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Photographing Illuminations

canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
edited October 20, 2008 in Technique
Next week I am hoping to take some shots of Blackpool illuminations. I have never taken shots at night time and I would really like some advice on the settings to use on my 40D and should I use the 580 EX. The street lighting is quite good. I shoot manual raw.
Regards
Bob

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    canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited October 19, 2008
    canon400d wrote:
    Next week I am hoping to take some shots of Blackpool illuminations. I have never taken shots at night time and I would really like some advice on the settings to use on my 40D and should I use the 580 EX. The street lighting is quite good. I shoot manual raw.
    Regards
    Bob[/quo

    If I have asked a stupid question which I appear to have done, I sincerely apologise.
    Regards
    Bob
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited October 19, 2008
    canon400d wrote:
    Next week I am hoping to take some shots of Blackpool illuminations. I have never taken shots at night time and I would really like some advice on the settings to use on my 40D and should I use the 580 EX. The street lighting is quite good. I shoot manual raw.
    Regards
    Bob
    Uh, use a few test shots to detect the settings and proceed accordingly.
    You may need to use a good tripod, cable release, (mirror lockup OR liveview).
    There is not much to it, really...deal.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    OffTopicOffTopic Registered Users Posts: 521 Major grins
    edited October 20, 2008
    Sorry Bob, I think it's just been a little slow around here lately, especially on the weekends.

    I honestly didn't know what Blackpool Illuminations were until I just googled them. Looks like a fantastic event to shoot! thumb.gif I'm jealous.

    Seems to me that the principles would be the same as shooting outdoor Christmas light displays. I wouldn't use your 580EX unless you planned to include people in the shots, and if you do you'll need to use slow sync.

    My recommendations - Best to use a tripod unless you are very steady, tungsten white balance, shoot at twilight for better shadow detail (the tungsten wb will make the most of the afterglow in the sky), get down low and get as much sky as possible behind the subject, experiment probably between a 1/4 and 1 second, keeping in mind that at twlight the light will be constantly changing. That's the great thing about digital, we can experiment all we want and get instant feedback! wings.gif Then keep shooting after total darkness! :D

    For more info you might want to try searching for tips on shooting outdoor Christmas light displays - there is plenty of information available on that subject that should directly apply to shooting the Blackpool Illuminations.

    Have a great time and can't wait to see your photos!
    Lori
    My Photos
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    canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited October 20, 2008
    OffTopic wrote:
    Sorry Bob, I think it's just been a little slow around here lately, especially on the weekends.

    I honestly didn't know what Blackpool Illuminations were until I just googled them. Looks like a fantastic event to shoot! thumb.gif I'm jealous.

    Seems to me that the principles would be the same as shooting outdoor Christmas light displays. I wouldn't use your 580EX unless you planned to include people in the shots, and if you do you'll need to use slow sync.

    My recommendations - Best to use a tripod unless you are very steady, tungsten white balance, shoot at twilight for better shadow detail (the tungsten wb will make the most of the afterglow in the sky), get down low and get as much sky as possible behind the subject, experiment probably between a 1/4 and 1 second, keeping in mind that at twlight the light will be constantly changing. That's the great thing about digital, we can experiment all we want and get instant feedback! wings.gif Then keep shooting after total darkness! :D

    For more info you might want to try searching for tips on shooting outdoor Christmas light displays - there is plenty of information available on that subject that should directly apply to shooting the Blackpool Illuminations.

    Have a great time and can't wait to see your photos!

    Thanks ever so much Lori, as what you have told me has certainly given me some idea of what to do. As I I say I have never shot in the dark and I certainly will use all your tips and thanks evers so much my dear and thanks again.
    Regards
    Bob
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    canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited October 20, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Uh, use a few test shots to detect the settings and proceed accordingly.
    You may need to use a good tripod, cable release, (mirror lockup OR liveview).
    There is not much to it, really...deal.gif

    Thanks for that Nikolai, I have a reasonable tripod and I do have a cable release so I think I will really just have to do as you say proceed accordingly. Thanks once again for all your kind help.
    Regards
    Bob
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