If you're going to be shooting at night, follow these 7 photography tips

Shooting photographs at night can be tricky, but many photographers have found ways to create beautiful night shots. With practice and learning some tricks, you can learn how to shoot great photos at night, too. Read on about 7 ways to shoot at night.
Maybe you want to capture the night mood of a certain scene. You may be trying to figure out how to get a great city shot with the lights at night. If you're going to be shooting at night, follow these 7 photography tips.
Advertisement
1. Fast shutter speed
You want to choose a fast shutter speed to capture any motion that is happening in your shot, especially in city night shots. Take plenty of shots, playing around with the shutter speed, until you find one that works for you. Too high of a shutter speed will cause your pictures to come out dark. Pick a shutter speed between 1/40 to 1/200 for best results.
2. Tripod
Bring a tripod, whether or not you end up using it. The slightest movement at night will cause your shot to come out blurry, so start taking night shots with a tripod until you are confident enough to take quality pictures without one.
3. Aperture
If you are taking night pictures with light trails, such as city lights or fireworks, set the aperture low. Start with an aperture of 3.0 to 10.0 seconds. You may need to change the aperture several times before you get the right shot showing off the lights.
4. RAW setting
When taking night pictures that include city lights and other kinds of light, you will want to shoot with your RAW settings. To get as much light in as possible in your shot, use the BULB mode on your camera. Try out both and see which one you like best to get the most out of your night photography shots.
5. High ISO testing
To get the best exposure at night, use high ISO testing. By setting your camera at a high ISO, you can see certain details come out, such as how well you framed your shot and composition. Bring down the ISO at a more appropriate level so that the shot is not too bright, but still brings out details in your photo. This will take some practice until you capture the best exposure at night.
6. Remote
Since lighting is so sensitive at night and the slightest touch of your camera might produce a blurry image, invest in a remote. Using a remote will reduce camera shake and help you take nice, crisp night photos.
Advertisement
7. Settings
You will need to change your settings around every time you go out to do night shots. Different places and times at night will determine how your night shot will come out. Don't be afraid to test your settings out each time. This will become easier the more you do it, and after you take a certain amount of night shots in particular places, you will be able to predict what settings your camera will need to be on.