminate, and when, at a given time of year by watching what the sun does during the day.

2. Some will use a remote flash with radio or infrared slave and set it up near where the subject(s) are located. An umbrella or soft box reduces flash harshness. Work with flash angle to control shadows and get the lighting you want; it doesn't need to be (and probably shouldn't be) from the camera direction. A variation of this method opens the camera shutter using the "B" shutter speed, triggers the flash using a cord to the remote hot shoe it's mounted in, then closes the shutter again. If the flash has an auto sensor, it should generally illuminate the subject properly regardless of where you are. With this method you get one shot at it for some time as the flash usually startles the subject considerably. You may have to experiment with flash location (distance), lighting angles and possibly how much diffusion you are using on it. Use of artificial lighting is almost always obvious in these photographs also.

Couldn't resist the tripod remark, I presume with a mirror lens you're already using one.

-- John

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February 28, 2002