Night Photography: A Guide on How to Shoot Long Exposures

[Reyed Mia (Apprentice, DIU)]

Night Photography: A Guide on How to Shoot Long Exposures

1. Tripod:

You need to keep your camera as steady as possible, so unless you can find a ledge, wall or post that you can set your camera on you'll need a tripod. I use the Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber 3 Section Tripod, with a Manfrotto 498RC2 Ball Head ($500). You don't need a tripod this expensive, but avoid the $29.99 ones you buy at your local drug store. I had one of these and I nearly lost my camera in the ocean because it was so unsteady and frail. With tripods you pay more for lightweight models. For me this is important because I have a bad back, so I need something that is no more than 4 lbs. But, if you are a big buff photog, you can probably manage something a bit heavier. ;)

2. Remote Cable Release

You want to avoid any camera shake during long exposures, so it's best if you use a cable release remote to trigger the shutter. I prefer the wired models to the wireless ones because they always work and batteries always have this nasty habit of failing when you need them most. Cable releases are camera specific, so make sure you get the right model. If you don't have a remote, you can always set your camera to 10s self-timer mode which will give your camera enough time to settle after you press the button and hopefully not cause any movement in your shot. I often use this method and it works fine, but if you are planning on doing a lot of night photography or self-portraits a remote is a good investment.

3. Lens Hood.

I rarely use lens hoods during the day because I love lens flare, but over-powering street lights can ruin night shots. If you plan on shooting in a well-lit city make sure you bring your lens hood!

4. Flash Light or head lamp or cell phone.

If it's dark and you drop your lens cap in a bush, or you need to change lenses on a windy beach, or you need to change your camera's settings in the pitch black, you'll thank yourself for carrying a flash light! Cell phones are decent, but sometimes they don't have enough light to see what you are doing. If you want to be hard core, you can buy a little LED head lamp that you can wear during your night shooting escapades.

Source: http://mostlylisa.com/blog/night-photography-a-guide-on-how-to-shoot-long-exposures/