Being new to LF, how do you achieve a well composed and focused night exposure? The image on the GG is too dark to effectively focus or use movements. Is night photography ony effective with rangefinder LF cameras? The only logical technique I can see otherwise is to setup the camera while it's dark and wait for the light to fail, or mark the tripod leg locations, leave the camera setup and come back when it's dark. What technique do you use?
I've done considerable night photography in NYC. You should clarify whether you are shooting in a location where there is some artificial light (windows, streetlights, etc.), or whether you are setting up to shoot where there is no discernible light whatsoever other than the moon and/or stars.
If you are photographing where there is some available light, utilizing a focusing loupe on the groundglass to finely focus on the light sources which can be seen, albiet dimly, is your best bet. You may have to approximate focusing from this point forward if the light source's spot is not precisely where you want the focus to fall.
Contrary to what you have assumed, you will WANT TO utilize camera movements. A properly utilized tilt or swing can maximize depth of field at any given aperture, allowing you to use wider apertures, hence shorter exposure times, while still keeping everything pretty much in focus. If you try to photograph a given scene metered with an EV of 1 (or less) at F64, you're going to be watching your watch for a long time, even with a faster film.
I really recommend practicing in areas with visible artificial light first. Get the hang of the focusing nuances and reciprocity characteristics of your film. Two masters of this genre are Michael Kenna and Chip Forelli. Studying their work should give you an idea of what I mean.
Other than that, the whole night time photograhy thing, IMHO, is a crap shoot. If you can see some light, focus. If you anticipate not being able to see any ambiet light, set up the shot during daylight and wait, or do the tripod demarcation thing, lock the camera movements and focus securely, and return later. The whole fun of it is seeing what you've captured and being wildly and wonderfully surprised. Throw previsualization out the window.
Carry 2 maglight flashlights. Be acutely aware of condensation on lens elements as the temperature cools. Bring deet insect repellent if shooting in the country, and a CO2 pressurized pellet handgun if travelling in the city.
I use my cell phone quite a bit. I'll walk over to the place I want in focus, turn the screen on, then go back to the camera and try to focus on it. It's bright and has a lot of detail so it's easy to focus on.
Obviously there are many situations where this isn't an option, but it's something to try out if you can.
Three thoughts to share with you:
First, a lot of "night" photography is done with two exposures. The first is done at twilight to capture the skyline between the glowing sky and the black buildings (or trees). The second exposure, done after complete darkness falls, captures the building window lights and the street lights. You don't tend to shoot a lot of film with this technique.
Second, I once knew a policeman who photographed crime scenes with b&w in a Crown Graphic. When he got into a black, burned-out house with boarded-up windows, he would put down his flashlight and walk to the other side of the room. After pre-setting the focus on his camera to that flashlight distance, he would retrieve it before making the exposure.
That cop was a very practical photographer. For shooting stolen auto serial numbers at night, there was a piece of white cloth adhesive tape on the back of the Graphic which read, "f/5.6 with two flashlights".
My third idea is to check out Ed Deasy's website. He seems to have done a lot of night photography:
http://deasy.com/
When I've tried shooting star-trails with a view camera (with mixed success over the years), I've set the camera up before sunset, focussed, and waited until well after dark to begin exposing.
As a retired ghetto police sergeant of many years I can tell you that as night falls out comes my Crown Graphic. It is the best for fast low light shooting. Along with Johns tips, at close range you use the projected split beam. It allows you to focus on a cave wall at midnight. The 135mm lens with just a touch of rise will get in most subjects.
As to this pellet gun thing. A VERY bad idea. I have personally carried out over 200 dead bodies and have seen bullets from a 32.APC bounce off of a persons skull. The man was really pi$$ed off about being shot. I was a FBI certified firearms instructor and rangemaster for 16 years, the mind-set needed to shoot someone is one problem. The skill to do it is another. To be effective you need a very big gun. I can only hope that Duane was joking.
My MO is to choose my plane of focus then point my Jeep headlights on that plane. It works really well.
To Jim: Very sound advice about the pellet gun thing! Showing a weapon of any kind instantly escalates a situation and I, for one, am neither trained(although I've been using firearms since the age of 6) nor have the desire to harm anyone. If its a risky neighborhood I just stay out. My father taught "hand to hand conbat " in the Marine Corp and he told me " if you want to stay out of trouble don't go where it is likely to be" period! He was trained, and in many instances had to use his skills, to kill with and without arms and he was of the opinion that he was just lucky that he never ran to the guy that was better than he was. The point being you don't know who that other person is or what they are capable of so I prefer to depend on my common sense and pre-emt dangerous situations by staying out of them.
Listen to Mr. Rhoades. I have spoken to several Chicago policemen and they no longer carry 38`s because the shells can bounce off a skull. They use something bigger. you should too.
Bulletproof vests will stop the shell from most any handgun and more and more crooks are using them. You may as well spit at them as to try a pellet gun.
The first rule is not to pull a gun unless you are prepared to use it, and a worthless gun is keeping you from being prepared.
I advise using an old camera and sacraficing it if necessary or just buy some insurance and don`t carry non replaceable equipment. Same thing in my house. All the good photostuff is well burried. Lots of old junk is easily found.
All of the advice given looks good to me. For focusing, a small flashlight is all you need, just place it in the subject area. I would think most night cityscapes already have plenty of light sources you can focus on.
And the pellet gun thing is just stupid. Sorry to be so blunt but it is. If you're gonna carry a gun, carry one that will do the job, and don't carry it if you won't use it. It's probably the most serious decision you'll ever make, so don't take our word for it either; if you aren't properly trained in firearms use then get trained first.
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