I'm not sure what I am doing wrong :(

[tlcmommyx4]

I am not sure what I am doing wrong, I can't seem to get any good night shots. I see all these wonderful shots with an low ISO and I can't seem to get anythng without a high ISO, I am using a 50mm f/1.8 so I am not sure if I am not close enough or what. Can someone please help me.
Here are some pictures.

[/IMG]

Thank you so much for your advice

 

[ukcatfan]

For this kind of shot, you do not need your fast lens and would not use it wide open like that. As for your problem, you are not using a slow enough shutter speed. I saw one a 1/320. That is an action shot speed! You need a tripod and a shutter release more than a fast lens. You can us that lens if you like it and the focal length works for you, but I say use it at more like f/8 and a few second shutter speed.

 

[disneyboy2003]

ukcatfan is right. All 3 of your photos are using a shutter speed of 1/320 sec, which is way too fast for low-light photography.

You were right to use the 50mm f/1.8 lens because of its large aperture (small f-number). You were right to increase the ISO when you though the photo was too dark. The only part of the "exposure triangle" you didn't change was the shutter speed.

For low-light photography, you want to do everything you can to get *more* light into your camera. You do this by:

• using a larger aperture - letting more light into your camera
• using a higher ISO - making your camera sensor more sensitive to light
• using a slower shutter speed - allowing more time to let light into your camera

Sometimes, when you use a very very slow shutter speed (perhaps shutter speeds slower than 1/30 sec?), you run the risk of blurring due to camera shake. In those situations, you'll want to use a tripod.

Photography with a Tripod
If you're already going to use a tripod for these low-light nightscape shots, you might as well try to get the best photo you can. In that case, you can afford to use lower ISO (ex. ISO 100-200) to avoid noise / grain in your photos.

You can also afford to use smaller apertures to get sharper photos and larger depth of field. Try apertures like f/8 - f/11, which is usually your lens' "sweet spot". Apertures smaller than that (ie. larger f-numbers) run the risk of diffraction causing some mild softness, slightly less-sharp photos.

With lower ISO and smaller apertures, you'll then have to use very very slow shutter speeds (like *several seconds*) to get the right exposure for low-light photography. But that's okay because you're using a tripod.

That's the key to all the beautiful low-light / night photography that you see on this message board.

(I feel like that rogue magician in Magic Secrets Finally Revealed)

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

These are not Disney, but are from my recent trip to DC using the above techniques. These are straight out of the camera and have not been PP or retouched. I'm in the process of doing that, just haven't had the time yet. These were taken in near total darkness, especially the Wall.

 

[tlcmommyx4]

Thank you so much! I feel like I am getting somewhere in understanding my camera in many ways and was so frustrated with night pictures. I am going out tonight with my tripod and take these again and you will be so inpressed with my new shots. I really thank you for helping me become a better amatur

 

[IndyShutterbug]

I like playing with long exposures at night, as well as the light starbursts you get when shooting at f/11 or higher.
Here is one with a 3 second shutter.

 

[tlcmommyx4]

That is a great shot! Do you think it would be better to use my kit lens (18mm-55mm) and slow shutter speed vs my 50mm f/1.8 since I will need to use an f stop of 8 or above anyway? I am at least 1 mile from what I am going to be shooting.

 

[RBennett]

That is a great shot! Do you think it would be better to use my kit lens (18mm-55mm) and slow shutter speed vs my 50mm f/1.8 since I will need to use an f stop of 8 or above anyway? I am at least 1 mile from what I am going to be shooting.

For something like that, I would probably be more inclined to use the 18-55mm lens. Just so you can adjust the focal length if for nothing else. Just remember, that sweet spot on that lens will be around the f/8 or f/11 and will probably have your best results. I would set it to that aperture, zoom to show what you're wanting to see, and then change the shutter speed to equal out the exposure.

 

[Altair]

Try to fill the frame better with the lighted subjects, compare your photo's with GP's and how they fill the frame. In the second photo, you are too far away from the lighted subject, but the exposure on it is not too bad. The building in the thrid photo is exposed well, but is lost in all the darkness around it. The first photo is just plain under exposed by the too fast shutter speed.

 

[boBQuincy]

Using Shutter priority mode is not the best way to go for these, Program or Aperture priority would give much better results for now. Also the spot meter is not the best choice, Evaluative would probably work much better.

 

[tlcmommyx4]

Thank you so much for all your advice. I went out tonight and took a couple of shots and they were much better and was so excited about how they came out so much better than Saturday night. I did just see thought that I still forgot to take it off of spot metering, oh well I am so grateful for all your help and am learning so much. We are on spring break and I hope it gets a little warmer and hope we get some sunshine so I can take some more. Tell me what you think of these?
This one was with the camera on the bridge rail.

This one was with the tripod behind the rail. The light from the street is in my way.

Thanks again

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I like the first one. The second horizon seems to be off and seems to be a little blurry. Do you have a level on your either your tripod or camera? When using the tripod, I use a bubble level that slides in the hot shoe mount. Also I would recommend a remote control, either wire or wireless. I use a wireless.

 

[tlcmommyx4]

I like the first one better also. I just got my camera a couple of months ago and don't have a great tripod yet. I do think the second one looks blurry, because of the spot metering that I had forgotten to change, and the street light from behind was more of an influence for some reason. I'm sure it didn't help that I was cold and didn't take my time in framing it well. I am just so excited that I feel like I am getting better and better with all the help from this board and all the nice people willing to help others Oh and I did get both the wireless remote and the cable remote and just haven't been brave enough to use them yet

 

[ukcatfan]

I do think the second one looks blurry, because of the spot metering that I had forgotten to change, and the street light from behind was more of an influence for some reason.

The spot metering has to do with the exposure and should not have an effect on the potential for blur in these shots. It can affect how long the shutter is open, but you want it to be open for a long time on these. The blur is from camera movement. Even the press of the shutter can cause blurring. If you do not have a remote shutter release, try using a two second delay.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Question for the guys who know what they are talking about (NOT ME AT ALL) If the tripod isn't all that great, would a breeze have caused enough movement to make it blurr a bit? Would that have been why the other shot (When the camera was resting on the rail) was clearer? Also, if there was no breeze contributing to it, would the mirror cause that much shake if it weren't locked?

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

More than likely its the movement caused by the pressing of the shutter button. The first shot was on the railing and was probably more steady and secure than when it was on the tripod. I use two methods when using the tripod. I either focus the camera by pressing the shutter button half down, then wait a second or two before using the wireless remote, or I use the mode that when I press the button on the remote it autofocuses then activates the shutter. Whichever one works best for the situation I'm in.

 

[disneyboy2003]

I'm glad to see / hear that your long-exposure photos are starting to work out. See? We told you it wouldn't be that hard.

This one was with the camera on the bridge rail.

This one was with the tripod behind the rail. The light from the street is in my way.

This is the reason why the top photo is much sharper than the bottom photo. In the top photo, you rested your camera on the concrete bridge rail / wall. That's probably the most stable thing you can rest your camera on. That's why when you pressed the shutter button, there was no camera shake and your photo was very sharp.

As stable as concrete walls / blocks are, unfortunately, they are not as portable as tripods.

Even among tripods, there's a wide range of stability among different tripods. For sure, as mentioned by others, you shouldn't just press the shutter button when your camera is on the tripod. Pressing the shutter button introduces camera movement in your camera-tripod setup. The key to sharp tripod photos is (1) using the mirror lock-up feature, and (2) using a cable release / remote shutter.

Oh and I did get both the wireless remote and the cable remote and just haven't been brave enough to use them yet

Don't be afraid of the cable release. It's just a shutter button on a wire. That's it.

Question for the guys who know what they are talking about (NOT ME AT ALL) If the tripod isn't all that great, would a breeze have caused enough movement to make it blurr a bit? Would that have been why the other shot (When the camera was resting on the rail) was clearer? Also, if there was no breeze contributing to it, would the mirror cause that much shake if it weren't locked?

If the tripod isn't too stable (ex. cheap tripods from Walmart), then anything can introduce excess movement / vibration in the tripod...including the vibration that occurs when the mirror flips up.

Regarding sample photos with & without mirror lock-up, I found this example on http://diglloyd.com/articles/ask/tip-mirror-lockup.html:

with mirror lock-up

without mirror lock-up
​

A quote from the above Web site: "Note that the blur in the bottom image is in a vertical direction: this is a jolt called mirror slap as the mirror rises and slams into the top of the mirror box prior to the exposure being made."

If only concrete walls were portable...

 

[tlcmommyx4]

I'm glad to see / hear that your long-exposure photos are starting to work out. See? We told you it wouldn't be that hard.

Thanks to you and everyone on these boards, I am going out one more time tonight and try out my wireless remote and the cable remote and see if I can get the shot just a little better.

I really do love all the advise and help I get from everyone here THANKS

 

[tlcmommyx4]

Well I do think that these turned out even better than yesterday. I did use my cable remote. I still could have done better, but I will get there.

Tell me what you think?

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Much, much improved. Practice does make perfect. Keep it up!!!