Night
Scene Photography
Some really nice and unusual photos can be taken at night with available
light. It's not as hard as it looks, you do need a camera with which you can
control the lens aperture and shutter speed, a tripod, a little patience, and
yes, probably a little more film. But. the results can be very rewarding!
The following tables are helpful in determining the proper exposure
for shooting night scenes with just the available light.. Print it out and keep
a copy in your camera bag (there is a link to a more printer friendly page
below each table).
How to use the tables
Look down the left side of the table for the type of scene you're shooting. Then
find the proper EV (Exposure Value) in the column under the film speed you're
shooting.
Once you've found the EV number, use the second table to determine your
exposure.
Remember, these are an approximate exposure. We highly recommend bracketing your
exposure. Especially if you're shooting slide film. Be sure to tell
your photo lab that you've taken some night shots, and for them to print those
as you shot them (this probably won't help if you use a Wal-Mart or Drug Store
type of "cheapie" one hour lab).
Approximate Exposure Value for night scenes.
|
Subject |
ASA Film Speeds |
| 25-32 |
50-64 |
100-125 |
160-200 |
320-500 |
800-1200 |
1600-3200 |
| Interiors with enough light to
read by. |
EV5 |
EV6 |
EV7 |
EV8 |
EV9 |
EV10 |
EV11 |
| Faces in candlelight |
EV2 |
EV3 |
EV4 |
EV5 |
EV6 |
EV7 |
EV8 |
| Group around campfire |
EV5 |
EV6 |
EV7 |
EV8 |
EV9 |
EV10 |
EV11 |
| Night sports events |
EV6 |
EV7 |
EV8 |
EV9 |
EV10 |
EV11 |
EV12 |
| Subject in arc-type spotlight |
EV8 |
EV9 |
EV10 |
EV11 |
EV12 |
EV13 |
EV14 |
| Stage shows |
EV7 |
EV8 |
EV9 |
EV10 |
EV11 |
EV12 |
EV13 |
| Brightly lit streets |
EV6 |
EV7 |
EV8 |
EV9 |
EV10 |
EV11 |
EV12 |
| Floodlit buildings |
EV3 |
EV4 |
EV5 |
EV6 |
EV7 |
EV8 |
EV9 |
| Electric signs |
EV8 |
EV9 |
EV10 |
EV11 |
EV12 |
EV13 |
EV14 |
| Christmas lights |
EV3 |
EV4 |
EV5 |
EV6 |
EV7 |
EV8 |
EV9 |
| Full moon-clear sky |
EV13 |
EV14 |
EV15 |
EV16 |
EV17 |
EV18 |
EV19 |
| 3/4 moon-clear sky |
EV12 |
EV13 |
EV14 |
EV15 |
EV16 |
EV17 |
EV18 |
| 1/4 moon-clear sky |
EV11 |
EV12 |
EV13 |
EV14 |
EV15 |
EV16 |
EV17 |
| Crescent moon-clear |
EV10 |
EV11 |
EV12 |
EV13 |
EV14 |
EV15 |
EV16 |
| Moon in total eclipse |
EV0 |
EV1 |
EV2 |
EV3 |
EV4 |
EV5 |
EV6 |
| Subject illuminated by full moon,
high in clear sky |
EV-6 |
EV-5 |
EV-4 |
EV-3 |
EV-2 |
EV-1 |
EV0 |
| Sky at sunset |
EV11 |
EV12 |
EV13 |
EV14 |
EV15 |
EV16 |
EV17 |
| Sky immediately after sunset |
EV8 |
EV9 |
EV10 |
EV11 |
EV12 |
EV13 |
EV14 |
| Aurora Borealis |
EV-7 |
EV-6 |
EV-5 |
EV-4 |
EV-3 |
EV-2 |
EV-1 |
Printer friendly page
EV numbers and equivalent exposure settings.
(Bracketing recommended)
back
| |
Shutter
Speeds |
| EV |
4
min. |
2
min. |
1
min. |
30
sec. |
15
sec. |
8
sec. |
4
sec. |
2
sec. |
1
sec. |
1/2 |
1/4 |
1/8 |
1/15 |
1/30 |
1/60 |
1/125 |
1/250 |
1/500 |
1/1000 |
1/2000 |
| -8 |
f/1 |
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| -7 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
f/number (lens
aperatutre) |
|
|
| -6 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
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| -5 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
EV=3.3 Log10
(f2 divided by T) |
|
| -4 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| -3 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| -2 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| -1 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 0 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 3 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 4 |
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 5 |
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 6 |
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 7 |
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
| 8 |
|
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
|
| 9 |
|
|
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
|
| 10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
|
| 11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
1 |
| 12 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
1.4 |
| 13 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
2 |
| 14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
2.8 |
| 15 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
4 |
| 16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
5.6 |
| 17 |
|
|
f/number (lens
aperture) |
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
| 18 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
11 |
| 19 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
16 |
| 20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
64 |
45 |
32 |
22 |
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