Taking Pictures At Night And In Low Light

In winter, there's an abundance of dark rather than abundance of light - but that doesn't have to restrict your shooting hours. The world looks very different at night and you may find things that appear quite mundane in the daylight hours are far more intriguing in the shadows. Cities and architecture are classic examples of this, where interesting illumination hits the buildings as the sun goes down.

Shooting after dark can also be a more pleasurable experience: the pace is slower as the light (or lack thereof) is consistent and there are normally fewer people around. You also have the benefit of being able to get out to take some night shots late afternoon and still be home at a reasonable hour.

Quick tips for night photography

1. Use a long exposure or bulb mode

To make the most of available light, use a long exposure. Experiment with different shutter speeds, as you may not need such a long exposure if you're shooting a well illuminated building, for example. Bulb mode allows you to shoot longer than 30 seconds, creating exposures of up to an hour. Make sure you have a remote release if you plan to have the shutter open that long.

2. Activate timer delay

Another way to reduce the risk of introducing camera shake is to use timer mode to delay the shutter release. Go for either 2 seconds or 10 seconds - especially if you're not using a remote.

3. Adjust white balance

Artificial lights can throw off automatic white balance systems. Switch to a specific white balance setting, such as tungsten, to get the most accurate colour possible.

4. Think about ISO

One of the best things about modern cameras is their ability to cope with high ISO situations. However, it's still true that the lower the ISO, the better the detail - if you're using a tripod, you'll be able to keep ISO as low as possible (ISO 400-800 is ideal).

5. Shoot in RAW format

Night photography is one of the most critical times to shoot in RAW. You'll be able to recapture any lost details in shadow areas, while recovering any highlights that have been blown out thanks to long exposures. You can also tweak settings such as white balance, too.

What are your favourite night-time photography spots? Send us your best images via - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.