I'm going to sound like a complete imbecile asking this, but I'm essentially a photographic beginner. I can picture in my head the photo I want to take, but need some advice on the type of settings to use to achieve it.

I want to take a skyline photo of our fair capital from Primrose Hill at nighttime with a long exposure, mainly to capture trails of passing aircraft as they fly over the city. I've had limited experience of long exposure shots and often get it wrong.

Here's something I found on Flickr which kind of demonstrates the effect I'm after: http://flickr.com/photos/upshift/1327042240/sizes/l/

I'm using a Nikon D40 with a standard 18-55 lens. Do I have any hope in hell of taking a good picture??

Any help would be much, much apprecitated.

Not sure 18-55mm will be enough I think better get yourself a zoom lens.As for settings set your camera to Shutter Priority and use long exposure - 10 20 secs.

Heres few of my night shots if youre interested :

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=421189

Hello Wild@Heart. :wave:

Yes you can definitely achieve that kind of an effect with the equipment you got, provided you have a nice tripod as well.

Like El_Greco said you would need to use shutter priority.

Turn the knob thingy at the top of the camera to 'S'
Set the exposure time by turning that wheel until you have what you need.
Make sure your ISO is set to 200. Never use higher ISOs for such shots, it will be far too noisy.
Then click and wait.

Good luck. :cheers:

Whenever i've taken nightime shots i've set the aperture to quite a small size, and then just used trial and error to get the shutter speed right (obviously it has to be quite long, but on a low ISO noise shouldn't be too much of a problem - or i've not found it to be anyway).

When you have a small aperture size you get a nice effect with the street lights etc. (they look like stars).

^^You must mean large aperture size, i.e. small f numbers surely. :poke:

That's good for night time street shots but it will not work for skyline shots.

...hang on, i'm confused now - i'm no good with the terminology

I mean a high f number, therefore a (physically) small aperture.....no??

^^You must mean large aperture size, i.e. small f numbers surely. :poke:

That's good for night time street shots but it will not work for skyline shots.

If you set the shutter speed to some stupidly slow setting and then take your camera to a motorway bridge at night technically you should get some nice shots with all the lights etc. You'll need a tripod through and will probs have mess with the aperture size.

^^ yep, that's what i mean - high f number + long shutter speed = very nice "starry" effect with lights :yes:

Cheers guys. Here's a test done from thew window of my flat.

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h126/wildheart99/DSC_0010.jpg

I'm more confident than before about the results, especially considering the amount of light pollution from the road on this shot. My tripod is OK, if a little light so I may have to have it at its shortest to minimise shakage.

Thanks for the tips.

By the way, 'scuse the stuff in the bottom of the frame; the camera was sitting on a pretty precarious window ledge and this was the best place to put the camera to capture the plane and not have the D40 fall and hit some poor bugger on the head below.

^^ yep, that's what i mean - high f number + long shutter speed = very nice "starry" effect with lights :yes:

I only learnt that last night. :banana:

By the way, 'scuse the stuff in the bottom of the frame; the camera was sitting on a pretty precarious window ledge and this was the best place to put the camera to capture the plane and not have the D40 fall and hit some poor bugger on the head below.

Sod the poor bugger below - he is merely there to break the cameras fall, you wouldn't want it damaged :nono:

...hang on, i'm confused now - i'm no good with the terminology

I mean a high f number, therefore a (physically) small aperture.....no??

lol sorry I got confused, but I have a very good reason to get confused.

I was in fact talking about hand held night shots where you use a very fast lens like for example a 50mm f/1.4 lens.

What you say is totally true. :yes:

For example shots like this:
http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/1231/testttsj3.jpg

f/1.4 1/60th of a second, ISO 400, no flash.

Is that your 50mm f/1.4 lens Medo? I'm thinking about getting a Canon 50mm f/1.4.

I went through a phase last winter after I bought my tripod of taking long exposure night shots.

Here's a few.

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/IMG_9308ac.jpg

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture048214bc.jpg

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture048230me1.jpg

A handheld night time shot my new lens a Sigma 20mm f/1.8

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture122_737.jpg

Is that your 50mm f/1.4 lens Medo? I'm thinking about getting a Canon 50mm f/1.4.



Yes it is. Go for it, I highly recommend it.

I'm more confident than before about the results, especially considering the amount of light pollution from the road on this shot. My tripod is OK, if a little light so I may have to have it at its shortest to minimise shakage.

Thanks for the tips.
Hey Wild@Heart, the best way to minimise shakage with a light weight tripod is to use the timer function on the camera.

So, set the timer for 10 seconds or something, this will let the tripod settle itself after you've pushed the button to take the shot.

No blur for the win!

Also if you can use the mirror lockup function it further reduces any shake (if your camera has it - I assume most do).

I use a tripod, mirror lockup and cable release (though using the timer will help instead of a cable release).

Not done too many though...

http://www.scphoto.co.uk/pages/galleries/sun_night/pictures/sidmouthnight2.jpg
Canon Eos 5D EF70-200mm f/4 L@200mm 20 Seconds f/7.1 ISO 100

http://www.scphoto.co.uk/pages/galleries/sun_night/pictures/sidmouthnight.jpg
Canon Eos 5D EF70-200mm f/4 L@70mm 13 Seconds f/18 ISO 100

My mate got hold of a tripod so tonight I had a chance to use it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v404/andysimo123/IMG_5151.jpg?t=1226016351

:)

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture126_864a.jpg
Sigma 18 - 125mm f3.5 - 5.6, at 51mm, ISO 200, f/5.6, 5 seconds

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture126_866b.jpg
Sigma 18 - 125mm f3.5 - 5.6, at 41mm, ISO 100, f/8, 13 seconds

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture126_870hdr1.jpg
Sigma 18 - 125mm f3.5 - 5.6, at 34mm, ISO 100, f/8, 30 Seconds

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture126_874a.jpg
Sigma 18 - 125mm f3.5 - 5.6, at 44mm, ISO 100, f/8, 20 Seconds

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture126_877a.jpg
Sigma 18 - 125mm f3.5 - 5.6, at 23mm, ISO 100, f/8, 25 seconds

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture126_880a.jpg
Sigma 18 - 125mm f3.5 - 5.6, at 30mm, ISO 100, f/8, 25 seconds

^^Beautiful.

Those pictures are orgasmically beautiful!

I just posted one of my first (proper) night shots in the UPC. Also taken with a D40 (with a 18-200mm lens) and a tripod. Make sure that even with a tripod you either use the self timer or some sort of remote as the vibrations cause when you push the shutter can effect the shot.

I've just ordered me one of these.. http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00007EDZG/70000777g-21 :)

Also when using a tripod make sure VR (OS) is turned off.

Also when using a tripod make sure VR (OS) is turned off.

Por qua?

Because it has no effect when the camera is stationary, or it might try to compensate for vibrations even though there are no vibrations hence causing vibrations. :nuts:

I'm not too sure about that second bit, it's pure speculation, but I have heard some people saying VR has the opposite effect when there is no need for it.

Furry muff. To be fair though, when I took that shot of the laser I was perched on a ledge on top of a 6 storey building and there was a wicked wind blowing which appeared to be shaking the camera even when it was on the tripod..

Lovely shots Gaz. Like you, I sometimes use a noise reduction filter to soften my night shots. I sometimes use it in portraiture pics as well.

Furry muff. To be fair though, when I took that shot of the laser I was perched on a ledge on top of a 6 storey building and there was a wicked wind blowing which appeared to be shaking the camera even when it was on the tripod..
Agree with Medo about knocking off the VR if it's on a tripod. However, I know what it's like on a Liverpool roof:ohno: If you think the wind is too strong, keep the VR on.

If it's windy and you really do not want any softness by using your VR, the best piece of advice is to keep the legs of your tripod as low as possible to prevent wind shake and use a remote control. No remote control? Set your camera on a timer setting to a couple of seconds. Any camera shake you cause by pressing the button will have gone by then.

Just stuff I've learned by trial and mostly error:gaah: over a few years

Cheers Pillar, all good advice. And in the end that's what I had to do (keeping the tripod low and using the self timer) to get the one half decent shot that I managed to shoot before my fingers dropped off from cold. Part of the reason I've ordered the remote control so that I don't have to faff about with self timers (I always manage to get it on 10 seconds by accident as well)..

Finally managed to use the tripod today! Walked around me local area and grabbed this. Just pished I didn't notice the snowflake on the lens before taking the pic - now I've got some hefty glare!
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/243/3264190754_993875bf21_b.jpg

Nikon D70, Sigma 10-20mm, 6 seconds, f 16, ISO 200

:)

Hello Wild@Heart. :wave:

Yes you can definitely achieve that kind of an effect with the equipment you got, provided you have a nice tripod as well.

Like El_Greco said you would need to use shutter priority.

Turn the knob thingy at the top of the camera to 'S'
Set the exposure time by turning that wheel until you have what you need.
Make sure your ISO is set to 200. Never use higher ISOs for such shots, it will be far too noisy.
Then click and wait.

Good luck. :cheers:

Thanks Medo, I would turn my flash off too? :)

Yes Rumors you don't use flash for long time exposures simply because it's impossible as flashes only 'flash' for a fraction of a second.

Also, you might consider using the 3 second timer to take long night time shots, because that would eliminate any potential camera shake.

Furthermore, you should turn off the VR (vibration reaction) on your lens if your lens has it, because it doesn't work well on tripods.

Good luck. :)

Yes Rumors you don't use flash for long time exposures simply because it's impossible as flashes only 'flash' for a fraction of a second.

Though if you have an off-camera flash unit, it can be quite handy for filling in shadows or painting with light during a long exposure...

http://www.cybertects.co.uk/gallery2/d/54705-4/200611_2770.jpg

http://www.cybertects.co.uk/gallery2/d/7976-2/CRW_2402.jpg

http://www.cybertects.co.uk/gallery2/d/53854-2/200610_2146.jpg

Yes Rumors you don't use flash for long time exposures simply because it's impossible as flashes only 'flash' for a fraction of a second.

Also, you might consider using the 3 second timer to take long night time shots, because that would eliminate any potential camera shake.

Furthermore, you should turn off the VR (vibration reaction) on your lens if your lens has it, because it doesn't work well on tripods.

Good luck. :)

Thanks. :)

Yeah, wireless flash is also good for this reason ;)

However, there are times when you have to make do and it is helpful to try and get the white balance right. At night with the orange streetlamps I try and lower the temperature to 1800k although the camera will only cope with 2500k.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/202/502669066_bb76404545_z.jpg?zz=1
This was taken whilst out with friends, and the white balance worked out in post processing.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/209/502696221_662a91ab41_z.jpg?zz=1
Both are long exposures and within the capability of the camera (under 30s, f8-16). The 'Sweet spot' of my particular 18-70 lens was f/8 but by changing it to f/13 to f/16 it is possible to get the starry effect from lights - When i get it setup properly.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3207/2497014083_4c89854268_z.jpg?zz=1
Like here for example. A fine image, considering it was drizzling slightly. That's the fountain in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/434905495_fe094267c0_z.jpg?zz=1
And of course, there are different levels for white balance. Do I get the WB set from the shade, the light or what? I've not gone out taking night photos for a long time now. I shall have to get my act together and try again :)

Occasionally you can decent photos at night that provide their own lightsource. I was lucky with this one as I caught it on the last day it was setup, having seen the 60m high glow from across the city but constrained by work not to visit it :(
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3621/3279529959_1a3350de96_z.jpg?zz=1

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/3280350394_de7da3d636_z.jpg?zz=1

Then of course you can try for photos longer than the 30s allowed by most cameras. Having a trigger that you can lock down the trigger is good. This was before I had the electronic timer I now have ;)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/113/300520948_faebff1510_z.jpg?zz=1
6mins 26sec, f/4.5, Iso100. Shropshire, facing towards the Midlands. The glow in the top left is the sensor warming up, although it was in the single figures of 'c when I was there!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/412789262_3bd93851c6_z.jpg?zz=1
This was taken in Spain during Summer/Autumn. It was pitch black and I had to use manual focus with care as there was NO light at all up there, or so I thought. It turned out there was enough glow from the large town about 2 kilometers away down the valley to get this. 523 sec (8min 43sec), F/4, 20mm, ISO100. It's only a 5mp DSLR btw.

And finally, as I have been playing with night photography and HDRs I felt it only wise to hang around some bus termini to get these fots ;)

Without then With HDR process
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/3101916470_a7cbe93d7c_z.jpg?zz=1
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3230/3101080445_eb738aed0e_z.jpg?zz=1

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3294/3098665859_bd8e7098a2_z.jpg?zz=1
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/3099460270_d359c0b6b1_z.jpg?zz=1

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4454301121_468e5d9fde_z.jpg?zz=1
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2654/4454301401_33363a93bb_z.jpg?zz=1

As you can see, the lights do cause odd things to happen and there are not many termini that have white lights. Most are the regular orange ones. But those three sets are spread out over 2 years and I've been mucking around with photography for about 6 years with over 80,000 shots taken on one camera alone.

Occasionally you can decent photos at night that provide their own lightsource. I was lucky with this one as I caught it on the last day it was setup, having seen the 60m high glow from across the city but constrained by work not to visit it :(
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3621/3279529959_1a3350de96_z.jpg?zz=1

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/3280350394_de7da3d636_z.jpg?zz=1

Then of course you can try for photos longer than the 30s allowed by most cameras. Having a trigger that you can lock down the trigger is good. This was before I had the electronic timer I now have ;)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/113/300520948_faebff1510_z.jpg?zz=1
6mins 26sec, f/4.5, Iso100. Shropshire, facing towards the Midlands. The glow in the top left is the sensor warming up, although it was in the single figures of 'c when I was there!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/412789262_3bd93851c6_z.jpg?zz=1
This was taken in Spain during Summer/Autumn. It was pitch black and I had to use manual focus with care as there was NO light at all up there, or so I thought. It turned out there was enough glow from the large town about 2 kilometers away down the valley to get this. 523 sec (8min 43sec), F/4, 20mm, ISO100. It's only a 5mp DSLR btw.

And finally, as I have been playing with night photography and HDRs I felt it only wise to hang around some bus termini to get these fots ;)

Without then With HDR process
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/3101916470_a7cbe93d7c_z.jpg?zz=1
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3230/3101080445_eb738aed0e_z.jpg?zz=1

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3294/3098665859_bd8e7098a2_z.jpg?zz=1
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/3099460270_d359c0b6b1_z.jpg?zz=1

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4454301121_468e5d9fde_z.jpg?zz=1
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2654/4454301401_33363a93bb_z.jpg?zz=1

As you can see, the lights do cause odd things to happen and there are not many termini that have white lights. Most are the regular orange ones. But those three sets are spread out over 2 years and I've been mucking around with photography for about 6 years with over 80,000 shots taken on one camera alone.