Neighbors in the hours of darkness

[panny]

Shot the neighboring unassuming tree in the wee hours. The dark image is a noisy high ISO shot which helped in aligning the camera because I could hardly see anything through the LCD, it gives a sense of the ambient light (which was even less). See the earth moving?

As a learner, composing this shot was interesting to me. First a series of high ISO shots to see where the tree is. Then doing some mental math to arrive at the correct exposure since my canon does not allow more than 15 seconds. I bumped the ISO to 3200, put it at the lowest F number, and read the time for -2 EV, then multiplying it accordingly for the low ISO and the higher F stop. It ended up to be a 256 sec exposure (with CHDK) around F/5. I also tried the highest F number so I can get a deeper field of focus (since the camera could never auto focus)...but it was too long and the battery ran out!

I see another thread by Quadna71 on how to get the best focus in the dark... that is something for me to learn.

[Streets]

The key word in your description of the images was "learner". A night image using flash would have been much better with improved composition. Try to envision what would make the best shot, not the most trick one. Study what others have done on this forum as many have mucho experience. You are fortunate to live in an age when film is no longer required to make photos. When it used to cost $5.00 to buy the film and get it processed, one learned to make every shot a keeper by thinking out every shot before pulling the trigger.

[Ozzie_Traveller]

G'day panny

Our ol' mate Streets is right to remember the costs associated with film D&P... but isn't it great just to be able to fiddle :-)

Your description of the planning stage was 'right-on-mate' - it resonates with me too

To assist me at night, I have a 250lumen LED torch to light up stuff before I flick it to MF mode for the exposures. I also use WB=sunshine as so much of night-time lighting is mixed-source, there is no 'best' solution

Hope this helps a bit
Regards, Phil

[panny]

Originally Posted by Streets

...A night image using flash would have been much better with improved composition...

Can you please tell me how to use the flash in such a situation? The tree was about 100 meters away. If I turn on the flash, how should the exposure time be changed to account for it? Thanks.

[Streets]

Panny, you sure do like a challenge. Why photograph an item at night that is 100 meters distant? Could you not get closer? At that distance you would not need a flash, you would need an airborn flare or similar source of illumination like sunlight. I'm beginning to think that your thread may be a ruse.

[panny]

It is not that I specifically needed a photo of this tree to get close to it and take a picture. I was learning/experimenting... what if I try this/that etc in low light.

Ruse? For what?

[Streets]

I'm speechless. Over and out.

[NHL]

It must not be a very windy night

-> Since you can shoot at 256s without any movement, have you try to 'paint' the tree with a flash light (from various angles)?
I've used this technique for cave shoot and it worked really well. i.e. you can even increase the camera's aperture for a better depth of field...

[panny]

Yes I just realized (until you pointed out) that there could not have been the slightest wind! It was freezing cold outside though

>> 'paint' the tree with a flash light...
Can you explain a bit? I am yet to learn how to use the flash effectively...

Thanks!

[Ozzie_Traveller]

G'day Panny

Many people here have an external flashgun that fits on the top of the camera. All have a flash-test / manual operation button on them

Painting with flash is where you go for a walk during the (1-minute to 10 minutes) long exposure and keep pressing the flash-test button on the flash - it might be one flash during the long exposure: it might be 20 flashes .... all up to you

Regards, Phil