Low light/night photography

alanjns · #1 (**permalink**) 08-06-11, 10:02 PM

I need help - as you will all probably have known anyway, but in particular with taking pictures in low light.

I saw my first Barn Owl today and the pictures are atrocious - see BOTD thread!

Even though I've had my dslr for a few years, I use it as a fancy point and shoot and hope for the best. But now I know where the Barn Owls are locally, I want better pics.

All help and advice greatly appreciated, but please consider me an idiot with cameras and be very simple, clear and explanatory!!

Thanks all,

PeterB · #2 (**permalink**) 09-06-11, 07:26 AM

If you can recognise the bird from the pictures it counts as a good record shot.

Did you manually set the ISO as high as possible?

The simple answer is as big a lens as possible (which equals more light) and a tripod.

Kingfisher · #3 (**permalink**) 09-06-11, 10:05 AM

First: what equimpment do you use? If you want really good pix, you need to get to know your camera and learn how to change the settings yourself, according to the situation. It is always difficult to take very good shots in low light, and depending on the camera and lens even harder.

Maggie28 · #4 (**permalink**) 09-06-11, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanjns

I need help - as you will all probably have known anyway, but in particular with taking pictures in low light.

I saw my first Barn Owl today and the pictures are atrocious - see BOTD thread!

Even though I've had my dslr for a few years, I use it as a fancy point and shoot and hope for the best. But now I know where the Barn Owls are locally, I want better pics.

All help and advice greatly appreciated, but please consider me an idiot with cameras and be very simple, clear and explanatory!!

Thanks all,

I told you to up your ISO's even on sunny days. I don't like the noise either but if you don't have to crop too much, it should be ok. But at low light, it's to be expected.

Set your camera at 60s or 50's, use your biggest lens opening like 5.3, whatever your lens goes as low as, and pan. Follow the bird and don't stop moving the lens when you fire off.

See how that goes for you.

The Actor · #5 (**permalink**) 10-06-11, 07:43 PM

What Maggie said. And you can always tidy it up in Photoshop afterwards. Topaz Denoize 5 is awesome. Oh, and shoot RAW.

idigitize · #6 (**permalink**) 10-06-11, 08:17 PM

nothing like the deep end

You are probably dealing with the trickiest type of photography, nothing like a challenge, a fast moving small subject in low light...verging on the impossible.

Amongst the tips above one other tip is to underexpose deliberately., perhaps set your camera to -1 or -2, better to have a sharp shot which is a little dark than a blurry shot.

As said above, keep your iso on maximum and your aperture as wide as possible and try to pan, dont expect the best shots in the world though, photography doesnt get much harder than this!

alanjns · #7 (**permalink**) 11-06-11, 03:25 PM

Thanks all for your replies and ideas. I have just finished my night shifts for this week, so I'm only interested in duvet, pizza, tv and vino today, LOL!!

Weather permitting, I'll try for the Barn Owl again tomorrow, armed with your suggestions, and will let you know how it works out.