Industrial night shots - feedback please? Thanks!

[SergeTheBlerge]

Took these last night on a walk. Using a Canon Rebel t6i with the standard 18-55mm lens. Set to Manual mode. F/11, ISO either 800 or 1600, slow shutter, about 1/4. Set exposure option to 'cloudy' or 'shady' mode. Either gives off the more orange color pallette. I notice some motion blur as it's not entirely sharp so am really looking to how to get these night images as sharp and crisp as possible. Thanks!

[Manfred M]

Took these last night on a walk. Using a Canon Rebel t6i with the standard 18-55mm lens. Set to Manual mode. F/11, ISO either 800 or 1600, slow shutter, about 1/4. Set exposure option to 'cloudy' or 'shady' mode. Either gives off the more orange color pallette. I notice some motion blur as it's not entirely sharp so am really looking to how to get these night images as sharp and crisp as possible. Thanks!

Sharp night shots require a good, sturdy tripod. You will get some strange colour casts as the different light sources are going to have different spectral outputs. These orange shots suggest you have used a daylight white balance. Some motion blur can make for interesting compositions.

There is too much softness and lack of focus in these shots, for my taste.

I posted this recent shot on CiC a couple of days ago. A 5 second exposure, shot with a tripod. You can see how the various light sources all give off a different colour of light. As I shot in raw, I was able to tweak the colours to make them come out looking more neutral.

[Mike Buckley]

Hopefully you're shooting raw files. If so, you'll have lots more ease and flexibility of changing the white balance during post-processing.

Considering that your longest focal length was 55mm, you could probably have used a larger aperture that would have allowed probably at least two stops more light into the lens. That would have allowed you to use a faster shutter if that's what you wanted. Alternatively, it would have allowed you to use a lower ISO. Or a combination of the two.

If you have a longer focal length, consider filling the frame with some of the interesting architectural features, such as the smokestacks with steam swirling around them.

[SergeTheBlerge]

There is too much softness and lack of focus in these shots, for my taste.

I posted this recent shot on CiC a couple of days ago. A 5 second exposure, shot with a tripod. You can see how the various light sources all give off a different colour of light. As I shot in raw, I was able to tweak the colours to make them come out looking more neutral.

Trust me, it's too much softness for me too. I was out walking doing errands so since I was out a while I wasn't going to bring a tripod with me. These were basically experimental. Getting my shots as crisp as that one you shared is definitely my goal. I've never been able to take ANY night shots whatsoever with my old Canon so I'm treading some new ground.

I'll have to break out the tripod next time, definitely. I was lucky though as I just happened to be by the factory as it was releasing the smoke. Usually it doesn't. Thanks though!

[SergeTheBlerge]

Hopefully you're shooting raw files. If so, you'll have lots more ease and flexibility of changing the white balance during post-processing.

Considering that your longest focal length was 55mm, you could probably have used a larger aperture that would have allowed probably at least two stops more light into the lens. That would have allowed you to use a faster shutter if that's what you wanted. Alternatively, it would have allowed you to use a lower ISO. Or a combination of the two.

If you have a longer focal length, consider filling the frame with some of the interesting architectural features, such as the smokestacks with steam swirling around them.

Thanks for the advice, I'll absolutely take that into account next time I'm out at night.
I'm not 100% yet on the photo lingo so I'll have to research a few things you brought up.

[rpcrowe]

You shot at:

18-55mm lens. Set to Manual mode. F/11, ISO either 800 or 1600, slow shutter, about 1/4

Your kit lens has an f/3.5 maximum aperture at 18mm and a f/5.6 maximum aperture at full tele (55mm)...

A tripod would be the way to go and a monopod might have helped. Bracing your camera against a parked car, wall or utility pole might steady the camera/lens.

Shooting wide open would have allowed you a 1/16 second exposure at 55mm or about 1/48 second at f/3.5...

You might be able to hand hold at 1/16 second with the IS turned on and could definitely hand hold at 1/48 second...

You may have been able to get away with a stop or two faster shutter speed, especially if you shoot in RAW.

I would practice holding your camera (not using the LCD as a viewfinder) steady. Try shooting in 3 shot bursts because often the middle shot is the most steady.

I don't know about the Rebel cameras but, if you have the shooting information (ISO, shutter speed and f/stop) in your viewfinder, you can adjust those parameters while shooting. It is easy with the Canon xD line of cameras because of the dual wheel setup...

[SergeTheBlerge]

You shot at:

18-55mm lens. Set to Manual mode. F/11, ISO either 800 or 1600, slow shutter, about 1/4

Your kit lens has an f/3.5 maximum aperture at 18mm and a f/5.6 maximum aperture at full tele (55mm)...

A tripod would be the way to go and a monopod might have helped. Bracing your camera against a parked car, wall or utility pole might steady the camera/lens.

Shooting wide open would have allowed you a 1/16 second exposure at 55mm or about 1/48 second at f/3.5...

You might be able to hand hold at 1/16 second with the IS turned on and could definitely hand hold at 1/48 second...

You may have been able to get away with a stop or two faster shutter speed, especially if you shoot in RAW.

I would practice holding your camera (not using the LCD as a viewfinder) steady. Try shooting in 3 shot bursts because often the middle shot is the most steady.

Great advice, thank you!