A NIGHT ON THE TOWN
Night Photography Outing

CLASS REQUIREMENTS

BASIC COURSE PREREQUISITES

For greatest enjoyment, you should be fairly comfortable with your camera’s operations and controls. If you’ve taken a class with us before, you’re probably fine. Otherwise, we offer very nice fundamental photography classes designed for your needs like Get to Know Your Camera.

EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

  • DIGITAL SLR CAMERA (or ADVANCED Point-and-Shoot that allows for long exposures):
    • Tripod & Head: It’s way too dark to take hand-held shots, unless you just want blur and light streaks.
    • Lens Suggestions: Wide-angle to Medium Telephoto (Focal lengths of 14mm to 200mm, taking crop factor into account.)
    • Flashlight and/or Headlamp: It’s very hard to see your camera’s controls when it’s dark. A headlamp is perfect because it lets you use both hands. A bright flashlight will let you fill dark shadows or to “paint with light.”

KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS

  • Manual Exposure or Aperture Priority Modes and how to change the following settings:
  • Shutter Speed
  • Aperture (F-Stop)
  • ISO
  • Self-timer or use of Remote Shutter Release
    • Exposure Compensation (in Aperture Priority)

WHAT TO WEAR, ETC.

As with any outdoor situation, you should be prepared for all weather conditions to protect yourself and your equipment. Here’s a brief list of what you might bring:

  • Comfortable Shoes: You’ll be walking around town.
  • Brimmed Hat to keep distracting lights from shining in your eyes as you peer through the viewfinder.
  • Long Pants: You’ll probably kneel down from time to time.
  • Hat, Gloves, & Jacket for when temperatures drop at night.
  • Rain Jacket & possibly Rain Pants: Rain is great, making sidewalks and pavement reflect the surrounding lights.
  • Synthethic Undergarments on colder nights will keep you warm and wick away moisture from your skin.
  • Snacks & Liquids: Stay hydrated and keep your energy. There are stores, but that just takes time away from photography.
  • Insect Repellent: During the summer, consider a DEET repellent to ward off mosquitoes and no see ums.

IN THE FIELD

When we’re in town, you can probably find food, but you still want to be somewhat self-sufficient to keep from being separated from the group. Travel light and try to keep all your equipment on your body instead of having to set down a backpack full of equipment for someone to steal.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

Unless there’s a downpour, we’re shooting. Rainy pavement reflects the surrounding light. It’s wonderful! But, if for some reason the weather prevents us from shooting, you’ll be notified the night before or just prior to the outing. So, please check your email and have your cell phones on. In case the outing is postposed due to inclement weather, the field session will automatically be rescheduled to the posted make-up date. So, please mark the make-up date in your schedule, too.

If you have questions about this workshop, please email us or phone 630-852-8448.