Photographing Castle Question

[kapeppy]

I take tons of pictures on each trip to WDW and recently upgraded from a cheap digital camera to a decent, although nothing fancy, digital camera (Kodak EasyShare Z710). I have had the opportunity to try it out on a couple of vacations but this will be the first time I will be taking many nighttime photos. I've usually been disappointed with my after dark pictures in the past and was hoping that the new camera might be the answer but my guess is that the poor picture quality is the fault of the photographer and not the camera. Can anyone offer advice on how best to capture the new lights on the castle? My camera offers various scene-type setting including fireworks, sports, beach, etc... Does anyone have any advice as to what type of setting to try? I am taking my nieces and would love to get pics of them in front of the castle which might be tricky as I will need the flash. Finally, will a photopass photographer also take a picture of us with my camera? TIA for any words of wisdom!

Two weeks from today I'll be in WDW!!!!

 

[One Year Pin]

Oh, you're in luck.

Pictures of the castle at night CAN be tricky. A couple of things to remember...

1. The closer to the castle you are, the brighter the lights will be. This means that your flash is to make the people in the foreground show up.

2. If you are a distance away from the castle, put the camera on a no-flash setting and go with a longer exposure. however, you will need to brace the camera on something or use a tripod.

3. If you are shooting JUST the castle, try a couple of shots in each mode. The fireworks mode may work best.

4. If you are shooting people in front of the castle, get your exposure settings and focus by pointing the camera at their waist and pressing the button halfway. When you have your settings, don't remove your finger, but then shift the camera up till you get the picture you want and press the button the rest of the way.

5. Yes, the PhotoPass folks will take a shot using your own camera.

Hope this helps.

 

[siskaren]

Does your camera have a night setting? Mine does (although I've never used it) and it's supposed to be used to take pictures of people against night backgrounds to reduce the effects of camera shake. I'm pretty sure the Photopass photographers will take a picture with your camera, but if you don't have a night setting, I would try taking a picture without the flash, because in my opinion, the flash makes the lights at things like Osborne Lights and Spectromagic look washed out - just make sure to hold the camera very steady.

 

[LittleFlounder]

my best suggestion for photographing the new castle lights is to turn your camera onto manual mode, turn your flash off and use a tripod. You don't need to pick a scene. Try to get right up close to the castle as well. This also works very well for Osborne Lights.

On my latest trip I took many pictures of the castle at night. I used a table-top tripod. It fits in my purse. It was only 7" high when extended, so I was kneeling down on the ground to get the pictures. Here's one of them:

 

[Charleyann]

my best suggestion for photographing the new castle lights is to turn your camera onto manual mode, turn your flash off and use a tripod. You don't need to pick a scene. Try to get right up close to the castle as well. This also works very well for Osborne Lights.

On my latest trip I took many pictures of the castle at night. I used a table-top tripod. It fits in my purse. It was only 7" high when extended, so I was kneeling down on the ground to get the pictures. Here's one of them:

That is a nice photo! Did you do that with night setting and no flash?

Thank you
Charleyann

 

[EeyoreFan1]

Nightime shots, you're going to want a tripod. You'll probably want to try the firework mode for the castle lights, because its the same idea. (Neonish lights against dark sky) but my advice is to keep the camera still, give it time to auto-focus, and try different settings.

 

[LittleFlounder]

That is a nice photo! Did you do that with night setting and no flash?

Thank you
Charleyann

thank you!

No, I didn't use a "night setting". I took the picture with my camera in manual mode, flash turned off, and used a tripod....just like I said no special scene or setting.

 

[Dan Murphy]

my best suggestion for photographing the new castle lights is to turn your camera onto #1 manual mode, #2 turn your flash off and #3 use a tripod. You don't need to pick a scene. Try to get right up close to the castle as well. This also works very well for Osborne Lights.

On my latest trip I took many pictures of the castle at night. I used a table-top tripod. It fits in my purse. It was only 7" high when extended.....

Adding bolded #'s.....#1, 2 and 3. Two other thoughts. Also ask this question on the Photography board here, for some additional tips, and, take lots of pictures, changing the settings a bit, checking the results right there on the spot, compensating for the good or bad results/ That is one of the biggest advantages of digital, seeing the results immediately and being able to redo on the spot. Enjoy.

 

[bradk]

it's a personal choice how you like your pics to turn out. for me, i don't like colors to be oversaturated (and usually if the shutter is open too long, that pitch black sky comes out brown) so i personally tend to error on the side of a quicker shutter.

that said, this is a tricky thing to address. reason being that for quicker shutter speeds, you need a higher ISO which results in a less vibrant picture (and is vulnerable to noise). for a lower ISO, the shutter is open longer, but you need stability.

ideally, you do this with an ISO of 100 and a tripod. you might get lucky in auto mode (without flash), but you'll probably be dangerously close to getting camera shake.

if i don't have a tripod, i try ISO 1600 with a shutter speed of 1/50 (in Tv mode).

fireworks are different in that you generally want a longer exposure to have a bright trail of the fireworks. this would require a tripod though, especially with the camera in the shot. typical exposure times for firework shots is 2-4 seconds, although i really don't go beyond 1.3 when shooting MK because again, it oversaturates the castle to my disliking.

when subjects are moving, like spectro, you need to manually adjust the shutter speed because auto mode will almost always keep the exposure too long, resulting in subject blur.

and also, flash isn't always a bad thing. the thing about flash is when you illuminate an object that's too close, it overpowers any ambient lighting which is usually undesirable. but if the object is out of the flash's reach and emits enough of its own lighting, you can sometimes get a decent shot. the only problem is that with the flash, the camera compensates and reduces the shutter speed resulting in the possibility of a darker than desired shot.

this was shot without a tripod, ISO 1600, shutter speed 1/40:

ISO 100, 1 second:

ISO 1600, 1/50:

fully automatic with (external) flash:

 

[Dan Murphy]

Adding one thought, kapeppy. Your camera will only do max 800 ISO but that moves your megapixel below 2 meg, probably too low for a decent photo. And even 400 will give marginal results on most point and shoots (that's all I use). 200 ISO will most likely give you best results, but again, experimenting is free.

 

[firsttimemom]

If you don't want to bring a tripod, I had good luck propping my camera against a lightpost and on a trashcan to get good nighttime castle pics.

 

[Colleen27]

Just a thought about tripods... Don't rule out carrying one because you're worried about size or weight. The table top tripod I have folds to about 6" and doesn't weigh a thing, plus it cost less than $10! The flat-top garbage cans like they have at Disney make a perfect place to set it up, and it really does make a big difference in low-light photography.

 

[Allegro]

Just a thought about tripods... Don't rule out carrying one because you're worried about size or weight. The table top tripod I have folds to about 6" and doesn't weigh a thing, plus it cost less than $10! The flat-top garbage cans like they have at Disney make a perfect place to set it up, and it really does make a big difference in low-light photography.

Careful with those. They can collapse on you depending on the weight of your camera. I know more than one person that has lost and expensive camera to one of those portable tripods.

 

[Colleen27]

Careful with those. They can collapse on you depending on the weight of your camera. I know more than one person that has lost and expensive camera to one of those portable tripods.

Yeah, I wouldn't suggest it for a SLR or an especially heavy point & shoot (I actually have 2 other, more expensive tripods for my dSLR - one tabletop and one full-size), but for a pocket-sized P&S it supports the camera just fine. I use my cheapie tripod with my Cybershot, which weighs just under 6oz.

 

[pfalcioni]

I've had decent luck with my little handheld Canon SD10 and night shots.

I've now got an SD750 with image stabilization, and it's even better.

Here's my short list for nighttime photos (just buildings and landscape, no people) without much hassle:

1. Turn off flash, or change to 'fireworks' setting. If your camera has a film speed setting, don't go any higher than 400. The higher setting may give you less of a chance of a fuzzy picture, but it puts those ugly little speckles in the photo.

2. Place yourself behind a garbage can or with a light pole on your left side. Lean lightly into the post or can.

3. Get the camera ready - hold it up and frame your shot.

4. For the first few pics, go ahead and focus on the castle. For the next few, focus on the sky behind (by depressing the shutter halfway), then frame the castle before taking the shot.

5. Before you press the trigger, take a deep breath and hold it, be sure you're in a relaxed and solid position. Think 'still' thoughts!

6. Take lots of shots. That's the beauty of digital!

 

[Charleyann]

it's a personal choice how you like your pics to turn out. for me, i don't like colors to be oversaturated (and usually if the shutter is open too long, that pitch black sky comes out brown) so i personally tend to error on the side of a quicker shutter.

that said, this is a tricky thing to address. reason being that for quicker shutter speeds, you need a higher ISO which results in a less vibrant picture (and is vulnerable to noise). for a lower ISO, the shutter is open longer, but you need stability.

ideally, you do this with an ISO of 100 and a tripod. you might get lucky in auto mode (without flash), but you'll probably be dangerously close to getting camera shake.

if i don't have a tripod, i try ISO 1600 with a shutter speed of 1/50 (in Tv mode).

fireworks are different in that you generally want a longer exposure to have a bright trail of the fireworks. this would require a tripod though, especially with the camera in the shot. typical exposure times for firework shots is 2-4 seconds, although i really don't go beyond 1.3 when shooting MK because again, it oversaturates the castle to my disliking.

when subjects are moving, like spectro, you need to manually adjust the shutter speed because auto mode will almost always keep the exposure too long, resulting in subject blur.

and also, flash isn't always a bad thing. the thing about flash is when you illuminate an object that's too close, it overpowers any ambient lighting which is usually undesirable. but if the object is out of the flash's reach and emits enough of its own lighting, you can sometimes get a decent shot. the only problem is that with the flash, the camera compensates and reduces the shutter speed resulting in the possibility of a darker than desired shot.

this was shot without a tripod, ISO 1600, shutter speed 1/40:

ISO 100, 1 second:

ISO 1600, 1/50:

fully automatic with (external) flash:

I'll never get anything that nice!

Charleyann

 

[Got Quattro?]

Do all of the suggestions above...ISO, night Mode, Shutter Speed, flash off

But this tip will work even with a modest digital camera.

Get your shot framed usinging a tripod...I use the trusty top of a trash can many a times. Turn on your cameras timer. Most are 10 seconds....you know...for when you want to do a self or family portrait and nobody is there to snap the picture.

Press the button and remove your hand from the camera.

If you camera is in auto mode...the camera will read the light level of your subject...(castle at night, or current fireworks pop) when you push the button. It will then snap the pictyure 10 seconds later with thos settings.

The biggest problem with taking night pictures of lights and fireworks is the camera shake caused when you press the button for the shot.

this method takes away that chance. the only draw back is, there may or may not be a fireworks pop, 10 seconds from when you take the shot.

 

[kapeppy]

Wow! Thanks for all the tips! I have often used the garbage cans to brace myself for picture taking but never gave my tripod at home a thought. Duh! I do have a decent small tripod that I can carry in my backpack so I'll definitely bring it this trip. I switched from a 35mm to digital camera a few years ago and did so reluctantly but I now can't imagine what I would do without my digital camera. I can't count the number of times I came home from a trip assuming I had tons of great pictures only to find that I flashed when I shouldn't have or vice versa, maybe I moved a little, somebody blinked, etc... I just love being able to review each photo! I have never used my camera in manual mode and that sort of scares me but I'll just have to take some notes from your responses and give it a try. Worst case scenario is I have lots of pics to delete but at least I don't have to pay to have them developed. I knew I could count on my fellow DISers for help! Oh, and bradk, your pictures are amazing!