There are a couple of planning tips you will need to bear in mind before you take any night time photographs of cities:
The first thing you need is a good viewpoint;
The second thing you will need is either a tripod or a solid base to place your camera on. Your viewpoint will depend a bit on what kind of shot you are after. I usually try to aim for somewhere that is above the ground (a set of steps, for example), but not always. There are many times that the best photos are taken at ground level.
A tripod or solid base is recommended because your camera's shutter will be open for several seconds, and you want to make sure your camera is absolutely still during that time.
You will also need to make sure you secure your camera onto the tripod. If you can't find a solid surface to rest your camera on you can always try propping it up with something like a bag or jumper.
Once your camera is in place, make sure your shutter speed is set to a good few seconds. Start with about 15 seconds.
If you can't control your camera's shutter speed, set it to "night" mode.
You are ready to take your pictures once you have everything arranged (camera on a solid surface and self timer primed).
First, check your scene. Is everything in it that you wanted to be in it? If you are aiming to get streaking car headlights, is there any traffic around?
Once you have your scene figured out you can finally press the shutter button.
The self timer should begin to count down. Please note that if you are waiting for something to appear in your scene you need to remember that your shutter speed will have to count down first - time for this.
When you hear the shutter click it is actually opening up so you want to wait. And wait, and wait . . . until it closes again. Remember, depending on the length of time you set it for, that this could take a few seconds.
If you don't see the preview right away on the LCD there is no need to worry. Due to the long exposure time digital cameras usually take longer than usual to process the photo.
If you are wanting to try out night photography but don't have any idea where to start here are a few ideas on what to photograph:
Neon lights Streaks of car headlights and tail lights Available light For all of these you do need to plan a bit in advance. You want to find an area where you can safely photograph neon lights.
Again, you will want to find your solid spot, or put your camera onto a tripod, and then take a few shots. Since neon lights flash you will want to keep the shutter open for a while in order to catch all the flashes.
For photographing streaks of car headlights and tail lights you will obviously want to find a spot that has a good bit of traffic, but again, be safe in your choice of locations.
One thing to try is to use something in the background as well; usually streaks of light photographed on their own can be a bit boring!
Now you can take your shot.
Please know that the longer your shutter is open, the more streaks you will capture. And of course, the more traffic there is, the more streaks will appear too!
Available light also plays a part in capturing a good night shot.
There are times when a scene looks its best when you set it amongst inky-black skies. There are also times when a little light works best, so photos just prior to dark really sets in are worth a try too.
The best bit of advice is to try both and see which captures the effect you are after best.
You will find that sometimes a 10 second exposure gets the look you are after. Sometimes you may need up to a minute.
Practice, and you will soon get a feel for what you will need for any given situation.
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