These 3 night photography tips are for complete beginners or those who would like to try their hand at night photography. If you are already familiar with these things, you will probably skip this post.
Let's start with the fact that night photography isn't easy. If you struggle with it, know that most or a large percentage of photographers have problems with it. You are not alone. My 3 night photography tips will help you start and focus on quality, not quantity.
There are several reasons why your photos are of bad quality, too dark, or just blurry. I chose these few reasons which I will talk about below. You can see my tips in the Youtube version at the link at the bottom of the page.
My 3 night photography tips are heavily related to these reasons. You're struggling because:
- You have old gear
- You have a lens with higher f/stop
- You use the wrong settings
- You choose too dark locations
You have old gear
What does that even mean? A lot of older cameras are still good for taking photos these days. The perfect example is the Sony A6000. It was originally released in April 2014 so at the time of writing this post it is about 8 years old. It is an APS-C sensor that, by definition, has an uphill battle when it comes to night photography. And I still meet photographers who own this camera and do a great job with it even in 2023.
Of course, you can argue that it is slower than the latest bodies, it has only 179 focus points, and there is noticeable noise at 1600 ISO and above.
You have a lens with higher f/stop
If you're just starting out and don't know if this is for you, then you definitely have a budget you want to spend. This means 99% of the time you'll either run with the kit lens or some older budget prime. Such lenses usually have high f/stop values. The higher the f, the worse it works at night. Of course, we are talking about more dynamic photography, because theoretically, any lens will be OK for longer exposures.
You use the wrong settings
Using the wrong settings is of course acceptable. Especially when you're just learning. But constantly using the wrong settings is already bad and leads nowhere. In the video, I tell you what settings I suggest so that you can take photos comfortably and at the same time you don't have to spend many hours editing to eliminate noise and other imperfections.
You choose too dark locations
Locations are very important and believe me that even when I use a lens with an f of 1.2, I still can't take a normal photo in some places. The light that reaches the sensor is the key.
I realize that not everyone has access to perfectly lit streets, but certainly, everyone has access to some places where there is an illuminated crossing, pedestrian crossing, or even a neon sign. Each of these locations can support your night explorations.
I encourage you to watch the video, where you will learn 3 night photography tips that I recommend doing at the beginning of your night photography journey.
Enjoy!