8

CHAPTER
NIGHT AND LOW-LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY / City Lights

2. Compose the photo and switch the focus
   to manual mode and don’t touch the focus
   ring on the lens.


3. Set the exposure mode to manual.


4. Set the IS0 to 100.


5. Set the aperture to f/10.


6. Set the shutter speed to 10 seconds and
   take a shot.


7. Check the exposure and the look of the
   image on your camera’s LCD.

   
   

   If the image is too bright but the trails look
   good, then use a smaller aperture.
   If the image is too dark but the trails look
   good, then use a larger aperture.
   If the trails are too short, then use a longer
   shutter speed.
   If the trails seem overexposed, then use a
   shorter shutter speed.

   
   

   
   


8. Take another photograph.
   If you start to take your images right after sunset,
   the sky will get darker and the headlights and
   taillights will get brighter in relation to their sur-
   roundings. You will have to adjust the exposure as
   the sky gets darker.
   One of the more interesting areas to photograph
   the light trails created by traffic is from a bridge
   overlooking the traffic. As you can see in Figure
   8-6, the view makes for some great motion in the
   images; however, on the downside, I had to pho-
   tograph through a fence that is set up to stop peo-
   ple from falling into traffic. If you face a similar
   situation, the key is to get the front of the lens as
   close to the fence as possible and try to use the
   widest aperture that you can.

from the cars can be used to lead the eye around
the photo. Take the trails in Figure 8-5, where I
photographed the cars heading to and from
downtown San Diego, from a pedestrian overpass.
Because it was taken late, I needed to leave the
shutter open for a long time in order to get
enough cars to make a good design.

ABOUT THIS PHOTO The bright white lights are the headlights
as the traffic flows under a pedestrian bridge. The 30-second exposure
allowed the light from the headlights to illuminate the surrounding area.
Taken at 30 seconds, f/14, and ISO 100.

8-5

To capture the light trails from the cars, just fol-
low these directions:

1. Set the camera on your tripod.