My first time shooting night shots

[BylLuvaul]

Ok last night was my first ever going out and taking night shots . So can you guys please give me some advice for my shots . Thanks alot . Enjoy !

http://img18.exs.cx/img18/1826/101_5807.jpg

http://img18.exs.cx/img18/3227/101_5885.jpg

http://img18.exs.cx/img18/2045/101_5890.jpg


http://img18.exs.cx/img18/5756/101_5896.jpg
http://img18.exs.cx/img18/8724/101_5909.jpg

http://img18.exs.cx/img18/3193/101_5910.jpg

http://img18.exs.cx/img18/5624/101_5912.jpg

http://img18.exs.cx/img18/15/101_5916.jpg

http://img18.exs.cx/img18/3558/101_5917.jpg

http://img18.exs.cx/img18/1879/101_5920.jpg

http://img18.exs.cx/img18/6852/101_5932.jpg

Thats all ... Thanks for the help !

[BylLuvaul]

Here are some more that i forgot .

http://img18.exs.cx/img18/501/101_5906.jpg

http://img18.exs.cx/img18/9678/101_5905.jpg


http://img18.exs.cx/img18/6909/101_5911.jpg

[BylLuvaul]

comments ..... suggestions ..... anyone ? :dunno

[BylLuvaul]

here are some more shots from last night

http://img16.exs.cx/img16/1281/101_6069.jpg

http://img16.exs.cx/img16/1305/101_6070.jpg

[Michiel de Brieder]

Well, the first shots, the colour ones, should be exposed shorter IMO :D So you would have more detail in the photo. Could you elaborate on how you took the shots? That would make giving some tips easier and more specified to you.

BTW, those B/W shots are very nice :D
Ciao

[pathfinder]

Ok last night was my first ever going out and taking night shots . So can you guys please give me some advice for my shots . Thanks alot . Enjoy !



ByiLuvaul, You did not mention what camera you are using, but your shots are sorely overexposed - probably due to using the camera's light meter. Shooting after dark can be great fun and can create really nice images, especially if you are shooting neon or lighted signs as you were. I find I have to dial in -1 or -2 stops of exposure compensation to keep the highlights from being blown when shooting at night.
For example, this shot had -1 stop of exposure compensation and captures the reflection in the rain wetted roof. This was shot before sundown also.
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/7726863-M.jpg

And this image had -1and2/3 stops EC dialed in...
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/7484296-M.jpg

And this image had -3 stops of exposure compensation and the statue still has some blown highlights ....
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/8600336-M.jpg

The meter on most cameras does not meter the extreme light range well when shooting after dark - even a camera like the 1DMk11, which I shot these shots with - so look at your histogram and check for blown highlights and keep dialing in negative exposure compensation until the histogram looks right and the LCD looks good.

B&W can be a good choice after dark also, and your exposures are better for your B&Ws. The second image has a few blown highlights also. Keep shooting and watching your histogram.
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/8624477-M.jpg

[BylLuvaul]

Well I was using a Kodak Dx6440 and I was just lowering the shutter speed to like 4 secs and letting the cam do the rest of the work , I'm not very well knowledged on different exposures and stuff . I will start adjusting the settings more rather then just the shutter speed . The reason I usually don't adjust them that much is because I'm usually in a hurry to get a certain shot and I don't have a mode that saves the settings when I turn my camera off . Thank you for the advice . I also don't have a tripod so for the lowered shutter speed shots I just have to rest the camera on me knee and stay as still as possible or set it on an object to keep it steady . Thanks .

[davev]

Well I was using a Kodak Dx6440 and I was just lowering the shutter speed to like 4 secs and letting the cam do the rest of the work , I'm not very well knowledged on different exposures and stuff . I will start adjusting the settings more rather then just the shutter speed . The reason I usually don't adjust them that much is because I'm usually in a hurry to get a certain shot and I don't have a mode that saves the settings when I turn my camera off . Thank you for the advice . I also don't have a tripod so for the lowered shutter speed shots I just have to rest the camera on me knee and stay as still as possible or set it on an object to keep it steady . Thanks .I don't know anything about your camera, but I know how tough it is to get
a night shot without a tripod. This is a great effort for no tripod.
The one that really stands out for me is the pool room. I hope you can go
back and can adjust the camera a bit better with exposure comp.
or ND filters. I think that one could be the jewel in the rough.

( or it's because i hung around a pool room when I was younger.)
dave v

[BylLuvaul]

I cant adjust both the shutter speed and the exposure , only one :cry .Does anyone who has my camera have this problem ? thanks

[pathfinder]

I cant adjust both the shutter speed and the exposure , only one :cry .Does anyone who has my camera have this problem ? thanks


You said you are using a Kodak Dx6440 I believe. When I google the Kodak Dx 6440 I find a review of this camera that lists exposure compensation as one of its features. Most of the better digicams offer this feature, or allow manual setting of the exposure. Either feature will help you avoid the overexposure you had in the pool room.

As for the need for tripod, davey, be careful of your assumptions.
This was indeed a tripod shot f9.0 30 seconds ISO 200 +1 EC
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/8622160-Ti.jpg

And this was a tripod shot f10 0.8 seconds ISO 100 -3 EC, but could have easily been shot handheld at f2.8 at an ISO of 400 at a shutter speed near 1/60th of a second - easily hand holdable.
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/8600336-Ti.jpg

But this was not - this was hand held through my windshield of my car
f5.6 1/60th ISO 400 - 1.0 EC
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/7726863-Ti.jpg

And this was hand held also
f6.3 1/100th ISO 800 -1 2/3 EC
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/7484296-Ti.jpg


Here is the link to the review of the Dx6440
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/cameraDetail.php?cam=483

This is your camera, is it not?
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/kodak/dx6440-front.jpg

[dugmar]

I'll jump in too here, hope it is helpful...

http://dugmar.smugmug.com/photos/2968730-L.jpg

ISO 200
F5.6
10 second exposure

I basically set this shot up after taking an average of times it took a car to pass completely through the curve. It took usually between 9 and 12 seconds. So I set up the shot for 10 and balanced it. I took the meter reading whenever a car was passing.

Doug

[BylLuvaul]

I know that i can adjust the exposure but if i adjust the shutter speed then i cant do both . So with all of my shots with lowered shutter speeds the exposure is just screwed up .