Photography Tips and Tricks

Light trails are fun and easy to create for beginners using with digital cameras and the results can look really professional. A light trail is created when the photographer uses a very slow shutter speed to photograph cars or other lit moving objects at night.

Equipment

First, you need some basic equipment. Besides your camera, you will need a tripod and cable shutter to eliminate camera shake and blurred images. A lens hood is handy to prevent glare on your lens from outdoor lighting, but it isn’t necessary.

Timing

Generally, you can photograph light trails any time of night. For a little splash of ambient lighting, though, you should take your photos just after the sun goes down or just before it comes up. The warm glow of the sun will add a little extra color and interest to the photo.

Also, try to choose a time of night when there is a lot of traffic. Right after sunset you will probably be able to photograph quite a bit more cars than at 2 a.m., for example.

Location

The best place to set up your equipment is a hill, fire escape, or window overlooking a busy street. An overpass can be good, too, as long as it’s not dangerous to set up there.

Make sure that your spot is as dark as possible, with the only bright lights coming from the cars themselves.

Getting the Shot

After you have the gear, the best timing, and the best location, the rest is easy. To achieve clear light trail, set your digital camera to night mode (an icon that looks like a moon) or ISO mode and turn off the flash.

Adjust your tripod so that you have a clear shot of your subject. If you don’t have a cable shutter, set your timer and press the shutter button. Step back and wait for your camera to take the picture.

Now review your image. Is there a nice light trail? If not, try these tips:

Make sure you take the picture when there are many cars passing by. One or two won’t make a good light trail.

Set your camera to Manual and adjust the aperture to a mid-range such as f/8 and your shutter speed to around 10 to 20 seconds. Increase your aperture one stop if your image is overexposed. If it is underexposed lower the aperture one stop.

Ah, summertime. Time to pack up the family and head out on another vacation. This vacation, come home with pictures you can be proud of. These tips will help.

Be Prepared

Part of getting those great pictures is being prepared. Make sure to have your camera with you at all times. Keep it turned on with the LCD monitor turned off. This is the best way to be ready for shots and save batteries at the same time. It takes much more battery power to turn a camera on and off than to leave it on with the LCD screen turned off.

Keep an eye out for unusual shots. Interesting buildings, strange characters, and lively shops all have the potential to make a memorable vacation shot.

Keep a notebook handy so that you can write down a little info about each picture. An amazing picture of a historical building is only half as good if you don’t know which historical building it is. A simple note like, “White building, red shutters- The Hospitality House of 1912,” is enough to jog your memory.

Repetition

Another key to great vacation photos is repetition. It’s all about playing the numbers. Take as many shots as possible of the same subject. The more shots you take, the more likely you are to get a great shot. You can always delete the bad shots later!

Tripod

Keep a small tripod with you at all times. The tripod will come in handy when you want to be in the picture and there is no one else to take the picture. It will also be needed for any night shots, fireworks during the 4^th of July, and any other shot that takes a slow shutter speed.

Use these tips and you will want to show off your vacation photos to all your friends and family!