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.
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  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 35mm F1.4 GM
  • 35.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 1/30 sec
  • ISO 100
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  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 35mm F1.4 GM
  • 35.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 1/60 sec
  • ISO 2500
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  • 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
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  • 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.
 

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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.

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  • 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.

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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.
 
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Church of Santa Engracia also known as National Pantheon of Portugal. Lisbon, Portugal
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  • 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.
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  • ILCE-7M4
  • Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM (SEL50F12GM)
  • 50.0 mm
  • ƒ/1.2
  • 1/25 sec
  • ISO 2000

Without the headlamp
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  • 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

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  • 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.
 
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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.
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Without the headlamp
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Ninety minutes later, with a little bit of the pre-sunrise background

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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.
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  • ILCE-7RM5
  • FE 35mm F1.4 GM
  • 35.0 mm
  • ƒ/11
  • 1/30 sec
  • ISO 125
 
Juneau, Alaska, Fall 2023
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  • ILCE-7RM4A
  • E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071
  • 28.0 mm
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 1/160 sec
  • ISO 4000


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


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