How to take glowing tent campsite photos

Laura said:
I show up to my locations while it's still light and set up the camera where I want it, set the focus, then turn on manual focus and just wait for darkness.
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Miss Buffalo said:
that's how I always get my settings , too. Works perfect
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So most of the time you guys shoot after dark you actually setup your cameras during daylight, set your focus, then just wait for it to get dark? That's wild. You guys are hardcore. For those less committed (like me), knowing where your infinity focus point works just fine and takes about 2 seconds.
 
Nick said:
So most of the time you guys shoot after dark you actually setup your cameras during daylight, set your focus, then just wait for it to get dark? That's wild. You guys are hardcore. For those less committed (like me), knowing where your infinity focus point works just fine and takes about 2 seconds.
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yeah, me too.

I take several of the same shots at night, It's a fun thing to do after dark.
 
Nick said:
So most of the time you guys shoot after dark you actually setup your cameras during daylight, set your focus, then just wait for it to get dark? That's wild. You guys are hardcore. For those less committed (like me), knowing where your infinity focus point works just fine and takes about 2 seconds.
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yeah, I set my camera right after sunset just before it's getting too dark to focus on something. I take a shot, leave my camera out ready for my later compositions. The time until it's dark enough, usually 2-3 hours later, I spend with reading, eating dinner, doing something else. Then I start shooting.
If I do time stacking, I do leave my camera where it is after I've taken my shot after sunset and never move it a single bit.

Time stacking is great and fun as it gives you a nice evenly lit up foreground which you can blend into your night shots. It doesn't work when all of a sudden clouds move in. ;) Happened to me quite a few times
 
Sorry for getting the other thread off topic Nick.

I don't have the infinity mark on mine either but I googled it and it said to focus on the moon and take note. How do I take note? Am I supposed to mark it with some whiteout or something? Sorry if this is a dumb question.
 
Vegan.Hiker said:
Sorry for getting the other thread off topic Nick.
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Ha! No worries, man. That's what forums are for!

Vegan.Hiker said:
I don't have the infinity mark on mine either but I googled it and it said to focus on the moon and take note. How do I take note? Am I supposed to mark it with some whiteout or something? Sorry if this is a dumb question.
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You definitely need something relative that you can line up. Maybe take note of where some other marks on the focus ring are lined up. If there just isn't anything, I'd consider putting a little mark there. I don't have any lenses that don't have an infinity mark so I can't really look and give any ideas.

The focus on the moon thing would work too though. Or anything more than like 25-30 feet away really. If it's too dark to auto focus and you do it that way, you can use your screen to do it manually. Just zoom in on something so you can see it really well, then manually adjust until you have it dialed in. When you start taking shots, zoom in really tight on one of your shots and double check yourself. It often looks great on that little screen even when it's pretty far out of focus but you'll be able to tell for sure when you zoom in.
 
I'm really enjoying the information about night photography. It's something I have been wanting to try out, and its great to get practical knowledge from all of you who obviously know what you're doing. Thanks.
 
Vegan.Hiker said:
Sorry for getting the other thread off topic Nick.

I don't have the infinity mark on mine either but I googled it and it said to focus on the moon and take note. How do I take note? Am I supposed to mark it with some whiteout or something? Sorry if this is a dumb question.
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the moon should work. Even some lamp post in the distance or the head lights of your car.
And if your lens does not have infinitity, just focus on something in the distance before it's getting completely mark and then use a marker to mark that point. Or some sort of tape. So you always know where your infinity setting are.

Also important:

Turn off noise reduction and mirror lock off. And of course image stabilization.
I always set the white balance either to tungsten or something around 3500 Kelvin.

And I never shoot below ISO 1600. The only reason when I shoot below is when I do some full moon shots.
Because I have a short focal length(11-16mm, or 14mm) on my lens, I usually expose for 30 sec.
To lit up my tent, I mostly use my LED camp lamp and lay a shirt or something else over it to get a nicer and softer angle of light.
 
That's all so very helpful, thanks! For some reason when I shot at 1600 ISO and a longer shutter speed of like 25 seconds it came out looking too bright, even before I put the light on in the tent. So I lowered to 800 ISO and 13 seconds. I'm guessing it's because all the light pollution of NYC was in the sky. When I'm further away in the Whites or ADK's the night sky seems a thousand times darker. I really need to move.
 
I have experienced out of focus shots set right at the infinity mark on a lens at night. Slightly out of focus but enough for me to notice. The explanation is that the metal lens barrel is subjected to expansion and contraction due to heat and cold. Evidently that can throw the focus off. So I always zoom in with the view finder (usually on a horizon line or the moon) and focus from that. As far as lighting tents go, I have used a small candle, or sometimes my headlamp covered with a towel. You will be surprised how little light you need in a 20 or 30 second exposure.
 
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I've noticed the same thing, Greg. The infinity focus point chosen by the camera seems to vary a little from lens to lens and by conditions as well. A good reason to focus when you're actually taking the shot.
 
Nick said:
I've noticed the same thing, Greg. The infinity focus point chosen by the camera seems to vary a little from lens to lens and by conditions as well. A good reason to focus when you're actually taking the shot.
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interesting, I only had it on one or two occasions. I guess here in the desert lowlands it's not so much of an issue.
 
This is great info for the wantabe photographer. I'm taking notes. Thanks.
 
Nick said:
So most of the time you guys shoot after dark you actually setup your cameras during daylight, set your focus, then just wait for it to get dark? That's wild. You guys are hardcore. For those less committed (like me), knowing where your infinity focus point works just fine and takes about 2 seconds.
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Yeah! I do the same as Yvonne-pick up dinner, find my spot, set up the camera as the sun is setting, eat dinner while I wait. Utah twilight lasts about 45 minutes so it's a pain, but clear shots every time.
 
Also, if you change your focal length (zoom in or out) you'll have to re-focus. So be aware of that...
 
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