Venice at Twilight...

Many photographers pack up their gear right after sunset, however the most magical time to make pictures can be twilight! Patience is key as the sky slowly takes on a vivid shade of blue. Everything looks beautiful during twilight, subject matter can be anything from architecture, to trees, to mountains, nothing is off limits! 

Here, I photographed Venice during a very cold and wintery evening. The lights warm up the scene and the pink glow on the background buildings creates a more inviting picture. This image was also photographed in HDR for more dynamic range in the composition, and a finishing touch of Topaz Labs Simplify added a slight painterly touch. Twilight is a visual treat that you can capture with your camera! You'll come away with very expressive photographs.

Tips for shooting at twilight...

• Tripod, cable release or camera self timer, low ISO
• Small aperture for starburst effect 
• Long exposure to capture streaks of light from passing cars
• HDR for more dynamic range in the scene (image composites)
• Shoot cityscapes during the week for the most office lights and car traffic

I hope to see you at one of my night photography workshops at Florida's Birding & Photo Fest in St. Augustine next week! I'll also be covering infrared photography, creativity with your camera, and HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography. St. Augustine is a beautiful historic city with a lot to photograph. Plus, they have the best seafood ever! I hope to see you there! ~Deb

How to capture a dramatic night scene including streaks of light from passing cars...

Twilight is a wonderful time to take pictures. The sky becomes an extraordinary shade of blue, and the light is balanced throughout the scene. Even in rainy conditions as shown above, twilight complements cityscapes and landscapes. This can be one of the best times to record taillights from passing cars as red streaks, creating a dramatic photograph. Twilight lasts for a very short time and the blue sky will fade to black, which can offer creative options as well. Want to capture passing cars with streaks of color? Try these tips...

• Use a tripod, cable release or your camera's self timer
• Choose a low ISO, and use a small aperture for good depth of field 
• Timing, wait until just before a car enters the scene to release the shutter
• The longer the shutter is open, the more streaks that can be captured (more cars, longer streaks)

This photo was taken at  ISO 100, f/11 for about 8 seconds. This is just a generalization, as your exposure will vary depending on quickly or slowly cars are moving through your composition. If the shutter speed is too short, the taillight streaks will end abruptly in the photo. Increase the exposure time as needed to record longer, and more streaks. This is a fun technique and the results can add a lot of color and impact to your photograph! Make great pictures! ~ Deb

PS -My nighttime workshops are sold out in St. Augustine for Florida's Birding and Photo Fest, however I'll cover cool nighttime techniques during my Creative seminar.  I hope to see you there!

Hope to meet you at Florida's Birding & Photo Fest in April!

Mark your calendar for April 27 - May 1 for Florida's Birding and Photo Fest in St. Augustine, Florida! This is a great event packed with adventure and fun, and it's not just birds... Take a peek at the presentations, workshops, activities and events scheduled in one of the most historic and photogenic areas in Florida.

I'm very excited to be an event speaker again this year. Look for my presentations:  HDR - Creating Dynamic Images, Digital Infrared Photography, and A Creative Approach to Digital Photography. Plus, I absolutely love night photography, so I hope to see you on my Night Photography workshop in beautiful downtown St. Augustine!

There is a bird rookery that attracts hundreds of birds that are easily photographed from a boardwalk at the Alligator Farm. If you like alligators, you are in luck! Last year was a lot of fun and I met so many fantastic photographers. Come on down for photography, friendship, fun and FOOD! Florida has the best seafood ever. I hope to meet you there!  ~ Deb