Low Light Photography

When faced with low light situations it is still possible to take great shots without using the flash. One way is to mount the camera on a tripod and take a shot with a long exposure time, this will capture a scene as it really is and can also make some quite special effects.

Another option is to change the ISO settings using, a higher ISO number will let in more light but on the down side can also make the shot quite grainy. The ISO on modern DSLR cameras replaces the film speed on classic film cameras and most cameras will let you use an ISO setting from 100 to 1600. Of course the good thing about Digital cameras is that you can see the results instantly and alter any setting, retake the shot and discard any bad shots.

The shot below was taken well after the sun had gone down, if I had used a flash most of the detail would have disappeared, so with the camera mounted on a tripod and using aperture mode the shot was composed and taken easily by letting the camera decide which shutter speed was necessary. Notice how the water has taken on a silky effect, this is because the lens was open for long enough for it to capture the ripples on the water moving.