Photography Challenge - Nighttime & Low Light

These shots were taken last November of the Tower Bridge in Sacramento, California. You can see a series of my night shots here.
52540074012_4e135cab6f_o.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 35mm F1.4 GM
  • 35.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 1/30 sec
  • ISO 100
52540072342_5ec01f6b73_o.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 35mm F1.4 GM
  • 35.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 1/60 sec
  • ISO 2500
52540071737_aa27aa0ed6_o.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 35mm F1.4 GM
  • 35.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 1/60 sec
  • ISO 1600
 
One or from Palma cathedral and Marseille cathedral one shot with the fe100-400 handheld
palma  2023.jpg
  • ILCE-9
  • Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70 mm F4 ZA OSS (SEL2470Z)
  • 32.0 mm
  • ƒ/4
  • 1/50 sec
  • ISO 3200
palma 2023 15.jpg
  • ILCE-9
  • Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70 mm F4 ZA OSS (SEL2470Z)
  • 38.0 mm
  • ƒ/4
  • 1/50 sec
  • ISO 2000
marseille 2023 10.jpg
  • ILCE-9
  • Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS (SEL100400GM)
  • 104.0 mm
  • ƒ/8
  • 1/800 sec
  • ISO 12800
 
Taken at 3am overlooking Lochan na Lairige as I set off to hike up Ben Lawers for sunrise.
 

Attachments

  • FB_IMG_1686259134296.jpg
    FB_IMG_1686259134296.jpg
    28.4 KB · Views: 86
View attachment 43171
View attachment 43172
View attachment 43173

The granny sits there every night waiting for a chat, lol, she commutes into Taipei daily to sell her tiny flowers to office workers to have fresher smelling desks. The dog is owned by a nearby shop-owner who for some reason lets it wander about - it always has that kind of half interested/half worried look.
Oh, and the cat actually has two eyes, but for some reason closed one at that moment - I have fed it a few times, so can vouch for it having deux yeux. I wonder why it winked? Maybe it was a sign...
The first image of cat is delightful
 
Took a trip out the back of Kuala Lumper to try and see some fireflies! I’ll be better prepared next time now that I’ve actually seen one.

GJF05857.jpeg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 135mm F1.8 GM
  • 135.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 1/3 sec
  • ISO 12800


GJF06053.jpeg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 135mm F1.8 GM
  • 135.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 1/15 sec
  • ISO 64000


GJF05972.jpeg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 135mm F1.8 GM
  • 135.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 1/60 sec
  • ISO 12800


GJF05837.jpeg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 135mm F1.8 GM
  • 135.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 1/1000 sec
  • ISO 12800


GJF05833.jpeg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 135mm F1.8 GM
  • 135.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 1/640 sec
  • ISO 12800


GJF05950.jpeg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 135mm F1.8 GM
  • 135.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 5 sec
  • ISO 125
 
Took a trip out the back of Kuala Lumper to try and see some fireflies! I’ll be better prepared next time now that I’ve actually seen one.

View attachment 44072

View attachment 44073

View attachment 44074

View attachment 44075

View attachment 44076

View attachment 44077


We have them here also - but I didn't go out looking for them this year - bumbling about in the pitch dark trying not to fall over....

Actually, I haven't put any time into thinking about how to photograph them - they move about so fast, and where they are is usually pretty dark in amongst the trees and shrubs - if you come up with a how-to, do let us know!
 
We have them here also - but I didn't go out looking for them this year - bumbling about in the pitch dark trying not to fall over....

Actually, I haven't put any time into thinking about how to photograph them - they move about so fast, and where they are is usually pretty dark in amongst the trees and shrubs - if you come up with a how-to, do let us know!
I was in a boat so I could get very close, but I find the lens I used difficult. I really need a macro lens, but one that I can focus quickly. I don’t think F4 would be a problem as fireflies are quite bright - the new macro zoom might work and I didn’t have my 90mm macro with me…. So, when focused using 135mm they were still too far away to crop in and get something half decent. The 35mm lens I took was useless. Great challenge.

Edit: next time I think I’ll set the light meter to “highlights” and then add a full stop of EV. The blacker the better as it truly is as dark as, out there with all the mozzies.
 
Last edited:
Church of Santa Engracia also known as National Pantheon of Portugal. Lisbon, Portugal
20230926-DSC07772-Enhanced-NR-Edit.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II
  • 193.0 mm
  • ƒ/4
  • 1/1 sec
  • ISO 2000
 
This tree stump is planted on the beach at the trail's end. People often leave mementos or treasures here.

It was nearly pitch-black when I took this, so I flipped on my headlamp.
A7408984 1.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM (SEL50F12GM)
  • 50.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.2
  • 1/25 sec
  • ISO 2000

Without the headlamp
A7408990 2.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM (SEL50F12GM)
  • 50.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.2
  • 1/8 sec
  • ISO 10000

Ninety minutes later, with a little bit of the pre-sunrise background

A7409130.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM (SEL50F12GM)
  • 50.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.2
  • 1/60 sec
  • ISO 160


I got the FE 50mm F1.2 GM even though the FE 50 mm F1.4 GM was available. I opted to spend a little more for the half-stop difference and ignore the difference in weight.

I don't know if the half-stop would have been visible for these shots, but I'm happy with the results I'm getting.
 
Last edited:
This tree stump is planted on the beach at the trail's end. People often leave mementos or treasures here.

It was nearly pitch-black when I took this, so I flipped on my headlamp.
View attachment 49563
Without the headlamp
View attachment 49564
Ninety minutes later, with a little bit of the pre-sunrise background

View attachment 49565

I got the FE 50mm F1.2 GM even though the FE 50 mm F1.4 GM was available. I opted to spend a little more for the half-stop difference and ignore the difference in weight.

I don't know if the half-stop would have been visible for these shots, but I'm happy with the results I'm getting.

Shot 3 is really really beautiful.
 
Nacreous clouds also known as Mother of Pearl clouds. Photo taken in Oslo, Norway.
_DSC0798.jpg
  • ILCE-7RM5
  • FE 35mm F1.4 GM
  • 35.0 mm
  • ƒ/11
  • 1/30 sec
  • ISO 125
 
Juneau, Alaska, Fall 2023
DSC03346 (1).JPG
  • ILCE-7RM4A
  • E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071
  • 28.0 mm
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 1/160 sec
  • ISO 4000


DSC03354.JPG
  • ILCE-7RM4A
  • E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071
  • 28.0 mm
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 1/4 sec
  • ISO 12800


DSC03605.jpg
  • ILCE-7RM4A
  • E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071
  • 75.0 mm
  • ƒ/5
  • 1/320 sec
  • ISO 5000
 

New in Marketplace

Back
Top