Advice from Night Shot Experts

[annnewjerz]

So I haven't done too much night shooting, but will obviously be lugging my tripod around WDW in October to get some night shots of things like the colorful lights around Tomorrowland, the Castle all lit up, etc.

For those of you that do a lot of night shooting---do you shoot in full manual mode, or something like aperture priority? During the day I mostly use aperture priority, but I was wondering if they are any distinct advantages/disadvantages to shooting with one over the other for nighttime shots.

Thoughts?

 

[WDWFigment]

I go full manual for night shooting. I think it's a pain to constantly adjust exposure comp, metering mode, etcetera based on the various lighting and shots. Then again, I don't really meter a whole lot at night, I just go with what I think will work.

 

[Chikabowa]

I shoot full manual exposure 100% of the time anyway, but it's the best for night shots. I'm exactly like WDWFigment too... I don't meter at night, I just guess at my settings and then adjust from there at night.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I generally use Aperture Priority at night. Or sometimes I use Night Scene to simplify. The DHS pictures I took (from my TR) were mostly taken using Night Scene w/ my pancake IIR.

 

[Quicklabs]

Im no expert, but I typicaly shoot in aperture mood, even at night. If I can't get what I'm looking for out of that, then I go to manual. So, on a scale from 1-100, how excited are you about your upcoming trip for Halloween?

 

[annnewjerz]

I go full manual for night shooting. I think it's a pain to constantly adjust exposure comp, metering mode, etcetera based on the various lighting and shots. Then again, I don't really meter a whole lot at night, I just go with what I think will work.

I shoot full manual exposure 100% of the time anyway, but it's the best for night shots. I'm exactly like WDWFigment too... I don't meter at night, I just guess at my settings and then adjust from there at night.

I generally use Aperture Priority at night. Or sometimes I use Night Scene to simplify. The DHS pictures I took (from my TR) were mostly taken using Night Scene w/ my pancake IIR.

Im no expert, but I typicaly shoot in aperture mood, even at night. If I can't get what I'm looking for out of that, then I go to manual. So, on a scale from 1-100, how excited are you about your upcoming trip for Halloween?

Thanks everyone! I think I'll try both and see which is easier and which I get results I'm happier with.

And Laura---surprisingly not all that excited, but don't tell DH. There is just so much going on around here, I feel completely unprepared for October. I'm MUCH MUCH MUCH more excited about the trip in December.

I'm sure October will be tons of fun and DH and I really need a weekend away alone, but December will be a whole different level in terms of the type of trip it is. October is a 3 day trip on a budget with the MK only (which is fine cause it's my fave) and is basically just a chance to relax, go to MNSSHP and practice my WDW photogrpahy. December we'll be at BWV, going to all of the parks, eating at some nice restaurants---so they really can't even compare!

 

[Code]

I like aperture priority because I can set up the shot with the lens wide open and ISO cranked, take a test shot with a fast shutter speed (so I'm not waiting around with a long shutter speed just for an exposure test), repeat as needed. Once the exposure is nailed, I quickly drop the ISO and stop the aperture down for the real deal.

 

[Experiment_626]

I usually use aperture priority -- day or night. The only time I tend to use shutter priority is when I'm trying to introduce motion blur -- or prevent it, in some cases. I take lots of bracketed sequences for HDR. At night, I usually use aperture priority for those, then switch to manual for the longer exposures I can't get otherwise (the camera won't give me a longer exposure than 30 seconds except via "bulb").

SSB

 

[YesDear]

Ann I tried tripod shots of the fireworks for Wishes last night from top of BLT. I used Aperture priority and it was a big mistake. Tonight I will be using manual and blub and shutter release. So nice to know I have other chances!

For MNSSHP I used aperture but was using the 50 1.2 so it was manual focus!

 

[WDWFigment]

Ann I tried tripod shots of the fireworks for Wishes last night from top of BLT. I used Aperture priority and it was a big mistake. Tonight I will be using manual and blub and shutter release. So nice to know I have other chances!

For MNSSHP I used aperture but was using the 50 1.2 so it was manual focus!

I agree with this. Manual and bulb mode (and manual focus) is a must for fireworks. That's another situation where you simply can't meter. You have to know what works. If you use aperture priority or shutter priority, you'll undoubtedly come back with a lot of blown out fireworks shots.

 

[Chikabowa]

I agree with this. Manual and bulb mode (and manual focus) is a must for fireworks. That's another situation where you simply can't meter. You have to know what works. If you use aperture priority or shutter priority, you'll undoubtedly come back with a lot of blown out fireworks shots.

Ditto x2.

 

[YesDear]

That is what was so sad as well. I knew better. I was trying to get some shots of the MK from the top of BLT. ( Yes the view is amazing) and thought I would see what the camera picked up. It is smart right?!!. Then these kids show up and I am scared of my tripod set up because the parents were clueless!

Once wishes had started to reset my camera to manual and bulb, I was done at that point.!

 

[handicap18]

I recommend manual mode for night shooting. As others have said, the meter in camera just doesn't do well with night shots.

I typically use ISO200 and f/10. As for the shutter speed, it will depend on your subject. Could be anywhere from 2 to 30 seconds. I don't use BULB mode and go over 30 seconds very often, though for fireworks it is a good tool to use.

I like f/10 (or anywhere from f/8 to f/11) for night shots because it gives a small enough aperture to bring out good detail in the lights and not make any of the lights in the shoot to big.

A good experiment with fireworks is to try different f/stops and notice how the size of the streaks change. The wider the f/stop the wider the streaks. Another recommendation for fireworks, if you can remember (most times I forget), is when the grand finale comes,,,,,, change your f/stop to f/22. There is a LOT of light in the finale and the smaller aperture will help with the longer exposures. I tried it once and it seemed to make a difference, but I'd like to try it more often to really put my theory to the test. I've seen a few other images that appeared to be taken during a grand finale that had a real small f/stop and they were nicely exposed even with a 3-6 second shutter speed.

 

[boBQuincy]

For most night photos I use Program mode and adjust exposure compensation if necessary. For the most part the camera does very well on it's own. For HDR I use Aperture priority, usually f/8 for best sharpness.

I only use Manual mode for fireworks, usually f/11 or f/16, ISO 100, 2 or 3 seconds.

 

[YesDear]

Bulb and manual work best for me. Taken tonight about 30 min ago.

Bet you did not realize actually where the fireworks were shot from

 

[zackiedawg]

Definitely a manual mode fan myself for night shots...I've always been a big night shot fan going back about 8 years, and pretty much learned approximately what aperture and shutter I need for a given situation. Sometimes I may guess a little wrong when using different cameras or lenses, but I can ballpark close enough, and shoot again with a little adjustment if I'm off.

 

[GrillMouster]

Manual helps me get consistent exposures. The other modes constantly meter the scene and change the settings, which are fine in the daytime when lighting can change greatly and quickly from bright sun to dark shade.

 

[ssanders79]

I typically start in Aperature and take a few test shots to see where things are at then switch over to manual to dial everthing in.

 

[GrillMouster]

I typically start in Aperature and take a few test shots to see where things are at then switch over to manual to dial everthing in.

That's a great tip for someone using a point-and-shoot camera. It will give you a good starting point.

However, if you're using a DSLR, you can save yourself a couple of steps by just looking at the metering scale in the viewfinder while in Manual mode. Adjust your settings until the meter points to the zero in the middle of the scale. The camera meters the same regardless of whether it's in Manual, Aperture Priority, or any other mode, so this saves you the steps of taking a picture in Aperture Priority, viewing the metadata to get the settings, then dialing in those settings in Manual mode.

 

[boBQuincy]

That's a great tip for someone using a point-and-shoot camera. It will give you a good starting point.

However, if you're using a DSLR, you can save yourself a couple of steps by just looking at the metering scale in the viewfinder while in Manual mode. Adjust your settings until the meter points to the zero in the middle of the scale. The camera meters the same regardless of whether it's in Manual, Aperture Priority, or any other mode, so this saves you the steps of taking a picture in Aperture Priority, viewing the metadata to get the settings, then dialing in those settings in Manual mode.

If we adjust the settings until the meter reads zero won't that give the exact same exposure as Aperture, Shutter, Program, and even Auto?