Night photography advice please

[shadytree]

Ok, calling all the PH Photo massive
I've been lucky enough to get in the pits again at Silverstone at the weekend of the 10th and 11th for the 24hr endurance race.
I'm planning to take most of my shots in the evening and at night. Now I don't have much expierience in night time photography and wondered if you can give me some pointers.

Any sensible advice is much apreciated


Shady


Edited to add the word sensible and change the date




>> Edited by shadytree on Wednesday 31st August 21:40

[Tall_Paul]

Take a tripod...?

>> Edited by Tall_Paul on Wednesday 31st August 21:14

[monkeyhanger]

shadytree said:

Any sensible advice is much apreciated

Yep.

Check your dates. The Britcar 24Hrs is the weekend of the 10th & 11th.

The Chav-Fest known as Trax2005 is on there this sunday

>> Edited by monkeyhanger on Wednesday 31st August 21:30

[-DeaDLocK-]

Sturdy tripod, and shoot RAW so you can correct white balance at home.

Take it out at night and do some dark ISO tests to see if high-ISO noise is acceptable to you. Don't want to be shooting at 1600/3200 if you personally feel it's too grainy (I personally am okay with 1600 out of the D70).

If you see yourself kneeling for a lower POV stuff a small cushion or something into your bag so your knees don't get sore.

Bring a torch.

[te51cle]

All good advice and the torch being surprisingly useful as not only do you want to see your camera bits but you don't want to be falling down holes as you walk about.

Best time for the night shots is shortly after sunset while there's still some blue/indigo in the sky.

[ehasler]

If you can get a decent position in the pit (normally just outside the pit door, to one side so you're out the way), then a long exposure shot of a car when it comes in for a pit stop can work well. If you get it right, then you'll have the car perfectly still, with blurred people moving around it.

[LongQ]

ehasler said:

If you can get a decent position in the pit (normally just outside the pit door, to one side so you're out the way), then a long exposure shot of a car when it comes in for a pit stop can work well. If you get it right, then you'll have the car perfectly still, with blurred people moving around it.

If you have or can obtain a flash unit with a long range there may be fun to have.

Set up a long exposure (maybe even use the 'B' setting) for a car with lights on (tails tend to be the best option but you may not get much choice) and then activate the flash at the end of the traverse. (You may find that an auto exposure would be OK provided the flash makes the exposure timer complete the exposure.) Focus should be approximately at the point where you intend to trip the flash - or a little before remembering tha in the percantage game DOF is almost non existent before the focal point but can be quite deep after it.) You will need a tripod.

With luck you will get a light trail and an illuminated, in focus shot of the car. Best not to use the flash head on! It would probably make a great shot but the driver may not be too pleased.

I used this idea many years ago on an RAC rally stage/ Using 400 ISO film I got some interesting shots at about 60ft from the cars (or more if you are prepared to stretch the bounds of what you find acceptable exposure). Pushing the film to ISO 800 (no commercial 800 available to the public back then) was still acceptable up to 100ft. If shooting from behind I also got a silhouette of the vehicle from the light of the headlights.

Working in the pit area means you will have a lot of local light to consider I would imagine. Most of the rest of the track will keep you too far away from the action to make much use of flash - though the exit from Bridge and the first turn in the complex (never can remember the names) offer some options from the infield.

Sounds like fun though!