Professional Diploma in

PHOTOGRAPHY

SUMMARY NOTES
Module 2 - Week Three
MODULE 2

AFTER DARK, THE

5.01
ENTIRE WORLD
CHANGES AND OFFERS Low Light Photography
A COMPLETELY

5.02
DIFFERENT
PHOTOGRAPHIC Lowlight Scenarios
EXPERIENCE. LETS

5.03
EXPLORE THE EXCITING
WORLD OF LOW Putting it into Practice
LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

5.04
AND THE INCREDIBLE
IMAGES WE CAN Telescopes
MAKE WITH LONG

5.05
EXPOSURES, DRAWING
WITH LIGHT AND Capturing the Stars
USING FLASH FOR
EXTRA IMPACT. WE
WILL ALSO EXPLORE
ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY
5.06 Northern Lights & Time-lapse
AND THE PROCESS OF
CAPTURING THE NIGHT
SKY.

Low Light Photography

5.01
Low Light Photography

LOW LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

The key to good low light and Night time photography is
understanding the Tools and the settings that you are going
to be using frequently in these situations. The notes here will
look in detail at the key areas of the camera and some tools
that will help you improve your lowlight photography. Then
we will explain how to capture long exposures and how to
photograph the stars as well. For the purposes of these notes
“The key to it is recommended that you have a good understanding of how
good low light the aperture and the shutter work in your camera.
and Night time You will need to understand:
photography is • ISO
• Reducing Noise
understanding • Exposure
the Tools and • RAW
the settings • Infinity
• Mirror Lock Up
that you • Tripods
are going • Cable Releases & Wireless Remotes
to be using
frequently It is possible to find majority of these topics in-depth from
other lessons and summary notes.
in these
situations. ”
 5.01
Module 2 - Week 3

ISO
ISO is the component of the camera that measures the image sensor’s sensitivity
to light. Higher the ISO, more the sensitivity to light. Lesser the ISO, lesser the
sensitivity to light. It also has a direct impact on the exposure of the image. Higher
sensitivity to light results in higher exposure and lesser sensitivity to light will
reduce the exposure. This is a very important part of the camera because it is
from the image sensor that the camera translates the information of light that
is falling on the film into an image However, when you increase the ISO you will
add noise to the image. More the ISO, more noise will appear all over your image,
particularly in dark and shadow areas.
Like aperture and shutter, ISO also has a standard scale of measurement with
standard distribution of units. On most cameras the lowest ISO value is 100 and
the maximum goes up to 3200. On higher end camera, ISO starts at 50 and can
go beyond 3200. The ISO scale ranges from 100 to 3200 starting from ISO100,
then ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800, ISO 1600 and ISO 3200. From the scale, you can
see that each value of ISO keeps on doubling as it increases. That’s because, every
time you are increasing the ISO, you are doubling the sensitivity to light. Double
the sensitivity gives double the amount of light.

Extended ISO
On some cameras it is possible to extend the ISO range.

It’s mostly common to have an expandable ISO range give you an extra stop of
light at either end. For example, a native ISO range on a DSLR is 6,400 and the
expanded ISO does 12,800. This can be really nice if you find yourself trying to
photograph in a lot of dimly lit environments. However, there is a severe trade-off
to having this feature in our newer DSLRs, and that is poor image quality.
5.01
Low Light Photography

Reducing Noise
In modern cameras the ISO functionality is very good. This means that you
shouldn’t see too much noise in your images, even up to ISO 1600. However,
there might still be some noise at the higher ISO numbers, so be aware of your
exposure. Shooting at a lower ISO means you will have less noise in your image.
To avoid shooting at high ISOs, if possible, open your aperture to its widest setting
i.e. f/2.8. If you are shooting in low light or use a tripod. If none of these options
give you the correct exposure, then you will need to push the ISO up higher. Do
some test shots to find out at what level the ISO settings on your camera start to
degrade image quality.

Exposure
In the past Digital cameras handled highlight detail very poorly, meaning many
photographers underexposed photos to ensure highlight detail. Sensors are now
much more advanced and adept at capturing highlight detail. As a result, you can
expose correctly without fear of having noise in the shadows, or problems in the
highlights. You can actually overexpose slightly so that the shadows are a little
brighter than normal and then you can pull the highlights down in Post editing.
This can be incredibly effective at reducing noise in shadows. Just be careful not
to over expose the photo too much.

RAW
RAW is a great way to get the best out of your images. The reason is that JPEG
images already have compression applied to them. This means that there is already
some noise, and what is known as JPEG artifacts, in the photo. If you are using a
high ISO with JPEG files, the noise can become even worse. In post-production,
you have much more flexibility removing noise, and increasing exposure, with a
RAW file than a JPEG.
 5.01
Module 2 - Week 3

Focus To Infinity
In photography, infinity focus is when the lens forms a sharp image of an object
an infinite distance away from the camera. Infinity on a camera lens is a point at
which no more adjustment needs to be made for objects that are further away to
be in focus.

How to focus at infinity:

1. Auto-focus at the horizon (infinity).
2. If you want to maintain infinity focus, then use small piece of gaffers tape on
the focus ring of lens affixing it to the body of the lens, thus preventing focus
ring from moving.
3. Switch to manual focus (on lens and camera).
4. You are now locked at infinity, you can alter the focus manually from here by
removing the gaffers tape if you used it.

If it’s daytime, point it at infinity, let the camera autofocus, and lock focus.

If it’s dark, find something at infinity

which is bright enough for the camera to
see. There’s almost always a distant light
on a building someplace, and modern AF
systems easily can focus on these.
The best news is that most people haven’t
tried, but modern cameras are so sensitive
that they usually can focus quite easily on
bright objects in the sky, like a planet, and
certainly on the moon.
Get your camera to autofocus on
something at infinity, and then lock the
focus. On most DSLRs, lock focus by
sliding your AF switch to MANUAL, and
be careful not to knock your lens
5.01
Low Light Photography

Mirror Lock Up
Mirror lock-up (often abbreviated to MLU) is a feature employed in many Single
Lens Reflex cameras. It allows the operator to reduce vibration-induced motion
blur during exposure. It also allows the mounting of lenses which extend into the
SLR’s mirror box when mounted. Mirror lockup makes the mirror flip up for a
moment before you activate the shutter. The idea is that the vibrations caused by
the fast-flipping mirror can cause sharpness problems. Generally, mirror lockup
is used by landscape photographers and macro photographers who are shooting
from a tripod and is also very useful for lowlight photography.
Tripods
Tripods are sold either as complete sets, or as separate leg and head systems.
The top-of-the-line options are typically sold as separate pieces, allowing further
flexibility for the photographer to choose what’s really going to work well for
them. Of course, that also turns one decision into two. It’s simpler and typically
cheaper to purchase a complete system together. Whichever option you prefer to
purchase, the important thing is to make sure both the head and the legs will work
well for your style. Along with the legs and head, tripods also have feet which are
at the bottom of the legs. The feet help grip the floor. Most tripods have built-in
feet, but some advanced options include swappable shoes to adjust based on
what surface the tripod is resting on, offering extra stability for icy or slippery
conditions.
Cables Releases & Wireless Remotes
A remote shutter release is a remote way to trigger your camera shutter without
having to touch the camera. In the earlier days, it was generally referred to
as a cable release. There are two types of releases for cameras: tethered and
untethered. The difference between the two is that a tethered release is a wired
device whereas an untethered release is a wireless one. Either can be used to
‘lock’ the exposure, so when shooting in BULB mode you do not need to keep
you finger on the exposure button! The more common release used today is an
electronic release.
 5.02
Module 2 - Week 3

LOWLIGHT SCENARIOS
Twilight • Can be hand-held
• Image Stabiliser is especially
useful
• White Balance can be warm or
cool depending on mood
• Wide to Mid range apertures if
possible
• ISO from 400 - 1600
• Tripod ideal but not essential

Indoor • Can be hand-held

• Image Stabiliser is especially
useful
• White Balance can be warm or
cool depending on mood
• Wide apertures if possible
• ISO from 400 - 1600
• Tripod ideal but not essential
• Dynamic range can be an issue
– HDR an option
• Consider flash
5.02
Low Light Photography

• FAST SHUTTER SPEEDS Fireworks

• Image Stabiliser is especially
useful
• Wide apertures if possible
• ISO from 400 - 1600

SLOW SHUTTER SPEEDS

• Shutter speeds 1 – 5 secs
• Mid range to deep apertures if
possible
• ISO from 100 – keep it low
• Tripod essential

• Tripod is essential
• White Balance can be warm or Lightning
cool depending on mood
• Higher aperture values to
reduce light
• ISO from 100
• Cable or wireless remote
• Long Exposures to increase
chance to capture lightning
• Monitor Weather reports –
plan ahead
• Rain cover for camera
• Be Safe!
 5.02
Module 2 - Week 3

Light Trails • Tripod is essential

• White Balance can be warm or
cool depending on mood
• Higher aperture values to
increase exposure time
• ISO from 100
• Cable or wireless remote is
useful but not essential
• Consider the time & place you
shoot

Light Painting • Tripod is essential

• Higher aperture values to
reduce light to lengthen
exposure
• ISO from 100
• Cable or wireless remote
• Use location with very little
light
• Bring torch to help focus
• Move quickly when painting
5.03
Low Light Photography

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Long exposure photography combines static objects and moving subject matter
that creates a visually stunning image. They work particularly well for landscape,
seascape and night time shots. These types of photos are appealing as they enable
the viewer to see something that cannot be perceived by the naked eye. Moving
water can be made to look like a soft mist, moving clouds appear hazy and moving
lights give off luminous streaks. This is what makes a scene more captivating.
In order to takes these shots, it is necessary that you are confident with your
cameras manual mode and able to implement the correct settings on your model.

Once you have found the ideal location your long exposure, make sure you have
the right equipment and settings in place.

Tripod:
A tripod or solid mount will be needed. These are used to prevent camera shake
and extreme blur running throughout the whole picture.
Bulb Mode:
Bulb mode is a setting available on most professional DSLR cameras. Once in bulb
mode, you simply press the shutter button once to open the shutter, and then
you press it again to close the shutter. This gives you control over how long the
shutter is open for and how long your exposure is.
Shutter Speed:
Depending on the light in your scene, your shutter time will need to be roughly 10
to 15 seconds longer than the standard setting you’d use.
Aperture: An aperture of f/8 and f/16 will usually work best. Aperture settings
will also depend on how much light is in your scene and how much exposure you
want in the image.
ISO:
It’s best to maintain a low ISO of about 100 in order to prevent picture grain.
Remote Shutter:
It enables you to capture the shot without touching the camera. This can also aid
in preventing motion blur. Using the cameras timer of roughly 2 seconds will also
work best.
 5.03
Module 2 - Week 3
5.04
Low Light Photography

TELESCOPES
Refractor Telescope
Here’s what’s inside a basic refractor telescope. The job of the objective lens,
opposite the eyepiece end, is to gather the light coming from a distant object,
such as a star, and bend it into a single point of focus. A second lens’ (the eyepiece)
job is to enlarge that focused image for our retina; it acts as a magnifying glass.
Think of the focused light coming in from the first lens as a bug, and think of the
eyepiece magnifier as a basic magnifying glass that we look at the bug with.

Reflector Telescope
A reflector telescope uses two mirrors instead of two lenses. Isaac Newton
developed this telescope to combat chromatic aberration (a rainbow seen around
some objects viewed with a refractor telescope). A mirror used to gather light
doesn’t suffer from this effect. Light from an object enters the telescope tube
and is reflected off a curved mirror at the end of the tube. A second, small, flat
mirror in the middle of the tube reflects this image to the eyepiece. There are
potential problems associated with the mirrors. Firstly, some light is always lost in
the reflection; good quality telescopes can usually gather 90% of the light coming
in. Secondly, the mirror might not be a perfect curve, so the image being reflected
will not come to a perfect point. This results in a dragging effect; a point could be
seen as a line or cross. Also, the mirrors need to be cleaned and realigned from
time to time.
 5.05
Module 2 - Week 3

CAPTURING THE STARS

Wait for the right weather.
Of course, you can’t photograph the stars if you can’t see them, so you’ll have to
pick the right night to head out, a clear night is best. A little bit of wispy clouds
can work, but the skies will need to be mostly clear. Pay attention to the moon as
well—light from a full moon will overpower light from the stars, getting you fewer
stars in the image. You can use this website: [Link] to help
plan your location and optimal time to shoot.

Choose a location.
When it comes to shooting the stars, choosing a location comes down to more
than just finding a nice scene. You’ll need to avoid light pollution—that means
staying away from cities and heading out to a rural location. Stick away from
street lights, buildings and other artificial light sources. Bring a flashlight along so
you can get set up easily, and a friend for safety, especially in unfamiliar areas.

Set up your tripod.

A tripod is a must for night sky photography. With little light available, you’ll need
a longer shutter speed, so a tripod is necessary for a sharp shot.
If you are aiming to shoot star trails making a circular pattern across the sky (more
on that next), you’ll need to include either the north or south pole in the image for
that circular pattern. If you are shooting in the northern hemisphere, you can find
the north pole by looking for the Big Dipper and finding the North Star, on the
end of the handle. The south pole is a bit more difficult to locate, but you can use
a program like Stellarium ([Link]

Set your exposure settings.

There’s no one right way to shoot the stars. The first thing you’ll need to decide
on is if you want to capture the stars as pinpricks of light, or as star trails. The
rotation of the earth will give stars a motion blur effect—if you’d like to keep the
stars sharp, you’ll need a shorter shutter speed. Around 30 seconds will let in
more light, while still being short enough to prevent the rotation of the earth from
creating star trails. With that “shorter” shutter speed, you’ll need to use a wide
aperture and a high ISO.
5.05
Low Light Photography

LENS HOODS
Set Your Focus.
Autofocus doesn’t work for photographing night skies so switch to manual focus
instead. Start by twisting the lens to the infinity mark, then adjust from there. This
may take some practice, and it’s one of the ways becoming familiar with your own
gear will help you become a better photographer. If you find a “sweet spot” for
stars, write it down or put a sticker on your lens there, so you can easily remember
it next time you shoot

Shoot.
You picked the right night, a good scene, set the exposure and the focus and now
it’s time to take the shot. To avoid introducing camera shake when you press the
shutter release, use a remote control. Cameras with built-in wi-fi can be triggered
remotely with an app, or many manufacturers make remote releases that are
relatively inexpensive. If you don’t have a release, you could also set your camera
to the self-timer, so your hand isn’t on the camera when the exposure starts.

Review and adjust.

Photographing the stars takes some practice, and some patience. Take a look at
your photos—what can you improve? How many stars can you see? If you can’t
see many stars, your exposure may not be quite long enough, or there may be
light pollution from street lights or the moon. If your photo is too noisy from a
high ISO, you could try a longer exposure. Or, if you don’t want the stars to turn
into star trails, you can take two photos—one that freezes the stars, and a second
at a lower ISO and longer shutter speed that captures the scenery without noise,
then combine those two images in your favorite photo editor.

Capturing the magnificence of the night sky can be tricky, but when you get it
right, you’re left with an amazing image. Choose a night with few clouds and little
moonlight, and a location without light pollution. Use a tripod and put some time
into figuring out the exposure settings for either star trails or crisp pinpoints of
light. You will probably need a few tries to get it right—exercise a bit of patience
and continue reworking the shot; you’ll be glad you did.
 5.06
Module 2 - Week 3

NORTHERN LIGHTS & TIME LAPSE

Northern Lights • Tripod is essential
• Wide angle lens
• Wide to mid range aperture
values
• ISO from 100 for long
exposures, 3200+ for short
• Cable or wireless remote
• Focus to infinity
• Monitor Weather reports
• Cold will be a factor
• Bring spare batteries
• Rain cover for camera

Time-lapse •
•
Locate the North Star
Shoot on a cold, dry night
• Shoot when there is no moon
• Find a location away from light
Pollution
• Bring a torch
• Wide angle for best results
• Focus to infinity
• Zoom in and ensure sharpness
• Use cable release
• Set Continuous shutter
• Use spare battery and card
• Keep an eye for condensation
• Bring an absorbent lens cloth
5.06
Low Light Photography
MODULE 2

MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY
IS PHOTOGRAPHING
SMALL OBJECTS OR
INSECTS AND IS A
HUGELY POPULAR AREA 6.01 Macro, Micro & Close-up
IN PHOTOGRAPHY.
THIS LESSON EXPLORES
ALL THINGS MACRO. 6.02 Macro Ratios
THE TWO BIGGEST
CHALLENGES
FOR MACRO 6.03 Minimum Focal Distance
PHOTOGRAPHERS

6.04
ARE GETTING CLOSE
ENOUGH TO THE Macro Equipment
SUBJECT AND GETTING

6.05
ENOUGH LIGHT IN THE
SCENE. WE LOOK AT ALL Focus Stacking
THE OPTIONS HERE FOR
CREATING STUNNING
MACRO PHOTOS AND
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT
6.06 Areas To Explore
THE WORLD AROUND
YOU!

Macro
6.01
Macro

MACRO, MICRO & CLOSE UP

Macro photography is the art of taking extreme close-ups of
small objects and making a little world appear larger. Taking
macro shots can be extremely fun and beneficial in developing
your skills as a photographer. Macro shots make for great stock
imagery and canvas prints as they engage the viewer and make
the subject matter larger than life. However, it is not easy to
achieve flawless macro photos; it takes time, practice and the
“Macro shots correct equipment in order to take the most vivid and exquisite
make for great macro imagery.
stock imagery
and canvas Macro, Mirco and Close up – what are the differences?
• Macro photography is that which is taken with a dedicated
prints as they macro lens. A real macro lens has the capability of achieving
engage the in the least a 1:1 magnification. Just because a camera has
viewer and the word macro written on it, doesn’t make it a true macro
lens. Both the Nikon and Canon lenses mentioned above,
make the are considered real macro lenses. The word Macro means
subject matter big so the objective of a macro photo is to enlarge the
larger than life” subject.

• Micro refers to subjects that are photographed at a Ratio

that is above 20:1

• Close up photography, is the act of photographing objects

such as flowers or insects in close range so the subject you
are photographing fills the frame. In other words, it’s the act
of photographing subjects close up.
 6.02
Module 2 - Week 3

MACRO RATIOS
To understand what a macro lens ratio is, you first need to understand the basic
concept of a digital camera. When light enters the camera through the lens, the
scene that you see hits the sensor and is recorded as a digital image.

Of course, most of the time, what we see is much larger than the sensor inside of a
camera. If you are photographing a tree that’s ten feet tall, of course it’s not going
to be ten feet on your camera sensor. The lens ratio gives us an idea of just how
much space an object takes up on the camera sensor, versus how much space it
takes up in real life. If you are photographing an item that is six inches tall, and it
takes up one inch on the sensor, it’s being captured by the camera in a 1:6 ratio.
For macro photography, ratios help indicate how big you can make those tiny
objects appear. A true macro lens is usually considered as a 1:1, so a bug that’s
5 cm tall will be 5 cm tall on the sensor. Some lenses are marketed as macro but
have a 1:2 ratio, so that 5 cm bug is just 2.5 cm on the sensor.

Why does the ratio matter?

A lens with a 1:1 ratio allows you to get in close and capture the object at life size.
Magnification is of course affected by distance. You can use most macro lenses to
take a picture of a tree from a distance because you don’t achieve that 1:1 ratio
until you are close up. A macro lens will achieve that ratio at the minimum focus
distance.
6.03
Macro

MINIMUM FOCAL DISTANCE

If you’ve tried to take a close-up with a non-macro lens, you probably heard the
lens whirring away, trying to find a focal point and failing. Because of the design
of a lens, the lens can only focus on objects so close. A macro lens can focus on
objects that are closer to the front of the lens than a normal lens.

The minimum focus distance will be listed in a lens’ tech specs, and it simply
indicates how close you can get to the subject and still focus. To achieve the
maximum ratio, like that 1:1, you’ll need to be as close to the subject as the lens
allows, or right at that minimum focus distance.

When it comes to the minimum focus distance, the focal length of the lens matters
too. A 35mm lens needs a very small minimum focus distance of just a few inches
in order to achieve a macro ratio of 1:1. A 200mm lens, however, can achieve that
ratio from a few feet away, thanks to the zooming power of the lens.

It is possible to work out a lenses minimum focus distance by using the camera’s
Focal Plane Mark. Focus distance is measured from the camera’s sensor and not
the front of the lens. This mark on the camera indicates where the camera’s sensor
is and using this, a measuring tape and an object that we have focused on we
can work out the lenses minimum focus distance.
 6.04
Module 2 - Week 3

MACRO EQUIPMENT

Macro Lens
Macro lenses are a great addition to any photographer’s kit. Look for a lens with at
least a 1:1 ratio to get extreme close-ups. Consider the minimum focus distance,
as well as the focal length of the lens. Fixed or prime lenses are less expensive
than zoom lenses, but they are a bit tougher to use with moving subjects, like
insects. A wide maximum aperture will come in handy shooting in low light and
blurring out the background, but they’re tricky to use in macro photography, and
it’s usually better to use a bit narrower aperture to keep the subject in focus. Since
you can use a macro lens for more than just closeups, consider what other uses it
may help with and what you already have in your kit as well.

Macro lenses: Maximum aperture

The maximum aperture you can use is determined by the lens. Some lenses allow
you to shoot as wide as f/1.8 or even f/1.4. Lenses that are less expensive or that
have a longer focal length usually have a narrower aperture, like f/3.6.

But do you really need an f/1.8 lens for

macro photography? Aperture determines
the depth of field, or how much of the
image is in focus, and an f/1.8 results in
a very smooth out-of-focus background.
But aperture isn’t the only thing that plays
a role in the depth of field. The distance
between the camera and the subject
plays a role too. The closer you are to
the subject, the softer that background
will be. Of course, when you’re shooting
macro, you are getting in really close.
Combine that with a wide f/1.8 aperture,
and only a very small portion of the image
will be in focus.
6.04
Macro

Extension Tubes
The most common way to provide macro functionality to a system is by adding
macro extension tubes. Macro tubes are circular elements that connect between
the camera and the lens. The rings have no optical elements so they do not take
any quality away from the photograph. Extension tubes are designed to enable
a lens to focus closer than its normal set minimum focusing distance. They are
exceptionally useful for macro photography, enabling you to convert almost any
lens into a macro lens at a fraction of the cost while maintaining its original optical
quality. Do go for the electronic versions if possible to avoid focus/aperture issues!

Reverse Rings
A Reverse Ring is an metal ring mount, which has a dedicated camera mount on
one side and a threaded mount with dedicated diameter.

Macro Bellows
These are used for extreme close ups are macro bellows by extending the length of
your lens they allow you to get closer to whatever you’re shooting while remaining
focused. These are very controllable on length but can be tricky to expose with.
Close-up Filters
Close-up Filters represent the low end of quality when it comes to macro
photography. As with the extension tubes those come in multi-pack where each
filter supplies a different amount of magnification. But with each macro filter you
stack on your lens, you get just a little bit less quality.

Macro Flashes
We can use complex flash units to add more light to or Macro photography. These
are known as Macro flash systems. These systems attach directly to the front of
the lens so that the light falls directly onto the subject. However, these systems
are very costly.
 6.05
Module 2 - Week 3

FOCUS STACKING
Focus stacking is similar to High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography, because it
solves a problem by merging several photos together. While HDR merges photos
taken at several different exposures together, focus stacking merges images taken
either with different focal points, or sometimes with different aperture values.
The photos are then stacked together using Photoshop or a specialized focus
stacking software in a way that allows more of the shot to appear sharp.
Focus stacking can involve more than one image. If you are close to the subject like
in macro photography, you’ll need more layers. A few layers can be easily merged
together in Photoshop, but images that involve several layers are best merged
with a specialized software, such as TuFuse, Helicon Focus or CombineZM.

Focus stacking can become quite time consuming, and focus stacking large
amounts of photos together requires specialized software. Using this technique is
a great way to get a sharp shot when a narrow aperture isn’t enough or just isn’t
possible with the available light and is used frequently in Macro Photography.
6.06
Macro

AREAS TO EXPLORE
Insects

Creative
 6.06
Module 2 - Week 3

Food

People
6.06
Macro

Nature

Abstract
[Link]