As a photographer there
may arise that important event that entails great photographs in a dimly lit
environment, and often you may find this is the hardest type of atmosphere to
capture.
When using a digital camera is, of course, the ability to
take shot after shot without wasting film, and with the cost of high capacity
memory cards these days you can shoot almost infinitely (especially if you take
time to delete the unsuccessful shots between sessions).
The autofocus has also progressed in leaps and bounds over the
past 10 years, with infrared focus assist being readily available on most
mid-range bridge models. The autofocus assist beam can be
an invaluable tool in evening photography, particularly in events where
the subject is constantly moving making manual focus almost impossible due to
time constraints.
Most digital cameras also now come equipped with a number
of helpful settings especially for capturing images in low light, with
increased ISO sensitivity and digital films speeds up to and beyond 12800.
These high ISO settings will allow you to capture even the darkest of subjects,
however what you gain in speed, you will ultimately pay for in image quality.
The first and foremost important tool for evening event
photography is the good old tripod. You can eliminate almost all camera
shake and blur that usually occurs in these sessions with the use of a tripod,
meaning you can use a lower ISO for more professional and clear night
photography. However, a tripod is often just too bulky to utilize in certain
situations, such as at a concert. If you're deep in the crowd in
front of the stage, you may find that a tripod is a definite no-no; there is
nowhere to set it up and the writhing crowds will defeat the purpose of using
it in the first place.
Almost all digital cameras now come with an automatic
black and white setting, and you may find that if you have to use a high ISO to
capture the image, black and white photographs will serve you well. Removing
the color from the image also removes any signs of over saturation or over
compensation when using a flash. This will result in moody yet stylized shots
perfect again for dimly lit indoor musical concerts and the like.
When Using Flash Seems Obvious
It would seem that when discussing the daunting task of
photography in low light settings, the obvious thing to do would be to increase
the light available using flash, however this is a double edged sword. When
faced with a concert setting, it all depends upon the stage lighting already
equipped at the venue. If you’re at a larger concert and lucky enough to be
close to the stage, you may find that the strong technical lighting will be enough
to assist you with your shots. However, smaller, indoor venues may only use
basic stage lighting, and this point you may want to consider using flash.
If using a high ISO it is advised that you keep away from
using the flash, it will definitely expose the main subject of your photograph,
but it will leave all background detail underexposed, totally taking away any
ambience and atmosphere from your shots.
Experience and Practice is Key
The venue will have constantly changing light sources;
the subject will most likely be on the move and with these changes comes a
different photographic opportunity and setting almost every
second. Overall, the skill of evening event photography is a skill you
must learn through experience over time, as well as getting to know the limits
and capabilities of your gear like the back of your hand. Joining in
photography workshops with your specific camera can help this process along.
Practice almost definitely makes perfect with this line of photography, and you
should take every opportunity to hone your eye for the perfect dimly lit image
until you know light source types and your camera’s capabilities innately.
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