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Nighttime shots

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messplay
Posts: 4483 - Karma: 1,065
Need some basic advice on some shots/exposure time for shots taken at night (almost pitch black)

there is a huge fire in Boulder, went up this evening to take some shots on my 7D with 30" exposure at 100iso, etc... they were turning out reallly black except for faint light from the flames. there was a guy next to me whom i believe had a decent Nikon but i was timing his exposure and it was close to 15" and when it previewed on the display i could see his face fucking light up from the image, how he do that?

i was using a 'kit' lens (please dont hate, it was a gift and im saving/have money to get a decent lens but still waiting...) which is an 18-135mm so i have decent zoom..

some guy walked over to me and was talking to me and was helping/asking me how my shots were turning out, he suggested i use 'bulb' mode. i obviously dont have a shutter control remote yet so i was manually holding it down for almost 60-75 seconds @ f/22 and they were coming out brighter.

MY GAY QUESTION IS: are there any 'beat-around-the-bush' tips i can do ON my camera to elp justify this (ballpark please, i know no one can say to put anything specific at something since they arent THERE to see what im shooting) because im always fucking around with the M setting and adjusting my aperture/iso as needed...

or are there any "must have" accessories i need to invest in (besides a good lens) to obtain now? (i have a nice tripod already)

thanks, and hold back the negativity with my noob questions with this advanced camera, i wanted a decent one, got this as an extremely early bday gift from my grandmother who is a photographer and this will last me a while..

+++k
Sep 7 2010 1:31AM
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.jr
Posts: 5313 - Karma: 356
wait, you were shooting in pitch black, at iso 100, at f/22? did I read that right? Ha you'll want more than just a shutter release if your trying to pull that off.. maybe a tent, and a few meals.

inb4 pretweens that cant read over exaggeration.

You can use iso 100, but I may step it up to around 400 as there will be little difference in noise, and I would open up to a minimum of f/8 if Im shooting in blackness. But Im lazy and hate waiting so in reality, f/4 at iso 640 (highest I can achieve with out getting noticeable noise)
Sep 7 2010 1:40AM
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messplay
Posts: 4483 - Karma: 1,065
yeah that's what the guy said...but lower f/stops are for brighter subjects correct? and a higher f/stop (f/22+) is for a darker subject? or am i fucking wrong now
Sep 7 2010 1:43AM
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.jr
Posts: 5313 - Karma: 356
Do this.

Take your pointer finger and thumb and make a circle with the two, tip to tip. This is a wide open aperture, f/1.8/2/2.8 etc. Now take the circle and make it half as small that is a stop down from wide open, f/4, half as small again, f/5.6 etc etc.. So f/22 you have a small opening, which means very little light gets in. So that means you have to have a longer shutter speed. So the bigger the aperture number, the smaller the openeing, the more light you need, slower shutter speeds. Get it?

There is no rule that says f/22 for dark objects and f/2.8 for bright or whatever you said..
Sep 7 2010 1:50AM
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messplay
Posts: 4483 - Karma: 1,065
nevermind im retarded, f/22 is too much, i need like 5.6 (lowest my cam goes i think...)
Sep 7 2010 1:51AM
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.jr
Posts: 5313 - Karma: 356
No if you are using a kit, it should be 3.5 to 4.5 or some stupid variable aperture like that. If 5.6 is your lowest, I honestly suggest finding some new glass anyway possible.
Sep 7 2010 1:57AM
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messplay
Posts: 4483 - Karma: 1,065
fuuuuuuu


alright, well i'll do some thread searching, but what would be a GOOD lens to get to start off (setting aside my 18-135m kit lens :( )

*i don't really have a favorite, but i enjoy taking some macro/close ups of certain subjects, however i like to get some scenery in there as well and some basic shots (not close up but not far away)


Sep 7 2010 2:03AM
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benk
Posts: 1342 - Karma: 988
I dont know why I'm responding to another long exposure thread..there are dozens if you use the search bar.

dont go by those rule of thumbs.. and you may have it backwards? But dont go out and say "I'm going to use a f1.8 because the subject is dark." yes, you'll be able to get a shorter exposure and sharper image but it all depends on what you want out of it.  Using a shorter exposure, higher f value, and HIGHER iso will yield similar lighting

for instance..
I shoot a lot of landscape so using a low f value isnt going to cut it. usually the photo is vignetted and it looks like its out of focus due to the depth of field if I use below f4. 

I always use the exposure and aperture I want to achieve the look I'm going for. I'll change the iso to brighten or darken the photo. I'm constantly pushing iso1250 on my D90 and dont notice much noise

in most of my posted photos, I put the camera settings 
Sep 7 2010 2:03AM
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messplay
Posts: 4483 - Karma: 1,065
yeah man i love those long exposure at your campsite, how do you get such a long exposure time? what equipment? :|
Sep 7 2010 2:07AM
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benk
Posts: 1342 - Karma: 988
I use a wireless remote that cost about $10-15 for my D90. I'm not sure how it'll be with your 7D..usually on higher end cameras you end up paying for higher end accessories.   but you definitely need some sort of remote to do long exposures. search around and make sure you do your research on products.

I have pocket wizards in the mail with lots of cables to make firing my camera and flashes that much easier for this coming season.
Sep 7 2010 2:18AM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,270
iso 100, f.8, infinity focus, bulb setting, 15-30min exposure, remote release, tripod
Sep 7 2010 2:33AM
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messplay
Posts: 4483 - Karma: 1,065
no_steeze ... your flickr photos are maddd clear, is that the difference between the real nice glass and my shitty kit lens?

and what camera/lens were you using on those lake/firework shots, none of my current shots that are SOMEWHAT decent (i think) turn out remotely close to that, even after post..
Sep 7 2010 3:27AM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,270
canon 40d with 10-22

it's a great lens for sure but it has more to do with your focus, a stable tripod, and a remote release. good glass will make a photo look better but it's not a night and day difference

if you actually hold down the shutter button then you shake the camera and it'll look blurry. you need a remote release so you can hold it from a distance and not shake the camera
Sep 7 2010 8:31AM
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followCam
Posts: 1907 - Karma: 446
Im not going to tell you what settings to use cause everyone has already done that. BUT. If you are doing long night exposures and dont have a shutter release remote, a tip is to set your cam to self timer since that doesnt involve you touching it when the shutter fires, reducing shake. its what i do, i dont really shoot enough/enough dark things for a remote.
Sep 7 2010 10:19AM
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