Night Shooting FAQ

[bauong]

I recently shoot during a gathering at night with my friends and the pictures turn out awful

what setting, lense and accessories do you use normally for night shots esp like gathering type when the people are always moving.

all comments are welcome including slamming me over CS

Setting:
lense:
accessories:

 

[Numnumball]

I recently shoot during a gathering at night with my friends and the pictures turn out awful

what setting, lense and accessories do you use normally for night shots esp like gathering type when the people are always moving.

all comments are welcome including slamming me over CS

Setting:
lense:
accessories:

Maybe u can provide the img and exif info so we can get to the root of the problem.

There's nt particular lens that prevail over the other for night shot. (though fast lens help to a certain extent). Sometimes any lens can do the job.

And u must know that there's no predetermined settings as well! It's the technique, additional illumination (in the form of strobes/flashguns etc) and the understanding of the lighting conditions present to determine ur settngs..

 

[PreciousP]

Shooting a gathering, I presume like a BBQ party or birthday party or something like that.

First, shooting at night with flash the exposure comes in 2 parts:
- ambient exposure
- flash exposure

Ambient exposure
If you rely on the camera P or Auto mode you are likely to get horribly black background with no hint or where or what is going on. To get some ambient, one typically set a higher ISO, like 400 or 800 (assuming you are using a current crop of cameras like D80, D90, D60, D300 etc, not D70, D40, in which case ISO800 may be too noisy to be used). Then use 1/60s or so at about f/4 - even P will do, although I normally go M completely. See your LCD, it should be between -1 to -4EV, under exposed but not too under to get some ambient recorded.

Flash exposure
You can rely on auto flash to do the flash exposure, with a caveat - it may over expose your main subject. Dial in a slight minus (-0.3 to -0.7EV) on flash exposure compensation if this happens. Or set stronger under exposure for flash if necessary, if too dark, set it for over exposure. The flash exposure compensation is near the flash release button, press it and you will see on the LCD a bolt with +/- beside it.

Try it out.

 

[Rashkae]

We have an FAQ in the night photography section.

 

[daredevil123]

Time to buy an external flash.

And FAQs and articles..here
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=441140

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

I recently shoot during a gathering at night with my friends and the pictures turn out awful

what setting, lense and accessories do you use normally for night shots esp like gathering type when the people are always moving.

all comments are welcome including slamming me over CS

Setting:
lense:
accessories:

First need to understand the situation and the problem that you need to overcome, then we can help you.

we don't have a magic book of remedies for 'awful' pictures. :bsmilie:

 

[Octarine]

Setting:
lense:
accessories:

What sense does it make to give you all these data (which can be easily obtained from the exif data anyway) if the situation is not the same? Will you go and spend money to get all those (sometimes very expensive) lenses used by the people to capture the picture? Photography is capturing light - if the light is not the same then the same settings will not give you the same result. :dunno:
But there are 2 accessories that are always helpful in night photography: tripod and remote shutter release. And there is one thing completely redundant: any form of filter (unless you prefer funky ghosting and flare effects).

 

[gymak90]

How 'awful' is awful? What are you expecting? Show us a picture and we can analyse for you.

Photography is about managing your settings and lenses to suit your condition, not remembering them.

 

[ovaltinemilo]

FAQ? M mode? use rear flash? any photos for ref by what you mean awful?is it subject heavily overexposed + ambient underexposed or motion blur etc....

 

[pasay]

I recently shoot during a gathering at night with my friends and the pictures turn out awful

what setting, lense and accessories do you use normally for night shots esp like gathering type when the people are always moving.

all comments are welcome including slamming me over CS

Setting:
lense:
accessories:

set to night mode and flash :bsmilie: