Up Helly Aa Low Light and Night Photography Tips
Below are a few tips on low light/night photography which may help you at Up Helly Aa. I posted this article last year but have updated with a few new tips.
All the best to this year’s Guizer Jarl Stephen Grant and his squad. I’m sure it will be a day to remember. For everything you need to know about Up Helly Aa, visit the official website here. If you cannot make it to Lerwick on Tuesday, Promote Shetland are streaming live online here.
-Ben
1. Wrap up warm
This may sound obvious, but if you are dressed for the occasion you will be able to concentrate fully on photography and getting the best shots.
2. Stock up on Storage
Not having a good memory card inside your camera is like having a Ferrari with poor tyres. Having spent so much money on a digital camera, it doesn’t make sense to skimp on the memory card.
There are only three companies in the world that make digital memory; one of them is Samsung which is my brand of choice. Using non-branded memory cards is a false economy as these have failed the quality control check at the production line and are then sold off cheap for rebranding.
Samsung digital memory cards are water/dust/shock proof and safe from X-rays and magnetic fields. They have a very high transfer rate which ensures your camera can perform the way it should. To purchase Samsung digital memory cards, click here or visit The Camera Centre.
3. Travel Light
Try to minimise the amount of gear you take as you don’t want to get weighed down with equipment. If you’re using a Digital SLR, try to just take one lens as this will force you to be very considered with what images you capture.
4. Charge your Batteries
Make sure all your batteries are fully charged (including a spare set) as at night your battery life can diminish in the colder conditions.
5. Switch to Manual Focus
Autofocus (AF) works best in good light. If you’re having trouble with AF and you’re not getting sharp pictures, chances are it is in low light situations. Switching to manual focus should solve the problem.
6. Turn off Image Stabilisation when using a tripod
If your camera is housed on a tripod, and your camera or lens has image stabilisation (IS), switch it off as having IS switched on can actually result in blurry pictures.
7. Read your manual
Darkness is not the time to be learning where your camera menu settings are located. Familiarise yourself beforehand with the functions which you will require and know how to access them quickly.
8. Use maximum aperture
If you’re using a Digital Bridge Camera or Digital SLR camera, try putting your camera on Aperture Priority (AV on Canon, A on Nikon) and set to the maximum aperture (smallest number). This will help you achieve higher shutter speeds which you can handhold in low light. If you still need a higher shutter speed, read step 9!
9. Use a high ISO setting
When shooting spectacles such as Up Helly Aa from a distance, your built-in camera flash is not going to be powerful enough to reach your subject. Flash mimicks daylight which ruins any atmosphere in your scene. As a result, turn off your flash and increase the ISO setting on your camera. This increases the camera’s sensitivity to light and will result in higher shutter speeds thus reducing the chance of camera shake.
10. Shoot, shoot, shoot
Digital memory is relatively inexpensive so take lots of photos – you can always delete them later on.
11. Remove UV Filter
If you have a UV protective filter over your lens, this is one of the few occassions you want to temporarily remove it so as much light is coming through your lens as possible.
12. LCD Illumination
Some cameras have a button which will illuminate the LCD panel; this can be invaluable in low-light photography. If your camera does not have this function, a small pocket torch can be useful.
13. Minimise Flare
A lens hood can help to minimise lens flare from light entering at angles outside of the frame. If you don’t already have one, you can pick one up from your local camera specialist. Make sure your lens is completely spotless as any dust/dirt will cause flare when shooting into bright light.
Good luck and have fun!
Ben