Captured at the Darling Harbour Sydney | Cesar Ocampo (Ocampo Studio)
When taking photographs in low light, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. This is especially important if you want the final result to be of the best possible quality. In low-light photography, one of the most challenging problems is dealing with compromised aperture settings, which causes a major reduction in the number of light sources. When this happens, it will be very tricky for you to take high-quality pictures using low-light settings because of the increased contrast.
In this blog, I’m going to share with you the seven things that you must do in order to make sure that your low-light photographs turn out as professionally as they possibly can in a short period of time.
Before we dive deep into this list, make sure you are subscribed to ocampo.com.au so you don’t miss any of our upcoming blogs!
1. Adjust the ISO sensitivity
Cameras’ image sensors’ sensitivity to light can be adjusted by changing the ISO setting; ISO is the camera’s sensitivity to light, and is the setting that will brighten or darken a photo Increasing the ISO from 100 or 200 to 400 or 800, for instance, will let more light reach the camera’s sensor than the lower settings. Then it begs the question: why not always shoot at a higher ISO? Images with a higher ISO have more noise (grain) and are less sharp than those taken with a lower ISO. Try an ISO of 800 and tweak it as needed for shooting in dim light.
Nothing is lost if you take a photo you really like but it has a lot of image noise in it. Since your photo will be printed directly onto the wood or brushed aluminium, the raw material will show through in areas where there is white or low saturation, masking any flaws in the photo.
2. Slow down the shutter speed
Shutter speed is how long your camera can spend while taking a photo. With a longer shutter speed, more light will enter the camera. If you want a clear shot when the light is dim and you can’t use a flash, you’ll need to keep your camera as still as possible. If you want to avoid blurry photos when using slower shutter speeds, it’s important to do Tip #4 and avoid moving around while taking the shot.
3. Tweak the aperture setting
An aperture (or the small f-stop number), controls the amount of light that enters the camera. It can also help you capture pretty good low-light photographs without the use of a flash, while ISO controls the speed at which light reaches your camera’s image sensor.
4. Make the camera less shaky
To capture sharp images in low-light conditions while using a slow shutter speed, camera shake must be completely avoided. Put your camera on a tripod and use the timer function or a shutter release cable to take the shot. In addition, you can get rid of the blur caused by the camera shake using the stabilisation functions that are already included in your camera. The location of this control will vary from camera to camera, but it will most likely be either on the camera body or the lens.
5. Consider Do with Alternative Lighting
When it comes to photography, low light doesn’t necessarily mean no light. Use as much available light as you can to capture a clear image without resorting to a flash. If your subject is moving, try to get it close to the light or bring the light to it. However, if that light source is the only option available, the subject should not be backlit unless a silhouette is preferred.
6. Use the RAW format when taking pictures
If you have the option to shoot in RAW rather than JPEG, you should do so whenever possible because it will produce images that are of superior quality and greater clarity. Shooting in RAW will also give you more flexibility in post-production.
7. Try New Things and Get Some Experience
You probably won’t become an instant expert at low-light photography unless you have a natural talent. It takes time and effort to master anything. To avoid blurry photos, it’s best to start by focusing on stationary objects and then applying the aforementioned advice. Change your camera’s settings and give it another go if you’re still having trouble. Shooting in low light can be challenging, but with some trial and error, you’ll soon be able to capture clear images without relying on the flash.
How Are Your Low-Light Shots Doing?
If you’re interested in learning more or have any questions about low-light photography, you can find me on any of the above-mentioned social media channels, or you can send an email to hello@ocampo.com.au with the subject line “LOW-LIGHT”!
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