Low light photography of Morelia [Archive]

Mikoh4792

10-09-13, 04:59 AM

I don't really know what I'm doing, just playing with manual and aperture to see what kind of pics I could take in low light settings

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a594/mikoh4792/cycloplerehbyjohnc_zps4b005533.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a594/mikoh4792/ZebraJCPf1_zpsd6ed0648.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a594/mikoh4792/PalJCPf1_zps138ffaba.jpg

Jim Smith

10-09-13, 11:10 AM

Beautiful shots!. It looks like you're taking the photos in their natural habitat instead of their cages. Thanks for sharing.

Jim Smith

thinkbig317

10-09-13, 11:17 AM

Phenomonal shots!!!

Donnie

10-09-13, 11:33 AM

I really like them, great pictures

LadyWraith

10-09-13, 12:02 PM

Looove the last one especially!

SnoopySnake

10-09-13, 12:16 PM

These are great photos! :)

LarryS

10-09-13, 12:32 PM

That last picture is stunning. I like the way the background is dark and some light is on the animal.

smy_749

10-09-13, 03:49 PM

Zebra takes the cake for me. Sweet pics

Mikoh4792

10-09-13, 05:13 PM

That last picture is stunning. I like the way the background is dark and some light is on the animal.

Thanks guys.

In all those pictures I'm just using the cage light, which is pretty bright. Don't know how I got the background to darken like that. Not sure whether it was due to shutter speed(1/40) or the aperature(5.3) does anyone know?

Lickeypie

10-09-13, 06:13 PM

What camera are you using? Your photos turned out great

Mikoh4792

10-09-13, 06:50 PM

What camera are you using? Your photos turned out great

nikon d5200 with the 18-105 kit lens.

Although the picture with the zebra is a little blurrier than the rest. Not sure why.

smy_749

10-09-13, 07:01 PM

Zebra pic is the coolest because the branches fade into the black at both ends.

Mikoh4792

10-09-13, 07:11 PM

Zebra pic is the coolest because the branches fade into the black at both ends.

Ahaha yeah it does look like it could have been taken in the wild at night.

bigsnakegirl785

10-09-13, 07:33 PM

These are really good, it looks like you're getting the hang of the camera. :D I especially love the GTP photo. The way the head is situated almost makes it look like it's contemplating something.

marvelfreak

10-09-13, 07:34 PM

Really cool looking pictures.

Mikoh4792

10-13-13, 11:03 AM

Took some new ones today.

You guys think I need a different lens to take "clearer" or "sharper" images, or is it because of my settings? Right now i'm using a kit lens(18-105mm)

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a594/mikoh4792/DSC_0514_zps19466584.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a594/mikoh4792/2013Paljcpf1f_zpsdb75f3fd.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a594/mikoh4792/2013CLGTPjohnc_zps00dfadb3.jpg

formica

10-13-13, 11:14 AM

very nice pics!

have you got an HDR setting on your camera? that will really bring the contrast, and depth of colors to another level - you can also do it manually if you have a tripod, take 3 or more photos, each with diffrent exposure settings, from dark to light, maybe even one with the flash, then use a HDR app to combine them all into one - the results can be spectacular

Mikoh4792

10-13-13, 11:21 AM

Thanks! yes I do. Is one way better than the other?( HDR setting vs manual).

I took these pictures about a foot away from the animals. Would you use a macro lens in this case?

formica

10-13-13, 11:33 AM

Thanks! yes I do. Is one way better than the other?( HDR setting vs manual).

I took these pictures about a foot away from the animals. Would you use a macro lens in this case?

it depends on the camera really, you get more control if you do it manually, so the results can be better, but its not as quick

you can do it with any lens, using manual aperture setting, and auto shutter speed is the easiest way - if the camera moves, or the snake moves, then the image wont work, so you need to do it quickly

formica

10-13-13, 11:35 AM

check out Luminance HDR if you need software, or you can use the Exposure Blend plugin in Gimp...theres loads of free HDR apps, so pick which ever u prefer really

Mikoh4792

10-13-13, 11:46 AM

Ahh okay. Might have to try those out. Never knew there was auto shutter speed.

warehouse13fan

10-13-13, 11:47 AM

Amazing shots!

Mikoh4792

10-13-13, 12:06 PM

Amazing shots!

Thanks still working on it lol

ErikBush97

10-13-13, 01:12 PM

Mikoh4792;875554]Thanks guys.

In all those pictures I'm just using the cage light, which is pretty bright. Don't know how I got the background to darken like that. Not sure whether it was due to shutter speed(1/40) or the aperature(5.3) does anyone know?

What was your ISO set to? Were you using flash?
I think low ISO and flash is what gets these effects (for my camera at least)
ISO 800, no flash
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3825/10253136263_932ee7b1d9.jpg
ISO 50, flash
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3665/10253039376_0ae3437ef3.jpg

Mikoh4792

10-13-13, 01:15 PM

What was your ISO set to? Were you using flash?

Aperature of 6.3

Shutter speed 1/40

ISO of 640

Taken about a foot or so away from the snake.

Actually I don't even know what ISO exactly is... as said before I don't know what I'm doing lol.

EDIT: no flash. These were all for the purpose of taking pics in low light settings so the only light was from the cage.

ErikBush97

10-13-13, 01:19 PM

Aperature of 6.3

Shutter speed 1/40

ISO of 640

Taken about a foot or so away from the snake.

Actually I don't even know what ISO exactly is... as said before I don't know what I'm doing lol.

EDIT: no flash. These were all for the purpose of taking pics in low light settings so the only light was from the cage. I can get into detail here but to someone who's just taking pictures, think of ISO as your brightness.
Believe it or not, using flash + lowest ISO available will get you great pictures because it'll light up your subject but not the background.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3786/10253197235_22183113d1.jpg

Mikoh4792

10-13-13, 01:36 PM

Wow! that bottle comparison is pretty neat. Thanks a lot, i'm going to mess around a little more tonight.

edit: although the flash does seem to make things a little more yellow.

ErikBush97

10-13-13, 01:43 PM

Wow! that bottle comparison is pretty neat. Thanks a lot, i'm going to mess around a little more tonight.

edit: although the flash does seem to make things a little more yellow.

Glad I could help! And unfortunately you're right. yellows are pretty iintense when you use flash :/

formica

10-13-13, 03:38 PM

ISO is the sensitivity of the film or CCD chip, its best to keep it as low (low number = low sensitivity) as possible, because as the sensitivity increases, so does the 'noise', which shows up grainyness in the image - increase the ISO setting only when you cannot get a good picture by changing the aperture or shutter speed, to get enough light in

ErikBush97

10-13-13, 04:03 PM