How to Take Good Photos in Dark Places?

Photography problems can lead to a lot of frustration, especially to those who are new to it. The framing could be unsatisfying, or the pictures’ too dark, or the subjects are all blurry. But one problem that almost all new photographers encounter is taking good photos at night, or even in a room with poor lighting. You may want to take pictures of the stars, or the city traffic lights, or of your friends having fun. You have a great idea of what you want to achieve, but the pictures you got are well below your expected output.

You tried all the dials on your DSLR, and yet the pictures are just shaky at best. You tried using flash, but all you got are the bright faces of your friends and wasn’t even able to include the beautiful Christmas lights behind them. It looked like they were all just smiling in the dark. At some point, you may think that your expensive camera can only deliver good shots in daylight.

Here are some useful tips on what you can do to take those gorgeous night shots:

Use a tripod.

If you notice, pictures become more blurred when taken at night. This is because of the lack of good ambient light, and your camera finds it hard to focus. What you need is to have something that will hold it steady; the tripod will resolve the shakiness of the photos. If the tripod is not available, you can place the camera on a high flat surface, like a table or a shelf. You can simply crop the picture later if needed.

Use a remote or a self-timer.

This is related to the first point. Pressing the camera button will add vibration to it and will still affect the output. Again, the camera needs to be as steady as possible. You won’t have to point the remote at the DSLR; you can press it discreetly while you take photos. If the remote isn’t available, simply use the camera’s self-timer once you have fixed the focus on the subject.

Bring a flashlight.

If you are aware that you’ll be taking pictures in a dark area, bring a flashlight. Or, you can choose to always be prepared by including a small flashlight in your camera kit. When taking a picture, your lens will need to focus on something, and it will not take any photo if the area’s too dark. Help your camera by flashing the light on your subject.

Once you have taken those great pictures, don’t forget to send copies to your friends. Have them printed at Costco Photo. They will surely appreciate a printed photo more than a digital one.