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Night Photography 101. . . Don't Look Like The Lookout! by John E. Moss Jamestown, KY It was hard to believe. More so since it was 3:30 in the morning and I found myself miles from home standing in a large church cemetery wondering if my common sense had callously abandoned me without so much as a whispered notice of intent. It was dark, no . . . it was seriously dark with an occasional misty rain and chilling breeze swirling about. And . . . I assumed in good faith, that it was my own hand in front of my face even though I couldn't see any fingers moving this way and that. (article continues...) I was counting off two minutes before closing the shutter of my camera. It was the third fine tuning try on this particular photograph. This action, I surmised considering the new calculations and settings, would produce a viewable photograph; a keeper as they are known. To my left was total darkness and down the hill in front of me was a small white church highlighted within the early morning darkness by a solitary light hanging precariously from a weathered telephone pole. To my right was darkness occasionally violated by speeding cars running North West along the highway. This unusual close encounter experience was my hands on introduction to night photography 101. I quickly realized it couldn't have been any more fun had there been a monkey with a whistle and several lightly clad dancing girls involved. I had found my calling. Over the following months, I realized a small set of guidelines for shooting night photographs. These few rules held true if you were shooting in a large or small city or on a back country road. Now some of them are age adjusted, but most of the guidelines consist of everyday common sense things and a few things that were learned by boneheaded hands-on experience. Perhaps one of the most important things about location shooting is that it is much like going on a summer or family vacation trip of any distance. Go to the bathroom before you go on location and setup all your equipment. You don't want to set everything up just right and then realize those involuntary rectal tremors that seemed funny in the car are now a short minute or so apart. And, they are not going to stop without a natural conclusion . . . soon, if not very soon. Dancing around in circles in the middle of a dimly lit street with clinched rectal muscles buys you only so much time, and possibly a lot of unwanted attention. Unwanted attention turned in any direction or upside down is not good. And, it is best to be kept in mind that it takes only one unfortunate rectal incident to drive this point home. Plan accordingly. It is also important to note that at 3:30 or 4:45 in the morning scarce public restrooms are exceptionally dangerous, if available at all. It should also be known that convenience store clerks are not happy to see you. Employee restrooms are not for what they consider early morning perverts or immoral deviants. They don't understand emergencies and will run you out of their store with a broom, vengeance or pointed stick. Worst yet, they will call the police on you. Also, public defecation or such will also qualify you for a serious law enforcement introduction. A cardinal rule of thumb is that no matter how deserted or dark things seem around you . . . someone is always watching. You can just about bank on that. You should always park your vehicle close. Closer if you consider your age, poundage and tenuous physical abilities. Remember, emergencies happen due to no fault or encouragement of your own. I once had a speeding train coming at me while I twisted camera dials, removed lens caps and adjusted my tripod at the top of an elevated train platform. In the midst of all this, I suffered a catastrophic suspender failure. (these were not snap on suspenders that could be re-snapped) So there I was holding my Nikon in one hand and my trousers up with the other, and the train was getting closer and closer. The train horn was so loud it made the hair on my ears vibrate. It was a chance choice of an unique photograph or dignity . . . photograph or dignity? Well, the photograph came out pretty good considering the trying circumstances. Fortunately, I kept an emergency leather waist belt in the trunk of the car and it was quickly retrieved. The shoot continued without further incident. Always have emergency clothing and accessories available. Another thing to remember is that if you hear drunken voices echoing between the buildings around you or down the street, don't hesitate. Pack your stuff up and run away. You can circle around a couple of blocks and come back later, but drunks don't mix with modest or expensive digital camera equipment. Pack it up, move on. On one shoot I heard the inebriated coming from a block away. I instantly recognized the bunch of them would be an unfortunate handful and I didn't want to be standing alone in their path. I threw everything into the backseat of the car and ran away like a little girl running after free ice cream. You could have called me Nancy Boy that morning. It didn't matter. But, I came back a few minutes later and on the second setup got one of the best night shots I have ever made. It is good to remember that if you have your equipment setup on a semi-dark street corner at 4:30 am and a police car stops at the light, Don't Look Like The Lookout! Even mild or curious suspicion breeds unwanted attention. Make casual, but indifferent eye contact, keep your hands in sight at all times and make sure he, she or them see your tripod and camera. Let them realize what you are doing. Remember you are taking photographs. You are innocent until you run or do something really, really stupid. If the police ask you questions, remember your manners, and for heaven's sake don't try to pet or put your hands around the face of the dog in the back of the patrol car. It is not generally pleasant and often hungry. For the most part, police car dogs are fed after their shift ends unless they are full of felons. Is night photography fun, and worth all the planning and effort? You betcha. Despite wind, rain, critters hiding in the darkness, or standing on a train platform with your trousers around your ankles wearing your least favorite red striped underwear, and train passengers wantonly pointing out the windows in your direction, if the photograph is safely in the camera, it is worth it all! John E. Moss Jamestown, KY Next Time: Night Photography 101 . . If It's In Your Bag . . . Know What It Is. This story was posted on 2010-02-28 15:35:23
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