Loooooong exposures (at night)

[vinny]

then there's the issue of the film popping, just sayin.

[Roger Thoms]

Interesting trick. I'll have to try it at some point.

In these situations I've mostly just opened the shutter and listened to my ipod or taken a nap for a couple hours. A headlamp with a red LED and a kindle are also marvelous for night photography.

And lots of warm clothes and a thermos of hot coffee or tea.

Roger

[jp]

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...urora-borealis

[macandal]

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...urora-borealis

The link, on the first post, is dead.

[macandal]

You can compose well enough if you have been out long enough without any light (half an hour or so) and if there is at least a cloudy full moon or a clear 1/8 moon. Focusing is the problem.

But that's why I thought you set your lens to infinity, because focusing is near impossible. For the digital shots I posted, I didn't focus. I set the lens to infinity for the amount of time I planned and that was it. And that's exactly what I was planning on doing with the LF shot I'm planning.

[Drew Wiley]

Whenever I contemplate a true night project, I bracket test with roll or 35mm film first, before proceeding to sheet film. Fuji ACROS is an especially nice nite film in
black and white, because there is little recip failure. With color film actual pre-testing is esp important because you have not only exposure time compensation to deal with, but potential color shift and corrective filtering relative to both recip issues and the possibility of mixed light sources. No way to really know without a little
advance experience. For critical focus, a little laser pointer is nice to aim at nearby targets.

[jp]

The link, on the first post, is dead.

I'll get right on that!

[Vaughn]

Here is an image of the ceiling of a lava tube (two 4x5 negs, each printed 16x20). Fortunately, I was working within the first 200 yards or so from the entrance, so not too dark. So the TMax 100 only needed an f16 at 8 seconds exposure. Focusing was still a challenge, though. Diameter of the lava tube was about 80 feet, I think.

Skull Cave, 1997
Lava Beds National Monument, CA
Gowland PocketView, Caltar IIN 150mm/5.6

[Drew Wiley]

Film popping? That's why I use adhesive holders when necessary. More often, wind is going to be an issue. Small things like grass might move during the exposure,
and we anticipate that ... but camera shake will ruin everything. One more reason to pack something solid, and a nice big wooden tripod.

[John Hennessy]

If, as in my example, the subject is not at infinity, then focusing exactly is just as important at night as any time. In this instance, I waded out and put a flashlight on a rock. Shining a light or a laser pointer may work too. A tilt may help overcome small errors, but you still have to focus. Of course if the subject is at infinity, than that solves that.