Week 32 – Night Photography

Just the Facts:  You have 7 nights to take a “night” photo and what that looks like for you. The viewer should know it is night by the scene you set.

This week, we’re going to ask you to worry less about the sunrise and sunset and more about that time when the world is so much stiller than any other – Night! Night Photography is a time to capture the stillness in a serene landscape, the activity of life after dark in the city, and so many other moments only nocturnal.

The key here is often a slower shutter speed, so you can set your camera on a TRIPOD, or any FLAT SURFACE, and turn your dial to Tv, S, or M and lower that shutter speed. Think “seconds” as opposed to “fractions of a second”. Your settings should allow enough light in to expose properly without having to raise your ISO.

If you have a newer, or higher-end camera, you could rely on higher-ISO settings, coupled perhaps with a lens that shoots with a wide aperture, like f/1.4, which can you get you sharp night scenes without the tripod.

Here are a few ideas to get those creative juices going:

Cityscapes and Urban Nightlife: The vibrant lights of the city, bustling streets, and architectural wonders illuminated by streetlights.

Natural Landscapes: Moonlit mountains, starry skies over serene lakes, or the silhouette of trees against a glowing horizon.

Light Trails: Experiment with long exposures to capture the dynamic movement of car lights, stars, or other sources of motion.

Reflections: Utilize the reflections in water, glass, or any reflective surfaces to add depth and interest to your photos.

Night Portraits: Create dramatic portraits with unique lighting techniques, such as using a single light source or incorporating creative shadows.

Our Extra Challenge this week is Astrophotography, and even if *Perseid isn’t in your skies, the Milky Way or star trails will make for spectacular photos for those who must sleep at night. Imagine what bats and opossums see every single night! Find a dark location away from the lights of the city for your best astrophotography options.

*While we originally chose this challenge to give you a chance to look for Perseid, we still hope you’ll do that. After consulting with photographers who know their astro stuff, it was decided that the new moon this week at the beginning of Perseid was a better choice. Next week will be brighter, could have cloudy skies, and we’d all be disappointed.