Night and low-light : techniques for digital photography

The techniques illustrated in this handbook inspire photographers to take photographs when they would otherwise put their camera away—in low-light and nighttime situations. A comprehensive discussion of color and tone teaches photographers how to change their overall perceptions in low-light environments and adjust their exposure settings and filters to suit a variety of light levels. The most adverse lighting situations are covered, such as floodlit cityscapes, lightning, sunsets, stage shows, and fireworks. Tips on taking advantage of the digital environment's ability to manipulate and enhance low-light images both during and after the photo shoot are offered and technical information on both cameras and the latest software is discussed. Table of Contents......Page 4 Preface: Inside the Black Box......Page 6 Introduction......Page 7 . . . AND SOFTWARE......Page 9 THE LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT......Page 11 THE NATURE OF COLOR......Page 13 THE NATURAL WORLD......Page 20 COLOR BALANCE AND COLOR TEMPERATURE......Page 14 COLOR IN THE SCENE......Page 16 Multipattern and Matrix Metering......Page 17 EXPOSURE TABLES......Page 19 THE COLOR OF A SUNSET......Page 22 SUNRISE OR SUNSET?......Page 24 Good Sunset Opportunities ......Page 25 White Balance......Page 27 EXPOSURE......Page 28 Unsharp Coloration......Page 29 Adjusting Levels......Page 31 LANDSCAPES......Page 32 Digital Mist......Page 34 Bad Weather......Page 35 Dark Locations......Page 36 A PERFECT MOON......Page 37 LIGHTNING: NATURE’S FIREWORKS......Page 40 Grabbed Shots......Page 41 Finding a Storm......Page 43 Taking Shots......Page 45 Astrophotography ......Page 47 Shooting the Moon......Page 48 Star Trails......Page 49 All that Glistens......Page 50 Anywhere Anytime Lightning......Page 52 3. The 24/7 City......Page 53 EXPLORING THE CITYSCAPE......Page 54 The Highway......Page 55 Try This......Page 56 CHEAT’S GUIDE: FULL AUTO......Page 57 Multiply......Page 58 Overlay, Soft Light, and Hard Light......Page 59 Position......Page 60 CORRECTING CONVERGING VERTICALS......Page 61 FLOODLIGHTING AND SPOTLIGHTING......Page 64 4. Special Events......Page 66 Freezing the Action......Page 68 The Decisive Moment......Page 69 Enhancing Sports Shots......Page 70 Photographing Theater and Shows ......Page 71 When to Shoot......Page 72 Composition......Page 73 Adding to the Drama......Page 74 Gaining Access......Page 75 RESCUE TEAM......Page 76 Travel Light......Page 78 Enhancing Stage Shots......Page 79 CHRISTMAS......Page 80 Street Illuminations......Page 81 Christmas Trees......Page 82 Preparation......Page 84 Exposure......Page 85 Firework Montages......Page 86 5. People......Page 87 Small is Beautiful......Page 88 Shooting from the Hip......Page 89 Safety First......Page 91 THE MAGIC OF CANDLELIGHT......Page 92 Overcoming Contrast......Page 93 Enhancing and Simulating Candlelight......Page 96 CAMERAS......Page 97 Compacts......Page 99 Professional and Semi-Professional Cameras......Page 100 Automatic Controls......Page 101 Focus Lock......Page 102 Histogram......Page 103 Changeable Lenses......Page 104 Connections......Page 106 Slave Flash......Page 107 Reflectors and Diffusers......Page 108 Non-Tripod Supports......Page 109 Tripods......Page 110 SOFTWARE......Page 111 Ease of Use......Page 112 Panoramic Software......Page 113 Movie and DVD Production Software......Page 114 Ten Tips for Night and Low-Light Photography......Page 115 Exposure Values......Page 119 Reciprocity Failure......Page 121 Glossary......Page 123 Resources......Page 126 Index......Page 127 Other Books From Amherst Media......Page 129 Digital cameras allow photographers to explore night and low-light photography more easily than ever before. This volume gives step-by-step instructions for photographing common night and low-light subjects. It includes techniques for photographing sunrises and sunsets, lightning, cityscapes, fireworks and much more Digital cameras allow you to explore night and low-light photography more easily than ever before. With the techniques in this book, you'll quickly discover that night and low-light photography can be the springboard to creating some of the most powerful and evocative photographs imaginable! The ethos of the creators of digital cameras is to produce a tool that records the color and light in a scene as faithfully as possible.