How to take beautiful night photography?

It is an indisputable fact that long-exposure photography at night is difficult to master. How can a novice take long-exposure photography well? The content of this article will introduce you in detail to 12 long-exposure night photography methods.

1. Choose the shooting location in advance

Most photographers think it is unnecessary to choose the shooting location in advance. But choosing the best location for night photography in advance can bring many benefits. The most obvious one is that you don’t have to rush to find the best location when you arrive at your destination.

Look around and think:

Are there trees or obstacles blocking the view?

Are there any lights nearby (such as street lights or floodlights) Will it affect the image?

Are there any sources of activity in the selected location? For example: crowded crowds, cars producing eye-catching light trails, boats passing by on the water, etc.

This is because movement is great for taking long-exposure photos!

Consider the option if you can't determine the location in advance.

For example, you can find the best spot an hour or two before sunset.

2. Consider taking multiple photos

After determining the shooting location, the next thing to consider is:

Whether moving the camera and tripod while shooting ( Changing positions, capturing different compositions and/or using different focal lengths), or taking a series of the exact same images requires taking multiple photos and having enough photo content to choose from.

3. Use a checklist to organize equipment

Night photography requires a lot of photography equipment.

Therefore, before going out to shoot, it is recommended that you use a checklist to organize your equipment.

This is a good way to organize your equipment and ensure that it doesn’t get messy. Here are some items on a common night photography checklist:

Camera and Lenses

Camera Battery Fully Charged

Spare Batteries

One or two Tripod

Tripod base

SD card, make sure the formatted memory card and spare parts are ready in the camera.

Water and snacks

Wireless headphones to take photos in the same spot for hours. If there are no other photographers to chat with, listen to music.

4. Find your subject early

Please arrive early so you can set up and be prepared in your preferred location.

When setting up your camera and tripod, be aware of pedestrians, cyclists, and traffic in the area, and do not place your photography equipment where it will obstruct pedestrians.

　5. Photograph the best skies during the blue hour

If you want to create the most striking long-exposure night photography, then choose to shoot during the blue hour.

Specifically, start capturing images as the sun sets, and continue taking photos until all color disappears from the sky.

6. Use a tripod

A tripod must be used for long-exposure night photography. Otherwise, the photo will easily appear blurry.

7. Turn on the camera's electronic level

Most cameras have a built-in electronic level. Why is the electronic level useful? It will tell you whether the camera is level and help you adjust the camera.

8. Use a remote control

When taking long exposures, you must minimize camera movement during the exposure, which means you may not be able to press the shutter button quickly. When you tap the shutter, it can cause camera shake and ultimately blur the image.

One way to avoid camera shake is to use a remote control that allows you to trigger the shutter without pressing the shutter button.

9. Use the Selfie function

This is the second method that allows you to minimize camera movement during the exposure:

Use the Selfie function of the camera, it is recommended You set a two-second Selfie delay in advance. This way, you can press the shutter button, wait for any movement to disappear, and take a sharp photo.

10. Try interval shooting for better results

Do you want to capture the beauty of a scene for a long time?

Try interval shooting.

Using interval shooting, you can take photos at set intervals (for example, take a photo every two minutes).

In the early days of shooting, set your camera to take a picture every two minutes, and then – when the light starts to get interesting and the city lights up, set your camera to take a picture every 20 or 30 seconds. ?

When adjusting settings during shooting, please be careful not to bump or move the camera.

11. Turn off image stabilization

If you want to get clear long-exposure photos, you must turn off the image stabilization function of the camera and lens.

12. Pay attention to safety

Safety is very important when taking pictures at night. Pay attention to changes in the surrounding environment, especially the photographic equipment, so as not to be taken away.

Summary

Once you have learned the art of long exposure night photography, the best way to practice it is to get out there and practice as much as possible.