Learn: Top 5 Tips for Low Light Photography

Creating photography in low light conditions presents opportunities and challenges. You can push your camera's ISO to the limit, but you must avoid introducing too much noise into your images. Grab a lens with a large maximum aperture, and you’ll manage to make your photos shine even in the darkest conditions. Check out these five tips to improve your low light photography.

1. Use a wider aperture

In low light conditions, it’s important to use a lens with a large maximum aperture. Prime lenses tend to have larger maximum apertures than zoom lenses. The aperture is usually given as an f-number. The smaller the f-number, the larger the max aperture—and the more light can reach the sensor.  

In this article, we used a Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM prime lens to shoot the images, but you can find lenses with even wider maximum apertures. 

Another benefit of lenses with larger apertures is that they can create images with a more shallow depth of field. This helps make the background appear pleasingly out of focus—ideal for portraits, for example.

2. Increase the ISO 

In low light conditions, increasing the ISO setting on your camera can be a useful way to increase the sensitivity of the image sensor to capture more light. But remember that increasing the ISO can also introduce lots of noise into your photos. 

Many full-frame cameras, like the Sony A9 II, Canon EOS 1DX Mark III or Nikon Z6 II, allow you to set your ISO extremely high—without too much noise—so you can take usable photos in locations with very limited light.

3. Use slower shutter speeds

Depending on the movement of your subject, you can reduce your camera’s shutter speed. This will increase the time your shutter is exposed to light—which means your image will appear brighter than a faster shutter speed. 

Shutter speeds are measured in fractions of a second. So, the lower the denominator—the number at the bottom—the slower your shutter will open and close, and the more light you’ll allow to reach your sensor. 

But it’s really important to control how much your camera and subject move when using a slow shutter speed, in order to achieve sharp images. Too much movement in your subject, and the subject will appear blurred. Too much movement from your camera, and your entire image will appear blurred. Either way, unless you’re introducing blur as an artistic choice, too much movement at low shutter speeds will, at best, give you blurry images and, at worst, render your image unusable. 

To reduce your camera movement, you should use a tripod or rest your camera on a steady surface. Using a mirrorless camera with in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) can also help. To reduce your subject movement, you’ll have to choose an inanimate object—or ask people to ‘freeze’!

4. Additional light sources 

Okay, so this is probably cheating—but it makes sense. Additional light sources will add the amount of light in any low light situation. So, use any light sources at your disposal to illuminate your subject. 

Some photographers will use a flash to create contrast between extremely bright and dark areas in the image, or bounce flash on a wall or ceiling to spread the light throughout the room. 

If you don’t have a flash or portable light source, take a moment for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Chances are that you’ll be able to find natural light or other sources of light creeping in through shutters, blinds or doorways. Make the most of whatever’s around you.

5. Shoot in RAW

Most digital cameras will allow you to shoot in RAW and JPEG. While JPEGs are more convenient and lightweight—they’re usable straight from the camera—RAW image files contain far more data. This data can be a goldmine when you need to increase the light in your images.

Import your RAW files into Lightroom, raise the black and shadow values, and you’ll be able to see far more detail in the under-exposed areas of your image. The same goes for over-exposed areas; you can bring those blown-out highlights down. Find out about photo editing for beginners.

The downside of RAW is that each image file is far heavier and requires considerably more storage space than JPEG photos. But we’d always recommend investing in a higher-capacity SD card so you can shoot in RAW.

FAQs

Looking for more answers? Check out our low light photography FAQs below.

What do I need to keep in mind for low light photography?

There are many ways to improve your shots' image quality in the dark. Use a wide aperture, increase the ISO and lower the shutter speed. Mount your camera to a tripod, repurpose any available light sources and always shoot in RAW. Hopefully, with these tips in mind, you can shoot beautiful, vibrant photos full of detail and depth.

Which equipment do I need for low light photography?

The most important element is a lens with a wide aperture. While the other controllable factors—ISO and shutter speed—will allow more light into your exposure, a wide aperture generally involves fewer related risks.

Next, bringing an additional light source is always a good idea. Even a dim light source will help increase the light available for your camera to capture.

Other low-light gear to consider includes medium-format cameras like the Fujifilm GFX 100. Medium format sensors are larger, which means they can gather more light — and that's great for low-light photography. Read our Fujifilm GFX 100 review for low light photography.

Finally, a tripod will help reduce camera movement and allow you to reduce your shutter speed.

What is the right ISO to use?

Setting the right ISO depends on the camera and the shooting conditions. For the pictures in this article, we mainly used values between ISO 200 and ISO 800. But you might be able to go up to ISO 1,600 in almost pitch-black conditions. But always remain mindful of noise.

Looking for more advice on how to improve your photography? Read more articles on the MPB content hub.