We ask photographers if when is the best time to take pictures, many will say it’s during the "Magic Hour". The magic hour is that awesom period just after sunrise or just a couple of minutes before sunset. The sun is just below or above the horizon and the light is full of beautiful oranges and reds, basting the world in a glow that comes across in a divine light.
Night photography takes a little more planning and very dependent on the weather. But if done right, there is ample opportunity for creativity and fewer people to accidentally step in the front of your camera.
Photo taken at Zaragosa Island in Badian, Cebu
Another creative and fun thing for night photography is High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography. We previously tackled HDR photography, it involves taking multiple pictures of a scene at different settings and merging them together.
What Equipment To Use
There are certain types of equipment that you need in order capture night photographs. Since the camera is picking up less light and will need a longer shutter time, it won’t be possible to hold the camera in hand. A tripod is probably the most important equipment to have.
If budget is not an issue, you can also get a remote shutter which is really useful especially during times when you're along and you need to take a photo of yourself.
Photo taken at the Baywalk in the City of Naga, Cebu
When to Take Better Night Photographs
It doesn’t need to be pitch black outside to start taking photographs. Just after the sun has set while the sky is a little blue, is a good time to get started. Urban areas and houses can have a surreal effect just after sunset.
When taking pictures of people just after sunset, it is possible to still get some of the backgrounds in the picture and use a subtle amount of flash to light the subject.
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Left: Bluewater Resorts in Panglao
Right: The dreaded A S Fortuna St of Mandaue City
Photos are taken with a Huawei P10 Smartphone, Manual and Light Painting Modes
When taking pictures of motion such as traffic, the shutter speed will result in the car lights streaming through the image. It’s also fun to hold a flash off the camera and trigger it at different objects. When the flash hits the moving object it creates a unique freeze effect on the image.
Or, take a flashlight and highlight different areas of a subject while holding the camera shutter open. Just be cautious not to do anything that will cause the camera to move otherwise your image will end up blurry.
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Left: Burger King at Panagdait, Cebu City
Right: Bai Hotel at North Reclamation Area, Cebu City
Photos are taken with a Huawei P10 Smartphone, Manual and Light Painting Modes
It takes constant practice and notes taking to figure out the right amount of time to hold the shutter open when taking night photographs. Yet, by not having to deal with large crowds, and possibly a bottle of beer to keep warm with, the experience will be an exciting one.
Here are other night photographs, this time, taken with my Canon EOS550D.
Upper Left: Santiago Bay Gardens at Camotes Island, Cebu
Upper Right: Houses under the Marcelo Fernan Bridge in Lapu Lapu City
Lower Left: Giant Acacia Tree at the Plaza Independencia in Cebu City
Lower Right: Beach front of Zaragosa Island Badian, Cebu
Photos are taken with a Canon EOS 550D + Tamron 17-50 f2.8
That's it for now guys and stay tuned on next week for another episode of our Photography 101. If you wish to check on our previous releases, see the list below.
- Photography 101: How to Take Better Photographs
- Photography 101: Traveling With a Camera
- Mobile Photography 101: 4 Essentials to Capture Perfect Portrait Shots
- Photography 101: Photography Ideas For Your Next Rockstar Shots
- Photography 101: Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Photography 101: High Dynamic Range (HDR)
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