Blog Author
John DeSanto
John DeSanto has been capturing images of the world for more than three decades. He apprenticed under LIFE Magazine photographer Bernard Hoffman and has worked as a staff photographer for publications throughout the United States. His images have ... Read FullCategories
Archives
We reserve the right to remove any content at any time from this Community, including without limitation if it violates the Community Rules. We ask that you report content that you in good faith believe violates the above rules by clicking the Flag link next to the offending comment.
Don’t Give Up When The Sun Goes Down
Too many photographers pack up and head for home just after that big orange ball disappears below the horizon. But the smart ones know that the fun is just beginning. If you’ve got that tripod (see previous post) packed away in the car, now’s the time to drag it out and put it to good use.
We’ve touched on this in another thread but it’s worth repeating: There’s plenty of light bouncing around after sunset, you just have to be prepared. As it gets darker, you’ve got to have the knowledge and control of your camera settings in order to capture the light.
Here are the moves you’ll need to make – one at a time – in order to keep up with the dimming light:
1) Slow your shutter speed down until you get to 1/125th of a second and keep shooting until it gets too dark and then…
2) Increase your ISO setting from 100 ISO up to around 800 ISO and keep shooting until it gets too dark and then…
3) Reach for the tripod so that you can go below 1/125th of a second and keep shooting until it gets too dark and then…
4) Head back to the car, confident that you squeezed out all the light out of the day that you could.
Today’s advice: When the sun goes down, the ISO goes up and… ummm, so should your tripod.