When to Use This Cheat Sheet
Reference this card when the sun drops and you are shooting under artificial or ambient night light. Night photography is all about managing long exposures and high ISO.
Quick Settings Reference
The table covers nine night scenarios. A tripod unlocks everything below 1/60s. Without one, widen the aperture and push ISO.
Key Principles
- Tripod first, ISO last. A stable platform lets you shoot at ISO 100 with multi-second exposures. Sharper, cleaner, more dynamic range.
- Manual focus is more reliable at night. Autofocus hunts in low contrast. Use live view at 10x magnification and focus on a bright edge or distant light.
- Expose to the right of the histogram. Slightly brighter raw files have less shadow noise. Pull back in post.
- Long exposure noise reduction doubles your wait. The camera takes a dark frame the same length as the exposure. Factor this into your timing.
Adjustment Tips
- Start at the settings in the table, take a test shot, and check the histogram. Adjust shutter speed first.
- For light trails, time the traffic lights. Red-to-green cycles often produce the best streaks at 10-20s.
- Use a 2-second timer or remote release to avoid bumping the camera during exposure.
- If shooting RAW, set white balance to tungsten (3200K) as a starting point for mixed city lighting.
Common Traps
- Cranking ISO to 12800 when a 2-second tripod exposure at ISO 200 would be sharper.
- Leaving autofocus on and getting soft shots because the lens hunted.
- Overexposing neon signs while trying to brighten dark surroundings.
- Forgetting to turn off image stabilization on a tripod.
ShutterCoach Connection
Upload your night shot to ShutterCoach for feedback on noise management and exposure balance.