Night Fashion Photography

When I started working on night fashion photography assignments, in the beginning, I have to be honest it was a struggle. As there were so many ideas running through my head, that I was unable to keep up with all of them while capturing flawless images.

However, with time I developed skills that allowed me to be the knight of the night. As you cannot be a successful fashion photographer without acing night fashion photography.

I am not talking about an indoor controlled environment, I am referring to outdoor shoots that are covered in various areas of the city.

[pullquote] the sooner you develop skills to make it look perfect the better your career will move forward.[/pullquote]

The only trick with night fashion photography is that the sooner you learn it cannot be perfect the better, and the sooner you develop skills to make it look perfect the better your career will move forward.

Here are a few things I keep in mind that might help you when you are out at night covering another stunning night fashion photography assignment.

  • Camera Settings – at night you will be required to ace your camera setting techniques, as the images will be more sensitive. So pay close attention to your camera shutter speed, as it will help you keep the images sharp. Another life savior is your cameras IOS, however, you can easily go overboard and it might ruin your image completely.
  • Lens – try to use a smaller lens, as it will allow you to control the image at a slower shutter speed when need be.
  • Light – Being prepared ahead of time will play a huge role, as you will be able to check the main light source in the area, and see the shoot up accordingly. I suggest you head on over there at night, and try to visualize the shoot, and how is the best way to execute it.
  • Exposure – when you are shooting with a high ISO I suggest you pay close attention towards exposure. As your images can be dark, but they should be able to show off the exact message. If your images are too noisy, just keep in mind that you can work on that during post-production. For now, you need to ensure clarity of the image.
  • Blur – images captured at night could be a bit blurry at times, but the good thing is that you can use that as an advantage, and add character to the image.

Playing around with a few freestyle photographs at night can help you develop skills over time, as it is the best way to make sure you have complete control and confidence when clicking a shot.

So your model does not have to stand there while you figure out how to get the best setting for the situation. I will not lie, it does take time, but it is something you will learn, and soon it will become an automatic reflex. Where you will be able to set your camera in a matter of seconds.

However, till then, I suggest you keep on practicing. As it is the only way you will be able to master the technique.