Photographing the moon at night can certainly be challenging. The blurry white blob in our photo often pales in comparison to what we see by the naked eye. As magical as night photography appears, it can be equally as tricky to accomplish well. Master a handful of night photography tips and watch your skill level improve. Use the summer months to learn. You’ll have favorable weather, extra hours of daylight, and plenty of opportunities to practice. By the end of the season, there’s no doubt you’ll have a stunning shot of the moon, the sky, or other night moments.

5 Key Night Photography Tips

First, tackle the technical hurdles that come with taking dark night summer pictures. The tallest obstacle is the lack of lighting. It creates a cascade of other potential issues. Without adequate lighting, you’ll struggle with noise, proper focus, harsh shadows, and white balance. Experienced professionals have figured out all the solutions – and you can, too. Simply follow these five-night photography tips:

1.   Switch to manual mode.

Many first-time photographers are tempted to shoot in automatic mode. But night photography is a different beast. Automatic mode at night can confuse a DSLR. The lack of light will have it choosing all the wrong settings. Make the switch to manual mode. This gives you full control over the ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. Manual mode might seem like more work, but is well worth the effort.

2.   Increase the ISO.

If you don’t remember what ISO means, refresh your memory with our basic photography dictionary. ISO determines your camera’s sensitivity to light. When the setting is dark, your camera is very sensitive to light. It’s why most night photography calls for a high ISO. A good starting point is 800. Be careful of noise or color variations. This is one of the trickier night photography tips, because it largely depends on your camera. Professional DSLR cameras can produce clear night photos at a high ISO. Others may take better shots with ISO set lower – around 100 or 200.

3.   Set a wide aperture.

Aperture size dictates how much light enters the lens. Since you’re working in the dark, use a wide opening to gather as much light as possible. Use a lens handle at least f/2.8 or f/4. Certain types of night photos call for a narrower aperture. Be prepared to adjust as needed.

4.   Choose a high-slow shutter speed.

Another night photography variable is shutter speed. Shooting summer landscapes at night requires long, slow shutter speeds. Set it to 10 seconds or higher. If the photo is too dark, increase it to 30 seconds. An exception is photographing urban areas with more available light. In city settings, select a faster shutter speed between two and 10 seconds.

5.   Use a tripod.

No matter how strong your hands are, they can’t keep a camera steady for 10 seconds or longer. You need a tripod. If you don’t have a tripod, find another flat, sturdy surface. Use whatever you can to keep the camera perfectly still.  

Enchanting Summer Night Picture Ideas

Summer is the season for barbecuing on the back deck, sinking your toes into the sand, camping under the stars, and letting all your stress just melt away. So when it comes to capturing the moments of summer, you want the images to look exactly as you feel. Not sure where to start? Here are some unique night picture ideas that elicit those enchanting summer vibes.

Star trails: These are the light streaks that follow stars when you take long-exposure photos. Star trails create acontinuous circle, which illustrates the Earth’s rotation on its axis. To get that full, beautiful arc of light, a clear evening sky is key. Urban lights ruin this effect. Use a wide angle lens and a reliable camera timer or intervalometer. The idea is to stack exposures that were captured over a period of time. Set your camera timer for three to four hours and the exposure between 30 and 60 seconds. This should give you enough single exposures to create mesmerizing star trails.

Light painting: Similar to star trails, light painting captures light in motion. The difference is you can “paint” the light virtually anywhere. Consider wrapping light around a tree or drawing a heart around your subject’s face. Get creative. Once you have an idea, adjust your camera settings. For this technique, a small aperture is more appropriate. Choose f/11 or higher with a shutter speed between 10 and 30 seconds. LED lighting is sufficiently strong as a light source.

City lights: There’s a lot of activity to capture in a bustling city. Between the buildings, cars, street lanterns, and traffic signals, you’re working with an abundance of light. That means forgoing some of the traditional night photography tips. Consider a narrow aperture and lower ISO. What exactly should you photograph? Well-lit monuments and cool marquee signs are excellent beginner photographs. If you really want to capture the “wow-factor”, catch streaking lights from car headlights driving by.

Lightning: You don’t need luck to photograph lightning. You just need to be persistent. Set your camera to around ISO 600 and aperture to f/4. Stand in one spot and take as many 30-second exposures as you can. Start shooting before the lightning strikes to increase your chances of the perfect picture.  

Fireworks: Summer is prime time to practice your fireworks photography. First, find your location. Set up in an open area where you can create a 45-degree angle between your tripod and the fireworks. Then, select ISO 100 and a fast shutter speed. A quick turnover will help capture those rapid starbursts. Better yet, use “Bulb” in manual mode. This allows you to control the shutter. When the fireworks begin, press the shutter release button and hold it down until the sequence ends.

Summer solstice: The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year. It occurs around the 20^th of June when Earth tilts toward the sun. This maximum tilt provides some of the best natural lighting for photography. Take advantage of the day and capture a collection of summer solstice pictures. These can be golden-hour selfies or landscape photos with a burst of light on the horizon.

Moon phases: You can photograph the moon any time of year. But clear summer skies give you an advantage. Take advantage of it, and don’t wait for a full moon. Each moon phase is unique. Keep in mind, the moon is a bright subject. Set your camera to ISO 100 or 200 and aperture between f/5.6 and f/11. Keep the shutter speed fast and use a wide-angle lens. The goal is to not overexpose the moon. Challenge yourself by creating moonstacks. This requires taking several photos of the moon as it moves through the sky (like star trails). Then, use your photo editing skills to layer them into one time-lapse image.

Campfire Nights: When taking pictures with fire as a light source, slow your shutter speed way down to allow time for the light to get recorded on the camera. Do that, and you’ll be taking fireside photos with friends like a pro!

Show Off Your New Skills

Practicing these night photography tips makes it easier to use them. More practice means more photos. The light-and-dark contrast in night photos is nothing short of miraculous. For that reason alone, they deserve to be prominently displayed in a custom-designed photo book. Using the Motif photo book app is easy. It works seamlessly as a native extension of Apple Photos. No exporting, transferring, or uploading necessary. Feature the progression of your night photography skills, or highlight the best of the best. Whatever you choose for your photo book, it will surely be a showstopper!

The post 7 Enlightening Night Photography Tips to Master During Summer appeared first on The Motif Blog.

1. Water
2. Sunrises and sunsets
3. Summer sports
4. Vibrant food
5. Wildlife
6. Travel highlights
7. Things that sparkle in summer

Summer’s bright rays and glorious blue skies make for beautiful photographs. With a trained eye and these summer photoshoot ideas, you can capture the best moments without even breaking a sweat.

7 Summer Photoshoot Ideas

When it comes to getting some memorable summer shots, sometimes a little creativity goes a long way. The following photoshoot ideas not only guarantee gorgeous images, but are specifically selected to help keep you cool on those blazing hot summer days.

1.   Water

In the heat of summer, people naturally gravitate toward cooling off in the water. It could be the local beach  or the sprinklers in your backyard. Whatever water you have access to, use it to photograph photos . Water creates dynamic images so picture  kids running through the water or splashing around in the pool.

Try focusing on the water itself. Any moving body of water is perfect for testing long exposure photography. The technique is not difficult You simply select a slower shutter speed to achieve it then any moving element will become blurry. But not in a bad way. A crashing wave or streaming waterfall will transform and look smooth while the background remains crisp to create contrast.

2.   Sunrises and sunsets

The time right after sunrise and before sunset is known as golden hour. It’s a photography term referring to the rich yellow tone that fills the sky. Golden hour shots create undeniably aesthetic  images. Leverage this low lighting to shoot portraits, silhouettes, and landscape photos.

Get the best sunset photo by maximizing the depth of field. That means setting your camera’s aperture high and the ISO low. Keep exposure down, since the sun’s light gets intense. Low exposure also helps create interesting silhouettes.

3.   Summer sports

Surfing, sailing, waterskiing. Summer sports provide great fodder for photographers. There’s an endless stream of inspiration. Focus on the athlete, like a surfer standing next to his board. Zoom in on the features of a sailboat. Or catch the sport in action. To avoid melting in the sun, choose golden hour shots or get in the water yourself. Not only will you feel cooler, you might grab a different angle.   

Photographing sports is like getting great pet photos. Your camera needs to be in continuous focus mode to prevent blurry images. Using a smartphone? Select burst mode to snap several photos consecutively. Remember, you miss 100% of the shots you never take. So take more than you think you need.

The colors of this season are bold and bright . Strawberry daiquiris, mint chocolate chip ice cream, and corn on the cob. Photograph these deliciously vibrant scenes that are begging to be captured. There are several ways to do this. One option is to stage food for still life photography. Make the outdoors your backdrop for a more seasonal feel. If you love the carefree spirit of summer, make your food photos more candid.  No need to style anything. Keep the focus on the food and the backdrop simple.

5.   Wildlife

Many creatures come alive in the summer. Squirrels, rabbits, deer and bears are all common sightings in the warmer months. Some of these animals you can find in your backyard. So why not spend some time on your deck with a camera ready to shoot these beautiful animals?

The best part is you don’t have to be outside in the midday heat. Wildlife wakes up and wanders early in the morning. Photograph them before the sun begins to  beam. If you have a telephoto lens, even better,it will help you get closer to animals without scaring them away. Otherwise, zoom in as much as possible. It’s important to not disturb the wildlife. So keep a safe distance.

6.   Travel highlights

Taking a trip during summer break? Traveling offers unique experiences and exciting new scenery. Keep your eyes open for majestic mountain views or stunning landscapes.. Photography is the perfect way to document your trip. Treat it like a photo diary. Take several photos each day to capture the highlights. Once you arrive at your destination, focus on its best features. Combine that with more personal photos. If you find yourself off the beaten path or mingling with locals, bust out the camera! Locals can be a great resource to point out things you won’t find in brochures. 

7.   Things that sparkle

Between longer days and clearer skies, the summer offers lots of sparkle. The stars seem brighter and depending on where you live, you might have even seen some fireflies during these balmy nights. For those in urban areas, stars and fireflies may be scarce. Your sparkle may come in the form of string lights in a courtyard. No matter the source, sparkle is always worth capturing. . It always makes for a unique photoshoot idea.

Photographing light can be  tricky. Play around with depth of field when shooting string lights. You need long exposure and a steady tripod. Fireflies are also challenging  because of their rapid movement. To capture these fluttering bugs, set the ISO high and exposure time low.

Turn Summer Photoshoot Ideas Into a Long-Lasting Memory

Your outdoor photography and golden hour shots deserve to be on display. They represent your beloved summer memories. Look back at these warm images months from now for an instant boost.

Show off your favorite memories of this season by creating a photo book. Choosing Motif to help design your photo book is the easy way to create a lasting memory that you and your family can treasure. . Motif integrates with your iPhone and macOS photos and curates the highest quality shots from your collection. It’s the perfect way to cap off your easy-breezy summer.

The post 7 Summer Photoshoot Ideas That Won’t Have You Breaking a Sweat appeared first on The Motif Blog.