![13 TRICKS TO GET GOOD PICTURES IN LOW LIGHT SITUATIONS [UPDATED]](https://photographychef.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/7022795497_db8eb84fb7_o-1200x804.jpg)
By now you will know that to get a picture you need light, without light there is no photo. We will repeat it on the blog as many times as necessary and without losing our smile. That is the first, very first lesson. Of course, the circumstances that you want when pressing the shutter button do not always occur and you often find yourself in situations where you have low light, or worse, no light. Well, the latter is very difficult, because as you are not in a dark room there is always a little ambient light. Then what do we do? Give up trying? Well, if it is a session that you can postpone, it may be better to postpone, but if it is an unrepeatable moment, a place you will not return or an event that you cannot change, of course you will not throw in the towel, The only thing you are going to throw away is photos and not precisely to the trash In today's article I will give you some tricks to squeeze the low light you have and get illuminated images. You stay? I warn you that this is a challenge that you will encounter many times (although I put my hand in the fire that has already happened to you).
- Make way for the light
- Bring the subject or object closer to the light source
- Spot metering
- Make a correct exposure
- Increase the ISO value
- Use luminous lenses
- Use slow shutter speeds
- Use bounced or faded flash
- Use reflectors
- When it comes to children ...
- Adjust white balance well
- Image Stabilizer
- To practice
1. MAKE WAY FOR THE LIGHT
I will start with the most obvious. Yes, I know, it's too obvious, but don't believe it, you have to remember it many times because, sometimes, with the rush, the nerves of the moment, the concentration in the creative composition, the fatigue, the obfuscation of each one, blah blah blah ... we forget the essentials. Open doors, windows, curtains, raise blinds, turn on lights ... Look for the light!2. BRING THE SUBJECT OR OBJECT CLOSER TO THE LIGHT SOURCE
I say almost the same as in the previous point, obvious but necessarily repeatable (to satiety if necessary). If you can bring your motive to a light source, a window, a lamppost, a lamp or candles, any light, however small, will help you. If your prota is not scrollable, you can try to bring the light source closer (if there is one available that can be moved).3. PUNCTUAL MEASUREMENT
Use the spot metering mode , because in low light conditions it is more complicated to make precise measurements. In this way you measure just what you want to be well exposed and without having to worry about the rest.4. MAKE A CORRECT EXPOSURE
This is the same when you have light and when you don't, unless in low light conditions it becomes more important. If you are not sure how to do it, here is a detailed guide .5. INCREASE THE ISO VALUE
In many articles we have advised you to adjust the ISO value to a minimum to avoid noise. Today, however, I will tell you to upload it as much as your camera allows (and the noise is not too annoying). Since a photo with noise is preferable than losing a great moment. In some photographs, noise can be a creative element , in others, you will have to raise the value to a point where it does not spoil the image much or allows you to capture a unique and unrepeatable moment. Depending on what type of image you want to take or what moment you want to capture, you will have to weigh.6. USE LUMINOUS TARGETS
Using a wide opening is one of the tricks that will work best for you. Use the brightest lens you have or can achieve, that is, one that has a large aperture (number "f" as small as possible), such as the one Mario calls The King of the Objectives, 50 mm f 1 / 4 . In low light, a great opening will undoubtedly be a great ally. If you do not have a luminous target, nothing happens, if the greatest opening your objective offers is f / 3.5, for example, use it and if it is not enough, use the following trick.7. USE SLOW SHUTTER SPEEDS
In addition to using a wide aperture, you can shoot with slow speeds , so that the diaphragm will remain longer open thus entering more light. What happens in this case? You will need a tripod for slower speeds or at least one foothold for intermediate speeds. If you are photographing people, they can hardly stand still enough to use a speed of less than 1/25, if you do not want a photo moved make sure this speed. Although there is also the possibility that the people of the image are not protagonists and can appear on the move with an interesting creative effect, remember that here the artist is you8. USE BOUNCED OR FADED FLASH
If with the above options it is not enough or you cannot make use of some of them, you will probably have no choice but to pull the flash. And here the trick is not to tell you to use it, but:- That you avoid using the flash that is built into the camera and that you bounce or blur the handheld flash . If you don't have a diffuser, a little trick is to use a white tissue, a white plastic bag or a piece of tissue paper (also white). To bounce it, direct the flash to the ceiling or to the side, depending on where you are interested in the light source. If you bounce on a white surface it will reflect much more light. When bouncing or blurring the flash, the effect will be less artificial and above all, the resulting light will not be so hard and you will avoid unwanted shadows.
- That if you have no choice but to use the built-in flash because you have no other, at least blur the light by placing a tissue around or with a homemade diffuser.
9. USE REFLECTORS
The reflectors serve you the same with natural light as with artificial light, use them to direct the light to your main motive. You can use natural reflectors, such as snow or sand, or drop-down reflectors like these . Another trick is that you wear white clothes, if you, you will be the best reflector At least the shirt or shirt, in this way you will reflect the existing light on the motive in front of you10. WHEN IT COMES TO CHILDREN ...
If you are working with a child, do not expect his patience to live up to your needs, you better do the tests before and wait for the right time in the right place to place (or stop by) and shoot. But don't make him suffer by testing and adjusting. Won't hold on And try to leave the trick of slow speeds as a last resort because, unless you are sleeping, you will hardly stand still. If you don't want it to move, you won't be able to use slow speeds.11. ADJUST WHITE BALANCE WELL
Another trick to achieve good results is to adjust the white balance. It is not the same if you use the flash, if you use the light of a candle or a bulb or if you take advantage of that ray of sun that is sneaking through the window. If you shoot in RAW you can modify it in the edition, if not, you better not forget to adjust it.12. IMAGE STABILIZER
Finally (or almost), if you have an image stabilizer, do not forget to activate it to avoid trepidations. In case of using a tripod it will not be necessary13. PRACTICE
This last trick is the most infallible of all. It's no use reading this article if you don't put it into practice. The only way to achieve well-lit photos in low light is by shooting again and again. Wrong, rectifying and wrong again. This is the only way to learn and achieve it almost without thinking. Do not wait to find an occasion like this to apply these tricks, look for it and rehearse and when a real occasion comes, you will know how to face it without fear (in the dark). These tricks will serve you both separately and by combining them. Rate in each situation what is best for you, or what tricks you are most likely to use. Thank you for reading here and share if you found it useful. May the light be with you!