NIght Shoot ?

OK been doing the College Course again since the beginning of September - very different this time and we will draw a veil over my thoughts [ and they do match another student's thoughts too ]

We have had 2 good classes - on composition - and they were mainly discussions about shots we had done .

Next week he's determined to take us out again - can't really do landscape thanks to the light at 7pm or later , so we are meeting at a hotel down near the SECC , parking cars there, having coffee and then starting to take shots [ Tripods will be taken ] round about the 'Squinty Bridge area'

OK this is right outside my comfort zone and I'm only going because I will be in a group .

Question - since I'm not comfortable in Manual yet, but will have to use it I suspect , which of my lenses will actually be best for this ? I can really only take a small bag with me , don't want to try switching lenses quickly [ with my hands this can be problematical ] in the dark. Reflections of the 'Squinty Bridge' in the Clyde at night can be pretty spectacular , and I'd like to try and get some reasonable pictures .

We will be a small group [ on Wednesday 9 out of the 14 starters were there ] but I know where our tutor's attention will be focused - and it's not on me , so I'm really on my own for this.

Ok a few pointers which I hope will answer your question and provide some guidance. Learning to use your camera in Manual mode will take time and practice, but you will learn a lot in the process as your photography develops and improves, this mode is the key to creative photography. In terms of lens, this depends on what you are shooting and what you want to capture, the DA 40mm is the fastest lens you have, but is fixed so you will be limited in focal length/composition, although for low light you will have more scope. Squint Bridge? I don't know it, but if this is what you are taking pictures of the Tamaron 18 to 250 would provide you with a wide area in terms of focal lengths to play with, so you could really take different types of shot. I personally would take the DA40 and the Tamron and try both. If you are at college and learning experimenting with different lenses and focal lengths is all part of the learning. Photography is like anything else, you just have to practise and try out different ideas. If you post some images I think a lot of people will give you feedback if you ask for it.

Hope this has been of some use.

Enjoy your photography!

OK - the 'Squinty Bridge'

link

Basically I'm not sure what the tutor is wanting - and as I said his attention will be elsewhere I'm sure. We are , I suspect, out for his benefit rather than ours .

I'm more or less happy to try and shoot manually - but I'm normally using either AV or TV and I seem to be very comfortable there - usually getting what I'm after.

I love the 40mm - I really wasn't sure of it for this . The Tamron will certainly give me plenty of 'reach'.

My poor Kx has hardly been out of it's case since the end of August since I've really been tied to the house , and of course now we have adverse weather, and being a K-x, it's not weather sealed .

I'm hoping to get some buildings with interesting light on them ,some reflections in the Clyde, maybe the illuminated 'squinty bridge' and possibly even a few good light trails . It all of course depends on the weather

The ideal would be to take a spot reading from a part of the lit bridge structure. If you aren't happy with M mode then do it in Av mode at ISO 200 at f8 and make a note of the shutter speed the camera has chosen.

This will be your baseline exposure.

Select your viewpoint, put the camera on the tripod, take a deep breath and switch the camera to the scary M mode. Dial in f8 and whatever shutter speed you noted earlier and see what happens, adjust the shutter speed either way if you need a lighter or darker picture.

Job done.

AHA !!

Ken - thanks - will be committed to memory [ and paper ] and used [ though of course is the weather is like this it will be a no go session] .

Will def. tuck that idea in the brain [ what there is of it ] for future use .

Once this is over I'll consider going to RAW - but I'll let the course finish first .

I now have Aperture on so pp will become easier for me - no longer struggling with just iPhoto .