With the transition to daylight saving time, it is now guaranteed that I will be leaving work in darkness until spring is approaching. This is a bit disheartening in itself, and it also poses a challenge in terms of producing photos of the day for this site.
The best option is probably to undertake some more purpose-driven photo shoots. Normally, my approach is just to take photos in situations that I would find myself in anyhow. This has the virtue of not requiring too much time, but it makes it harder and harder to produce quality original images the longer you live in a certain place and continue to act in certain ways. Making a conscious choice to shoot some specific subjects or places could be fun, and could produce some good images. So could experimenting with some new techniques, styles, or equipment.
I have been pondering shelling out the cash for a fancy digital SLR camera. I think I should use the possibility for some self-motivation, and insist on doing some artistic work with my old P&S before I shell out more than $500 for a new light-trapping box.
If you want, you can stay impromptu without buying fancy new neck jewellery. If your P&S has a tripod socket and reasonable time exposure latitude, you might consider adding a minipod to your backpack clutter. If no socket, some kind of beanbaggy base to plop/prop your camera, works too. The dark is full of potential…
I keep a small tripod (an ultrapod mini) attached to my camera at all times.
While it’s true that there are lots of opportunities for night photography, it is probably fair to say they require more effort and planning, if you want to produce moderate numbers of good photos.
Can you think of any areas around town that are especially interesting, by night?
A few Ottawa night photos:
The sizes and formatting of the images you linked are not consistent.
I very rarely use permalinks for images, rather than the posts that include them.
The image sizes are probably different on account to changes in my WordPress settings resulting from various updates and theme modifications.
Clicking any of the medium-sized images or thumbnails should lead to a 1024×768 JPEG file.
It’s all painting with light, innit? You have a strong sense of composition, and you seem to keep your eyes open and moving, which are the main things, whatever the time of day.
I have no specific suggestions for shooting sites, because I seldom pre-plan, myself. It’s serendipitous. I’ll see something semiconsciously as I walk, and probably not shoot it. It bubbles and percolates a bit. Sometime later, details compose and solidify themselves enough that I’ll feel drawn to go by again and make an image. I realize this may not be helpful … but it’s my process, or lack thereof.
Night photos from all over:
Note that there are relatively few. I suppose that means it’s an area where I have lots to explore.
Unrelated…
Here are some other photos I rather like, which I came across while digging through old posts:
Friends and coffee
Louvre architecture
Pink-fringed hair