Tips for Taking Photos in Low Light

I want to share a few tips for taking photos in low light (still life photos, that is.)

It may be hard to believe this image was taken at 2:30 in the afternoon on one of the foggiest, most overcast, grey days imaginable.

Although, before I go any further, let me add that Lightroom helps.

But first, let me expound and expand on the beauty of the grocery store flower … and the humble chrysanthemum.

I don’t have many choices when it comes to purchasing affordable flowers this time of year. On Monday I checked out a few flower shops and one (1) single hydrangea stem cost $16.00! (It was a beaut tho ;)

I’m always dreaming of the exotic, the unattainable, the out-of-season gems: peonies, dahlias, roses, and ranunculus. But since they’re most likely not going to materialize, I turn to Safeway and what they had were mums. I’m not drawn to chrysanthemums, but I buckled down and gave them a real good hard look, and it was like coming out of a fog (fitting terminology due to our weather lately.) Suddenly the soft mauve and white spidery petals began to look magical, almost like a dahlia.

How did I not see that? I think my mind has been clouded by the bright orange, rust, and burgundy shades I associate with chrysanthemums and autumn. I wanted pastels, and there they were! So I chose two different bunches and when I couldn’t find the greenery I wanted, that’s when I went to the florist and paid $2.00/stem for two bits of eucalyptus (a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do, right?)

So onwards! How did I shoot this in such low light?

It helps that I have large kitchen/dining room windows and sheer curtains. And yes, I’m sorry I can’t make that come true for everyone, but I do have a few tips.

Tips for Taking Photos in Low Light

• Set up near the largest windows you have (of course.) Back and side lighting (if possible). If not, go for the back lighting.
• Use sheer curtains as a background, at the settings I use, they get really blown out and almost glow.
• Use a tripod, and your camera’s timer. Say that ten times over; otherwise this isn’t going to happen.
• Taken at 2:30pm on a grey, foggy, overcast day. I metered on the centre of the bouquet, which was quite dark:
  • Nikon D750 Lens: Nikkor 24-120
  • Focal Length: 48mm
  • Exposure: 1/60s at f4.0 IS0 3200

The image was quite overexposed and I didn’t have to make too many adjustments in Lightroom. I increased the whites and the blacks, and used a radial filter to lighten the shadows in the centre of the bouquet.

So pretty much what you see here is pretty much the way it was shot. Truth: I did not use Auto Tone.

I hope this makes sense … what I’m saying is “use a tripod, a slow shutter speed, and high ISO”. If you have any questions, please ask!

Here’s the “before” image for comparison:

.
.

PS: today (Thursday) I came home with fabulous floral treasures: pretty poinsettias from a greenhouse, and tulips from Costco!! I cannot believe I found affordable tulips … just after I did all this complaining … sorry ;)

#NaBloPoMo