NIGHT SHOOT
Night time photography offers its own set of unique challenges, generally speaking a tripod is essential to avoid camera shake, the low light means a slower shutter speed will be required to get the results you want without sacrificing your ISO, if you are going to go longer than 1/60 you’ll need to turn any VR settings off and use your tripod, this will give you the freedom to not worry too much about how long your shutter is open (this can also be assisted with a remote trigger – meaning you don’t even have to disturb the camera by pressing the button). If you can use manual settings, as this will give you control over Aperture, ISO and shutter speed – meaning you can adjust each independently to get the perfect shot.
From a health and safety angle you’ll need to be mindful of your surroundings, it’ll be dark, and most likely cold, so make sure you have suitable clothing for protection against the elements! A torch comes in handy, to help you see the settings and buttons on your camera so you can make any adjustments. If possible, try and go out in a group or with at least one other person.
Make sure you are also aware of the legal implications; do you need permission to shoot in your chosen location? If you are in a public place, although you may be legally entitled to take pictures of people going about their business always be polite a courteous if challenged about your activities – would it be worth getting into an argument for?
Edits
Review
For my night shoot I decided I’d go to a light show at Chester Zoo and see if I could use my camera settings to try and balance the bright lights of the show against the darkness of the evening, thanks to the brightness of the subject matter and using a wide aperture of f1.6 I managed to keep my shutter speed at around 1/60 and avoided having to use a tripod. I enjoyed this shoot a lot and found it really interesting and challenging in equal measure, I achieved some good results although occasionally the wide shutter caused the illuminations to over expose.