18 August 2009
Although taking great photos in well lit conditions can be relatively straightforward, night photography possesses a completely different challenge.
With less light available, compact digital cameras may struggle to capture the scene effectively, and the flash may prove next to useless in certain night situations. However, by following the tips discussed below, you should be able to avoid some of the common mistakes when taking photos at night.
When taking photos of architecture or landscapes at night, you shouldn't use the flash. The scene you're capturing is way out of range for the flash to have any effect. Instead you need to adjust your cameras settings to let in as much light as possible, whilst keeping a steady hand, or using a tripod mount. Select a long shutter speed of perhaps one second or more, and open the lens aperture as wide as possible. You can also increase the ISO sensitivity, however, this may also reduce the image quality. Some budget compact digital cameras may not have manual settings to do this, alternatively you should select the night-mode scene. But cameras such as the Fujifilm FinePix F60fd let you be much more creative with advanced aperture priority or shutter speed priority modes.
You will need to experiment with different settings to find the perfect balance. If the image is too bright, select a quicker shutter speed, alternatively if the image is still too dark then decrease the shutter speed. The problem with long shutter speeds is that hand shake will be noticeable, so you will have to either rest your camera on a ledge, or use a tripod. Also you should use the self-timer mode, as even if the camera is perfectly still on a ledge, once you hit the capture button, the camera will wobble.
When taking portrait or group shots in dark conditions, there's probably no other alternative than to use the flash. However, make sure you're not too close to your friends as they will appear completely bright white. Instead stand back, and ensure face detection and red-eye removal are turned on, in order for your camera to optimise focus and white balance for portrait shots.
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