Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/12/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Scott McLoughlin asked: Subject: [Leica] OT: Shooting Xmas trees at night - ?<<<<< >>>I'm interested in shooting some xmas trees at night (outdoors). I plan to use a tripod, I suppose. But how should I meter the trees? They will be all lit up. Will I run into reciprocity failure issues? What might be some good films to use, color and B&W?<<< Hi Scott, I suppose I'm the least technical person to answer your question. :-) However, if you'd like simple voice of experience answering your question this is how I've done it for years and exactly the way I do it with digital. I look through the view finder camera in hand until I feel comfortable with what I'm looking at. Camera goes on tripod, I set everything for the same composition. Then I look through the viewfinder squeeze down gently on the shutter release to activate the meter and if it looks OK, click! :-) That's it. Then shoot some bracketing by either an exposure time or aperture setting. I've shot Kodachrome 25 & 64 & 100 in this fashion, other slide films to ASA 400. I prefer daylight balance film, generally ASA 100. I suppose that technical reciprocity stuff might come into play on long exposures, but you are going to bracket a half dozen frames either side of the meter read setting anyway, so you eliminate it. ;-) Keep it simple, don't get all hung up on the technical stuff as it'll only drive you crazy and you'll probably screw-up more film than not. Worse comes to worse, shoot a roll as early as you can when the lights come up on the trees, get in right away to the lab and have a look. If you screwed-up you've got time to go back and re-shoot better and more houses. If it's digital shoot tons of frames as it doesn't cost a dime and sooner or later you'll have some that work. I'd use ASA 100 or 200 and in my case... I'll be shooting everything on automatic and looking at what the exposure is. Then I go manual and bracket by my gut feeling. Like a half stop over and under, a full stop over and under and that's about it. The chances are with the 20D Leicanon, I'll shoot a number on auto, then move on without any changing or fiddling. This is from experience of shooting at night on the streets of Lisbon in September. Completely a no brainer set at ASA 100 and shoot while the camera sorts out the exposure. I used ASA 100 and shot most of the night stuff on auto stopped down to f22 for longer exposures to capture the traffic light patterns. I trust this helps, but like I said, it's not too bright from a techies point of view. But from a, do it, done it, point of experience, it works. :-) Oh, on B&W film choice? Forget it! Christmas tree lights are all about "coloured lights" therefore a colour subject. Scan your colour slides into Photoshop, switch to B&W and you'll be only too pleased you didn't waste money on B&W film and processing. ;-) ted Ted Grant Photography Limited 1817 Feltham Road Victoria BC V8N 2A4 250-477-2156