# Taking pictures in the dark... **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [December 22, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518 "2009-12-22T20:42:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![turbojohnny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@turbojohnny](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/turbojohnny)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/1 "2009-12-22T20:42:21Z")
…I’m a fan. ![http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0013-6.jpg](http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0013-6.jpg) ![http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0016-3.jpg](http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0016-3.jpg) ![http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0017-4.jpg](http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0017-4.jpg) ![http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0018-4.jpg](http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0018-4.jpg) ![http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0025-1.jpg](http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0025-1.jpg) ![http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0026.jpg](http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0026.jpg) ![http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0030.jpg](http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0030.jpg) ![http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0032.jpg](http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0032.jpg) ![http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0034.jpg](http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0034.jpg) ![http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0036.jpg](http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/turbojohnny_2009/DSC_0036.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![nytalonTSi](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/nytalontsi/32/5399_2.png) [@nytalonTSi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/nytalonTSi)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/2 "2009-12-22T21:08:44Z")
Nice pics. ---
**Author:** ![IanK](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/iank/32/5016_2.png) [@IanK](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/IanK)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/3 "2009-12-22T21:08:47Z")
Awful… ---
**Author:** ![\_91DA](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/_91da/32/5332_2.png) [@\_91DA](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/_91DA)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/4 "2009-12-22T21:09:04Z")
Some of these style pics are kind of cool…are those LED driving lights? Or just LED strips in your bumper, it looks like they throw some serious light. ---
**Author:** ![Scott](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/scott/32/7603_2.png) [@Scott](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Scott)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/5 "2009-12-22T21:12:46Z")
> [@IanK](#): > > Awful… :word: ---
**Author:** ![IanK](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/iank/32/5016_2.png) [@IanK](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/IanK)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/6 "2009-12-22T21:19:05Z")
I dont mean to be a dick here, because photography is just one of those things that im always willing to help with, but im rather convinced that your serious with these, and im sorry my friend, but these shots offer ZERO photographic value. There not even good snapshots. ---
**Author:** ![EVOLUTION\_VIII\_MR](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/evolution_viii_mr/32/5187_2.png) [@EVOLUTION\_VIII\_MR](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/EVOLUTION_VIII_MR)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/7 "2009-12-22T21:45:50Z")
> [@IanK](#): > > Awful… these pics are about as cool as aids and not the oh you will live until you are 100 aids, the kind where you die in a week ---
**Author:** ![IanK](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/iank/32/5016_2.png) [@IanK](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/IanK)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/8 "2009-12-22T21:51:03Z")
> [@EVOLUTION VIII MR](#): > > these pics are about as cool as aids > and not the oh you will live until you are 100 aids, the kind where you die in a week I like the hate :highfive: ---
**Author:** ![boosting4me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@boosting4me](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boosting4me)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/9 "2009-12-22T22:11:13Z")
groovy ---
**Author:** ![PureXTC](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/purextc/32/5223_2.png) [@PureXTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PureXTC)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/10 "2009-12-22T22:40:40Z")
:shrug: The LED off the snow looks kind of cool. ---
**Author:** ![Motocrossx23](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/motocrossx23/32/5120_2.png) [@Motocrossx23](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Motocrossx23)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/11 "2009-12-22T23:49:31Z")
This may just be a shot in the dark, so to say…but you might want to incorporate your car a bit more in the picture, the long exposure “Saab” picture is pretty sick tho I must say ---
**Author:** ![IanK](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/iank/32/5016_2.png) [@IanK](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/IanK)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/12 "2009-12-23T00:00:34Z")
> [@Motocrossx23](#): > > This may just be a shot in the dark I see what you did there!!! :lol: \<3 ---
**Author:** ![Penfold](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/penfold/32/5007_2.png) [@Penfold](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Penfold)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/13 "2009-12-23T02:13:06Z")
I thought you had an SLR? Why are they so…um…not good at all? Were you holding the camera? Get a tripod and turn the iso down. ---
**Author:** ![jt76](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jt76/32/5100_2.png) [@jt76](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jt76)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 2:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/14 "2009-12-23T02:27:03Z")
tough crowd ---
**Author:** ![08GT500](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/08gt500/32/5417_2.png) [@08GT500](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/08GT500)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/15 "2009-12-23T03:36:31Z")
> [@jt76](#): > > tough crowd I thought so too. ---
**Author:** ![Skurge](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/skurge/32/7285_2.png) [@Skurge](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Skurge)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 5:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/16 "2009-12-23T05:27:10Z")
> [@IanK](#): > > Awful… ugh ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 5:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/17 "2009-12-23T05:44:26Z")
Ok, instead of being a dick I’m going to try and offer some helpful advice based off the EXIF data from the taillight picture. You’re shooting with a D60 so that’s a great starting point. ISO Speed: 1600… BAD. Turn off auto ISO and dial it back to 200. Exposure Bias: +5 step… BAD. If you’re not getting enough exposure increase your exposure time. Exposure Program: Aperture Priority… I love this mode, but not for night work. Switch over to shutter priority and experiment with shutter times letting the camera decide aperture. Metering mode: Spot… All depends on what spot you were choosing. Probably better off going with Matrix when you’re learning though. Exposure Time: 4.5 seconds… Probably bad, but hard to tell with the other things being off. This is where you experiment once the other things are right to get the exposure you want. ---
**Author:** ![turbojohnny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@turbojohnny](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/turbojohnny)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 6:45am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/18 "2009-12-23T06:45:39Z")
Thanks for all the kind words guys, I appreciate your expertise. And jay thanks for your input, I appreciate it. I’ll have to readjust my settings and see what happens another night, might as well even post the pics in this thread. as an update of progress. As far as the LEDs go, they’re just strips, they don’t throw much light at all. I’m still not sure how much I like 'em. ---
**Author:** ![turbojohnny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@turbojohnny](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/turbojohnny)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/19 "2009-12-24T03:51:53Z")
hey guys, so obviously I thought the pics I took were better than what I guess they actually are. which means I don’t know how to completely use my camera other than hitting that shiny silver button. can anybody suggest a book or tutorial that will teach me how to use my D60 properly? ---
**Author:** ![IanK](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/iank/32/5016_2.png) [@IanK](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/IanK)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518/20 "2009-12-24T04:11:51Z")
Obv you need to start at the very basics. Ken Rockwell’s guide is always a decent starting point, read it through, play around a bit. Most important thing at this point is to practice implementing the different settings in different situations. Second thing to learn would be a little bit of composure, as not one of those photos make any sense composure wise. [http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40/users-guide/index.htm](http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40/users-guide/index.htm) [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/taking-pictures-in-the-dark/77518.md?page=2)