Darin McQuoid Blog Reviews Tutorials River Directory

Night & Misc

135 DC 2

135 DC

Talung

82 updates

Camping Wallpaper

Quote & Updates

Scott Valley

Backpacking

DPP Beta

Wallpaper

Japan Diaries

Dark Side

Rapid Mag

72

UCC

TS Q&A

EFK TS

Japan 3

Japan 2

Fantasy

65

South Silver

Japan 1

Seasonal Update

70-300VR

4th of July

TS Loop

BK

NFMF

300mm f/4.5

Gay Wave

52mm f/2 AI

53

Cowbell

51

Pakistan 2

Mill

Big secret

50mm AF-D

Silver Fork

Pakistan

#44

Back

#42

Teesta Four

Sony 16mm f/2.8

The road

Fishing

Silver Creek

Lobster Pot 2

Lobster Pot

A great paddler?

Kern River Fest

Jason Craig

Sunday

Teesta Three

The Wave

Teesta Two

Teesta One

Deer Creek

UMC T/S

Rainy Days

Bear River TS

What's in an edit?

Siang River

T/S Webber

Shot o the day

Change

Squaw Valley Creek

North Fork Cosumnes

Nikkor 28mm f/2

Random

Updated Tutorial #2

Tilt/Shift

Siang

Panning shot

New River Update

24mm 2.8

Weaverville Stars

Two lens reviews

Night Photography

Stars at Castle Lake

Going with it.

Lohit image

First


Night Shooting


   Shooting at night is quite different from normal hours photography. Because a camera can capture more light than our eyes, pre-visualization is key. It's best to arrive at the location a good time before pure dark. This gives time to setup and visualize angles that will be tough to see in the dark. Pre-visualization is especially key when using a speedlight, because you can't see its affects until the image is captured. 


Being a naturally introverted person, I don't find capturing images of people to be the most natural thing. The joy of a tripod and either a remote shutter release or intervolometer is the ability to use oneself as the subject. Lifestyling.

Nikon D700, Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 @ 1/160 f/4 ISO 400. One speedlight fired from the left, and one from inside the tent. The golden hour of light had already faded away.

The true downside of night photography is that in the summer you have to stay up late, and I am not a late night person. This particular shot I had visualized during the day and checked my angles. Thankfully it all worked out.

Nikon D700, Samyang 14mm f/2.8 @ 20" f/2.8 ISO 6400. Speedlight fired on 1/64 power rear curtain sync.

   One of the things I love about the D700 is that although it will get noise at ISO 6400, it's easy to clean up and retain detail. Something about those big pixels being only a 12mp full frame camera. Up next a little reminder why it's nice to always carry a camera. The beauty of life if you keep your eyes open and take a deep breath. This could be from a remote, far off corner of the world, or it could be shot from a moving car on Interstate 50 in Sacramento.


Canon S95 @ 15mm 1/800 f/5 ISO 200

Next we have a little bit of tropical paradise. Or Davis, California. It's a boring town, but I have to remind myself that boredom is a state of mind. "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." - Dorothy Parker.

Sony NEX-5N, Nikkor 300mm f/4.5 EDIF + Tamron 1.4 TC @ 1/1250 f/8 ISO 800

For a lens that is not remarked on with positive comments for image quality when combined with the teleconverter, the 300mm f/4.5 EDIF and Tamron TC seem to like working with the NEX-5N. Sure, it's not perfect but it's also kind of like a $400 600mm lens. 100% crop with no sharpening.


And one last night image. A nice thing about night shooting is that once it's full dark, you don't have to adjust your exposure too much.



Nikon D700, Samyang 14mm f/2.8 @ 20" f/2.8 ISO 6400. Speedlight fired on 1/64 power rear curtain sync.