available light photography

[nighstar]

it seems like all photographers who consider themselves professionals use various flash equipment a lot in their work, but what about professional (or other) photographers who do available light photography? what kind of equipment etc is used a lot for that kind of photography?

for example: are there particular types of cameras that lend themselves well to available light photography? what about lenses? film? accessories like filters, monopods/tripods etc?

i realize that these are probably very basic things that i should probably know already having been a photography enthusiast/amateur for years, but i still feel like there is a lot that i don't know but should. also, i'm curious as to what other people who are into available light photography use.

so to anyone into available light photography, i'd really appreciate it if you could share your preferred gear, film, books, etc as well as tips and techniques.

thanks. 🙂

 

[gavinlg]

Nikon d3/d700 or canon 5d/1d and 1.2/1.4 primes.
Absolute best is a nikon d3s with 1.4G prime trio.

Shooting at ISO12,800 f1.4 there's not much in the world worth shooting in conditions darker than that...

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I still shoot film and have done available light with all types of film and all types of cameras.

Here's a shot done with a Mamiya 645 with Acros 100 film at dusk. It was a 5 minute exposure at f16. Of course, I used a tripod.

I use Ilford Delta 3200 or Kodak Tmax 3200 in 35mm for handheld available light work a lot. Here's one on Delta 3200 at EI-3200, shot with a Leica and 50mm Summicron. 1/15 at f4

Here's another 35mm shot on Delta 3200, this time at EI-1600. Shot with a Leica and 28mm Biogon lens.

Here's another medium format shot with slow film, this time Fuji Provia 100F in a Hasselblad. Exposure was around 1/2 second at f16, if I remember right.

So, there really isn't a 'secret gear list' for available light work. You can use anything. If you want to handhold, use a 35mm camera and one of the 3200 black and white films, or a digital SLR that does well at high ISO settings, like the Nikon D700. If you can use a tripod and long exposures are not a problem, use slow film and a tripod with a medium format camera.

 

[Chris101]

Fast lens, fast film/sensor ISO, hold the camera steady - you might need a tripod.

Remember your meter is going to tell you the exposure to make the scene medium gray (on average.) So if the scene is mostly dark, and you want to make it look mostly dark, then give it less exposure than the meter suggests.

A special problem with film where you are taking long exposures is "reciprocity failure". That is the film no longer obeys the reciprocity rule - So you might need to double or even quadruple the time beyond what the meter says. This does not apply to digital.

Of course, "available light" does not always mean available darkness. Sunlight, bright tungsten light are available light when they are ... available. So "regular" photography taken in the sun or indoors in room light is available light photography as well.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Chris, that's a good point about the metering. I always use a spotmeter to set exposure for night and available light stuff, like the photos I posted. I use a handheld one unless I'm shooting with a camera that has one built in, like the Olympus OM-4T. Regular in-camera meters will screw up exposure 90% of the time in these situations.

 

[nighstar]

thanks a lot for the advise, everyone. i really appreciate it. 🙂

i shoot both digital and film, but in terms of using a fast ISO film i've never seen one with an ISO rating as high as what Chriscrawfordphoto suggested. i imagine that film with such a high ISO would be rather expensive.... i guess i'll have to check out B&H (website where i usually import film from) as i doubt i'd find such film locally.

also, it sounds like i should invest in a good tripod.... particularly, a very portable one as i already have a cheap P.O.S tripod that i don't ever take with me because it's a nuisance to carry.

any recommendations on light, small and fairly inexpensive tripods.....? it would need to be sturdy enough to at least support cameras that aren't quite as big & heavy as DSLRs but that aren't point & shoots either.

 

[Richard G]

You can hand hold slower than you think. Take a few shots. Either you or the subject may be stiller in one than the other. I tried my new monopod for the first time last week, shooting from the front row a colleague giving a lecture. Haven't finished the roll yet. Last time I tried this I rested the camera on the front rail and the best of the shots was 1/2s with a 50. Wide angle gives another speed slower.

 

[Moriturii]

You'd be surprised at where you can photo with which film etc.

Try TriX, when you find yourself in a romantically lit room at night, just shoot at whatever you feel is the lowest shutter speed you can go with without getting an exaggerated amount (nothing wrong with a little shake in my opinion), open your aperture all the way (so let's say f2 at 1/15) and develop in Rodinal stand dev. You would be surprised... 🙂

Check THIS link, and THIS, I mean... ISO 25.600? Crazy!!

 

[Roger Hicks]

Look at the available light shots of 50-80 years ago, taken with slow films, fast lenses and long shutter speeds (with elbows braced on a table, or the photographer slouched against a wall) and you'll see that ultra-fast films or super-high ISOs are far from essential. For that matter, look at http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps lowlight.html and you'll find an available light shot taken at Kelvinhall Circus with ISO 50 slide film and a 90/4 Elmar.

I'll second Moriturii's advice to shoot wide open for as long a shutter speed as you dare, but I disagree completely about his choice of developer, as Ilford DD-X will give you a true ISO more than a stop higher: ISO 650 or more instead of ISO 320 or less.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Moriturii]

Look at the available light shots of 50-80 years ago, taken with slow films, fast lenses and long shutter speeds (with elbows braced on a table, or the photographer slouched against a wall) and you'll see that ultra-fast films or super-high ISOs are far from essential. For that matter, look at http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps lowlight.html and you'll find an available light shot taken at Kelvinhall Circus with ISO 50 slide film and a 90/4 Elmar.

I'll second Moriturii's advice to shoot wide open for as long a shutter speed as you dare, but I disagree completely about his choice of developer, as Ilford DD-X will give you a true ISO more than a stop higher: ISO 650 or more instead of ISO 320 or less.

Cheers,

R.

Cool! Never tried DD-X, will try it someday 🙂

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

Available Light Portraits Night/Indoors

Available Light Portraits Night/Indoors

Hello nighstar -- Yes, a lot of pros shoot with strobes, but don't be fooled. Today and throughout history, wonderful images have been made with available light.

I shoot portraits in the kind of light that people enjoy in social interaction. For indoors, that's low or moderate light, sometimes candlelight. With a fast 50mm prime (f/1.8 is fine) and a D300 at ISO 800, 1600, or sometimes 3200, you can shoot very well in living rooms, offices, at the dinner table, and in restaurants. I put the camera on auto-ISO and shoot wide open or maybe at f/2.8.

In a dim restaurant one night, as I shot a set of portraits around the table, a guy comes over to ask, "How are you doing that without flash?" Fast prime, ISO 1600, no problem.

Color can be very tricky in such lighting, especially with color film. B&W will be easier. Digital makes things a lot easier; auto white balance does its job, but even then I often tweek the WB a bit in post processing.

So, turn off your strobe and give it a try! Today's DSLRs can produce amazing results in available light.

Here's an example, outdoors at night, mostly candlelight:

 

[nighstar]

you all make a very good point. i really should experiment with my cameras/lenses and see what i can get away with handheld. i probably will be surprised. 🙂

i'm still learning exposure, so i'm not very good at figuring out appropriate shutter speed & f-stop combinations beyond what i've learned so far using the "Sunny 16 Rule".... so i think i'll first experiment with my digital camera as trial and error won't be costly and ISO can easily be changed. thankfully i have a Panasonic Lumix 20mm F1.7 for my Olympus E-P2, which seems to be a pretty good lens for available light photography. 😀

 

[Frontman]

I shot this one last week using a Nikon F and a 50/1.2 Nikkor lens. I was shooting with Tri-X 400, at f/1.2 - 1/60th.

 

[thegman]

I pretty much never use a flash, for available light, I like a fast lens and Portra 400. For tripod stuff, then you can use largely anything you want, if you don't mind a very long exposure.

 

[Colin Corneau]

A friend, who's a commercial shooter, told me once of a photographer who does high end portraits outdoors with only reflectors...no strobes.
His work is pretty unique and quality stuff - for any outdoor shooting with sun, I'd recommend those. You can really sculpt your light.

If you're going to use digital to get used to low-light available shooting, I'd check your images via the histogram...not what you see on the back panel. That will give you a clear idea how over or under exposed you really are.

 

[nighstar]

so to try and summarize....

- a "fast" lens is preferable for ALP
- for low light, a low f-stop number + long exposure works well; use a tripod if necessary
- also for low light, a fast film or high ISO works well, but isn't always necessary
- reflectors are great for sculpting available light

hope i didn't miss anything and got everything right. you all have been a huge help. 🙂

one final newbie question: what makes a lens "fast"? does "fast" just mean a lens with a low (not sure if that's the correct term) maximum aperture? ie. a lens with a max aperture of f1.7 is faster than a lens with a max of f2?

 

[Colin Corneau]

The wider the maximum aperture, the 'faster' the lens is...a 'bigger opening' will allow in more light.

 

[dave lackey]

I have not used flash for years. Used Nikons quite a bit until the last three years where I have gone entirely Leica gear for my professional work. I still shoot a Nikon AF for slides, etc. for fun and extremely good results, btw.

So, DSLRs are not the only cameras that work well. Leica M bodies and a host of other cameras can be used.

Some people like flash. Some clients demand certain images that will require flash. Some people hate flash and that is basically where I have been for three years.

It depends on what you want from your images just like every other gear selection. Select a camera, select fast lenses and just shoot.:angel:

 

[DamenS]

Also note that if you are doing VERY low-light work with a tripod (over 30 second exposures), you are better off using film (even if it has "reciprocity failure") than digital, as the digital sensor will overheat and become incredibly noisy the longer the exposure is (when the exposure is being judged in minutes rather than seconds). This is one of the reasons (along with his own artistic ideals) that someone like Michael Kenna, who often does lengthy night time photography, will use film in preference to digital.

 

[nighstar]

@Colin
thanks. 🙂

@dave
i'm one of those that hates flash. i'd rather give up on a photo opportunity completely if i'm struggling to get it right than use the flash on my one and only camera that has it.

@DamenS
interesting.... i've never heard of this before. thanks for the heads up. 🙂