Christmas Oak

A nicely decorated oak tree on the Missouri Botanical Garden, Garden Glow.

This is a handheld shot using an ISO of 2000, f3.5, 1/100 sec @ 17mm.

http://greatrivers.smugmug.com/Missouri-Botanical-Garden/i-zZwb55J/A

Improving your photos during the Golden Hour

Golden Hour-10

Golden Hour-11If you would like to really improve your photos, you should shoot mostly during the “Golden Hour.” This is about 20 minutes before sunrise/sunset to 20 minutes after sunrise/sunset. At these times you will get softer but more dramatic images. This includes sunrise/sunset images, better color and fewer shadows.

If there is a particular subject you would like to photograph or if it’s an outdoor portrait, check a weather app on your cell phone to determine the best times.

The top photo was taken a few minutes after sunrise at Chaumette Winery in St. Genevieve. The bottom photo was taken about 5 or 10 minutes after sunset, following a tip I learned from another photographer: Wait! That is, don’t snap the picture of the sunset just as the sun is on the horizon. If you wait, you will see subtle colors and lighting from the sun past the horizon making a more interesting picture. By waiting I was able to get a better reflection off the lake plus the nice silhouette of the hills surrounding the lake.

For more information on taking these types of photos, see my photography tips on this page.

The bottom photo was taken at Devils Pool Restaurant at Big Cedar Lodge. I was having dinner out the deck and as the sun started to set, a number of people came to the railing to take photographs (with iPhones). I waited until the sun had set, put the camera on the railing and took this shot. Click on either photo to see a larger version.

Misty Lake

This is listed on my Smugmug page a one of my most interesting photos. So I am posting it here. This is Lake Minocqua around 6 AM on a very still and cold morning just before the snows started to fall. In the mist is one of the interesting old boathouses on the lake.

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© E.L. Engler Photography

Minocqua, WI

Alley Spring Mill

I thought I would explore Missouri for one of those scenic old mills. I found this in a place called Alley Spring, near Eminence, Missouri on the Jack’s Fork river.

This is a single shot photo processed in Lightroom 5.

Alley Mill

Waiting for Santa

One more night at the Garden Glow to get some shots missed on my first trip. This is a scene you will take a little effort to find.

This is a hand held shot taken at a High ISO of 2000 at 50mm, f3.2.

http://greatrivers.smugmug.com/Missouri-Botanical-Garden/i-SFbL6rp

Henry Shaw Home

Here is one more photo from Missouri Botanical Garden’s “Garden Glow.” This is Henry Shaw’s home on the Botanical Garden grounds. The grounds are decorated with light displays for the holiday season (see previous posts).

http://greatrivers.smugmug.com/Missouri-Botanical-Garden/i-GrL5ZPS/A

How to Take Photographs at Night

Garden Glow-32Recent posts here are from the Missouri Botanical Garden’s “Garden Glow.” This consists of a number of lighted displays throughout the garden grounds. Between the displays, it is very dark. A photo of one of the displays may look like the photo to the right but you may want get more detail like the same picture below. Here are some steps to follow to get better night photos:

  • Use a tripod. You want to avoid any camera movements since the camera shutter is open for longer periods of time. Don’t scrimp here, more expensive tripods are worth it.
  • To reduce camera shake even further, use a remote release (if there is one available for the camera). Some remotes have a wire attached to the camera and some are wireless. The type connected to the camera would be best. If you do not have or cannot get a remote release, try a delayed timer. Some cameras have the ability to set a 2 to 10 second timer that will delay shutter release. Using this will allow the shutter to release without possibility of moving the camera.
  • Shoot in camera RAW to allow for more data to be recorded and allow for better editing on your computer (post processing).
  • Use a low ISO to reduce noise.
  • If you can, set your camera to Aperture Priority so you can control depth of field.
  • Suggested settings: ISO 100; f16; the camera should choose the exposure time. In this case, it was 30 seconds.
  • Post processing in programs like Picasa, Photoshop Elements or Lightroom will allow you to bring out detail hidden by the darkness.
  • More advanced photographers can try HDR (High Dynamic Range) methods which will allow more flexibility in processing the image. Here you would take three photos (more or less) at different exposures to find more detail in the scene. Software programs like Photmatix can be used to combine and edit the photos.

Do not worry about people walking in front of the camera while the shutter is open, they will not be in front of the sensor long enough to register an image.

I hope this helps. Night photography can be very rewarding and open new horizons in your photography.

The road to the Climatron

Like the road to OZ, this scenic path is part of the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Garden Glow exhibit.

Sections of the grounds are decorated with lights and are open to the public to wander wherever they wanted.

This is a three shot HDR photo processed in Photmatix and Lightroom. Except for light displays, the paths were unlit and very dark. Photomatix brought out the path and trees around it. Lightroom helped with the detail.  The photo was was taken with a Nikon D7100 and a wide Sigma 10 – 20mm 3.5 lens. This photo took about 3 minutes to capture.

http://greatrivers.smugmug.com/Missouri-Botanical-Garden/i-nmcNK52/A

Missouri Botanical Garden Gatehouse

The Missouri Botanical Garden now decorates their grounds for Christmas with lots of great exhibits. Their “Garden Glow” has now become an annual event and brings thousands of people to their facility. The nice people at the botanical garden had a special showing this evening for photographers only. I spent several hours roaming the grounds and here is the old gate house for the Shaw estate:

http://elengler.smugmug.com/Missouri-Botanical-Garden/i-KRvL75g/A