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vinnie77 · Joined: 11 Jul 2007 Posts: 6

Does anyone have advice on how to improve night photos? For example, just about all of my photos shot after dark come out blurry. I've been fortunate to travel to a number of cities throughout Asia and would like to capture some amazing skylines at night, but they just won't come out clear no matter how steady my hand is or if I place the camera on a flat surface.

Someone recommended using a tripod, but sometimes it's not convenient to set one up - i.e. crowded conditions, excess baggage, etc.

I use a Canon Powershot 4mpx that's a few years old.

Any advice would be appreciated. I think some of my travel shots would be great to submit to Shutterstock, if only they came out clearly.

Thanks in advance.

Vinnie.

ruxpriencdiam · Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 12:05 pm

Since you have no photos in your gallery i take it you are new.

Therefore you are going to need to get a good DSLR tripod, remote release and more.

hhltdave5 · Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 12:42 pm

Night photos call for slow shutter speeds which requires a good solid tripod. Even those of us who have excellent hand holding technique would find it extremely difficult to do without a tripod.

Night shots are also hard to do because of noise created with the longer shutter speeds and if you boost your ISO. The sensor in that camera is too small to handle such a shot without problems.

It is also not recommended to do night shots as part of your first ten due to the technical issues involved.

Capturing the best shot you can depends on first having the right technique and the right equipment. Just because something is inconvenient is not a valid reason for not using one.

When the time comes that you do get a tripod get one that will do the job properly. The little flimsy things that many camera shops sell are really not worth much at all and are generally meant for using a video camera (they have the pan head and arm). If your tripod is not stable and strong there is no sense in spending money on it. I suggest coming here and asking us for recommendations when you want to make the purchase.

mauijon · Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 4279 Location: Maui, Hawaii

You could try resting the camera on a beanbag.

ramses02 · Joined: 18 Sep 2011 Posts: 4

you NEED a Tripod. try a gorillapod if size matters, but also get a cam with higher res.

Anne Power · Joined: 26 Apr 2012 Posts: 20 Location: Louisiana, USA

Sorry, but a tripod is definitely a necessity for night photography. As for the "remote release and more" ruxpriencdiam mentioned, don't let that scare you. The remote release is suggested because even with a tripod, pressing the button can cause a small bit of vibration in your camera. However, if your camera has a timer function, just set it and then push the button so that you're not in contact with the camera when the photo is actually taken. Not sure what "more" ruxpriencdiam is referring to, but a good camera and tripod are all the equipment I've ever needed for success.

jackai · Joined: 06 Aug 2010 Posts: 52 Location: New York, NY

Have to agree with all the other posts. A tripod is a must when you have the slow shutter speeds to capture light patterns. Get a decent camera with a good sensor too. If you don't have a lot of money, use what I use - canon powershot G10 or G11.

But the tripod is your best friend! Good luck!

darla · Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Posts: 889

Any photo shot at 1/60 or slower will be better with a tripod. Your own heartbeat will mess you up at that slow a speed.

There's a sort of Zen trick to slow down your heartbeat that can help if you really want to get a slow shot hand held. It's called the sniper's trance, and takes a bit of practice.

pharm · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 9406 Location: Never quite sure

Darla, there's a post for you in another thread. It's a response to what you said but it was apparently accidentally posted as a new thread instead of a reply:

http://submit.shutterstock.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=123016

jackai · Joined: 06 Aug 2010 Posts: 52 Location: New York, NY

thanks pharm for the pick up. That was me. I'll copy and paste here:

Darla,
That's pretty trippy. I don't know if I'd have the patience to practice that. Speaking of Night photos, I wanted to share some suggested starting point exposures for photographing subjects at night:

Assuming a 400 ISO
Neon Signs 1/125 @ f2.8 - f4
Fireworks 1/60 @ f4 - f5.6
Home Interiors (Bright) 1/30 @ f2.8 - f4
Home Interiors (Average) 1/30 @ f2
Skylines 1 sec @ f2.8 - f4
Shop Windows 1/60 @ f4 - f5.6
Brightly Lit Buildings and Monuments 1 sec @ f2
Landscape (Full Moon, Clear Sky, Lit Foreground) 12-15min @f4 - f5.6

suwanneeredhead · Joined: 28 Jul 2005 Posts: 1148 Location: Dante's Peak

triceratops · Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 7863 Location: The other Nevada

suwanneeredhead · Joined: 28 Jul 2005 Posts: 1148 Location: Dante's Peak

triceratops · Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 7863 Location: The other Nevada