Night and Low-Light Techniques for Digital Photography

✍ Scribed by Peter Cope

• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 130
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

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

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