Night Photography Tips

Photography usually relies on light for quality photos, and it is scary for beginning photographers to take pictures after dark, but it can be done quite easily with practice.

Many incredible shots are missed when night falls, because you may feel more secure taking pictures only in daylight. With the basic knowledge of your camera, and a willingness to experiment, you can capture really unique and interesting photographs at night.

You can take good photo’s at night, using the basic knowledge of your camera’s controls and film speeds. You do not have to use a professional camera to take night photographs.

Any DSLR or SLR camera will work, and a camera with manual exposure mode is preferable, in order to self-adjust controls as necessary.

Night Photography Tips For Beginners

• Use Camera with Manual Exposure Mode - You need to be in control of the aperture and shutter speed when taking photographs at night. As lighting changes from the sun setting, or from city lights, you need to be able to make adjustments for the most effective exposure.

• Flash - A flash is not necessary during nighttime photography, unless the subject is within a feet of you, the flash will only detract from the photo. While a flash can be used in certain instances to highlight certain parts of a structure, it will not give the same overall effect that manipulating aperture and shutter will give.

• Learn To Estimate Camera Settings - Night photography requires experimentation. Learning how to set aperture and shutter speed correctly for the best photo, takes practice. When you choose a subject take several pictures at several different settings, then you can observe the difference. Shutter speeds and film speeds will need to be slower in the nighttime, as opposed to daytime shooting.

• Beware of Blur - Because the shutter and film speeds are lower, any shaking of the camera can cause blurring of the picture. Tripods are used for this purpose, but you can also use the camera’s timer, or a cable release for picture shooting. Setting the camera down and setting the timer can be as effective as a tripod, if you do not have one available. 

• The Best Results Are From Experimenting - Taking pictures of the stars, or making light paintings is exciting when you get the pictures to come out like you want them to. It is a good idea to experiment with different settings, and try different nighttime subjects. You do not have to settle for unnatural color balance if you learn how lighting and your camera controls work together. 

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Is Professional Photography Dead? Getting Creative in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

Are professional photographers becoming exinct? With digital cameras becoming so high-tech and readily available, and so much easier to use than the old days of film, it seems everyone these days is a photographer. Overnight photographers are popping up everywhere.

So where do we draw the line as a society as to what level of photography is worthy of payment, and how do we set boundaries between the true professional photographer worthy of our admiration and money, and the amateurs posing as a professionals?

The truth is the real professional photographers are still alive and well, but many are out of work, and many are frustrated.

The one area that can never afford to hand itself over to the amateur photographer is commercial photography. But with the economy struggling, the print industry declining, and many commercial photo studios not taking in high-dollar projects, many studios have closed their doors, and professional photographers are being forced into entirely new professions.

Large companies are still investing money into their advertising, but on much tighter budgets and on a much smaller scale. Gone are the extravagant days of high-dollar photo shoots with a large staff and catered lunches. Instead, these shoots are being replaced by more economical scaled down shoots with quick trips through the local drive-thru.

The Future of Commercial Photography

But with changes in technology and a bad economy, the industry must adapt.

One new company on the horizon in the Dallas- Fort Worth, TX. area is a direct result of the bad economy and current changes in the industry. Visual Advantages, LLC. , is not an agency, rather an independent commercial photo production company. The owner, Sallie LeBlanc, not only serves as shoot producer, but depending on the budget and shoot, also serves as stylist, and sometimes even the assistant. “I do not rent a studio nor have employees, so I am not under the same monetary constraint as other companies” said LeBlanc. “We are finding creative solutions to an ongoing need for great commercial photography, with the ultimate goal still always being happy clients and an amazing shoot.”

Technology, in a way, has evened the playing field. “A small local business 5 years ago probably could not afford these professioanl photographers, but today they can. My business is making professional photography accessible to everyone, big or small. And with so many people using websites as their primary way to advertise, I see the need for these types of photo shoots becoming more prevalent. Plus, we are putting professional photographers back to work!”

Visual Advantages, LLC is 100% commercial photography,covering the categories of Fashion, Food, Architecture and Interiors, Concerts, Lifestyle, Corporate, and Product. http://www.visualadvantages.com

So is professional photography dead? Not necessarily. It is just going to take more creative people to recreate it and serve it back to the public in new and better ways!

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