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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Long exposure night photography
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08/17/2008 03:36:18 PM · #1
Awhile ago, I found a simple calculation scheme to figure out shutter speed times for long exposure night photography, and it had something to do with doubling your shutter speed everytime you moved down an exposure or something like that, and started out with 200 ISO. I dont know if thats exactly what it was, but Ive been trying to do more of these pictures and lost the sheet I had.

And Im talking long exposures, like at least a minute and 30 seconds long, everything done with bulb setting.

And ideas as to what it is, or any other tips?
08/17/2008 03:42:35 PM · #2
psh... lol I just guess....
08/17/2008 03:58:16 PM · #3
For any use, the relationship is that the brightness of your image doubles if you:
double the ISO
double aperture (which means a lower F/number)
double the exposure (for example, go from 1/60s to 1/30s)

So from any starting point, you can manipulate those three to get the artistic effect you want while keeping the brightness the same.

For example, if you keep ISO at 200, then these will all give you the same exposure:
F/16, 480s
F/11, 240s
F/8, 120s
F/5.6, 60s
F/4, 30s

F/4 will give you much shallower DOF than F/16. F/16 probably won't be as sharp as F/11 or F/8 because of diffraction blurring.
08/19/2008 06:11:31 AM · #4
Educated guess (?) is that the tables you are recalling dealt with Reciprocity Failure, as that is/was a very common concern for long exposure photography.

Some tips and discussion here, here and here -- and of course, you can just google many, many more.

Short version is, for digital, don't sweat it (but you may need to use similar methods to deal with noise and/or sensor heat); it's primarily an issue for film (although some will argue that point).
08/19/2008 08:22:48 AM · #5
Danny

Here is the tutorial.

cheers.
08/19/2008 10:59:50 AM · #6
I'm with Patrick - Take one, check out the image on the LCD, check histogram, adjust to taste.
08/19/2008 11:09:46 AM · #7
Originally posted by Simms:

I'm with Patrick - Take one, check out the image on the LCD, check histogram, adjust to taste.


If you are planning on doing longer shots, say 5-30 minutes, taking the test shot can involve a lot of time. I read a suggestion that I thought was good which was to take the shot at ISO 3200 (or whatever the top of your camera is) for a shorter time and then work the exposure from there at the ISO you want. Hadn't quite thought of doing that before.

Message edited by author 2008-08-19 11:10:13.
08/19/2008 03:30:33 PM · #8
Originally posted by Bernard_Marx:

Danny

Here is the tutorial.

cheers.


YES. Thank you.
08/19/2008 03:41:15 PM · #9
One trick that I have found to work well when shooting at night is to use tungsten white balance. It gives the images a moonlit looking tone.
Here is an unedited sample, shot jpg. It looks a bit dark, but that is how it looked at the scene. There was about 1/2 moon and settings are with the image details.


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