GolfGTIforum.co.uk

General => General discussion => Topic started by: Horney on 22 April 2009, 17:21

Title: How To: Light Trails
Post by: Horney on 22 April 2009, 17:21
The purpose of this is to get those wicked light trails from cars at night by using a long exposure.

Examples

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3227/3023505006_f9b9bba594.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3074/3023510492_466db2b585.jpg)

What you need:

* A camera which allows you to adjust the shutter speed.
* A steady tripod (or failing that a box or wall).
* A remote shutter release (either wired or wireless) would be handy but not essential.
* Night time!

The Theory

Set up you camera on your tripod and get the scene you want composed in the frame and lock everything off so it can't move. Set your camera to shutter priority mode (Tv on Canons) and an ISO of 200 or 400. Don't worry about the aperture as the camera will do this itself in shutter priority mode. The shutter speed you select is a bit trial and error but 10 secs is a good starting point. Then simply press the shutter on your remote and see what you get. If you don't have a remote then set the camera to timer mode, that way you have 10 secs (or however long your camera counts down to) before the shutter opens and you won't risk moving the camera while releasing the shutter button.

Tips

* Roundabout you can park on are great for this as are bridges over main roads or bus stops.
* Try and find somewhere with traffic flow in both directions for red and white lights.
* Experiment with shutter speed.
* Don't leave it to late as the more cars that go past the better it'll be!

Nick
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: nige_s on 22 April 2009, 17:35
Good stuff, can you explain the techniques of HDR too?!  That would be helpful
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Shady Pioneer on 22 April 2009, 17:44
Cheers Horney, didn't realise we had this section to the forum, but glad we do :)
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Horney on 22 April 2009, 17:50
Good stuff, can you explain the techniques of HDR too?!  That would be helpful

It's on my list but Stink would probably be best to do that one as he's the HDR man on here, I've never tried it although I know the theory!

Nick
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: bobbarley on 22 April 2009, 17:52
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/3157956228_92d5a78cb6_o.jpg)

One of my early ones.  I'm really into this, so will be experimenting a lot more :)
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: bobbarley on 23 April 2009, 18:08
What's a light trial? ;)
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Guy on 24 April 2009, 00:59
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3005/3022871637_4297f5f32c.jpg)
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Shady Pioneer on 24 April 2009, 16:47
Give me your critism guys lol!

(http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/798/dsc0117zun.jpg)


Far from perfect, I'm just not sure what I'm doing  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Komenda on 24 April 2009, 17:22
Did you use shutter priority?  The lights from that building could be throwing the camera off a bit. Try reducing the shutter time with background lights that bright or close the apeture a couple of stops

Got the trails working nice though.
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: barry-gti on 24 April 2009, 18:15
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/3157956228_92d5a78cb6_o.jpg)

One of my early ones.  I'm really into this, so will be experimenting a lot more :)

is that the petrol station next to the bass drum?
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: barry-gti on 27 April 2009, 20:38
(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee252/se19kid/IMG_1859.jpg)

my first attempt
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Horney on 27 April 2009, 22:33
That's a great 1st attempt.

Nick
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: barry-gti on 28 April 2009, 08:35
cheers mate  :smiley: i dont understand where all that purple came from though  :huh:
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Horney on 28 April 2009, 09:39
I suspect it's blurred lens flare.

nick
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: barry-gti on 03 May 2009, 11:02
got a few light trials last night. im not too sure but i think some are a bit over exposed because you cant really see the red lights too much...

(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee252/se19kid/randoms/IMG_1967.jpg)

(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee252/se19kid/randoms/IMG_1979.jpg)

Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: the_stink on 07 May 2009, 11:25
maybe something to do with the white balance as they do seem to be a bit orange from lights over teh road but keep trying mate, practise makes perfect  :wink:
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: barry-gti on 07 May 2009, 11:54
yeah i didnt think of that. i'll have to check nicks thread about it. i read it once but i've slept since then lol
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Sam on 01 June 2010, 22:46
not mine but pretty cool!


(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/mistasam02/roadlights.jpg)

Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Horney on 01 June 2010, 22:47
That's pretty epic.

nick
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Jay on 01 June 2010, 22:53
It is indeed  :smiley:
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: MazzaB1.4 on 07 June 2010, 09:33
me and my mate just messing around in a carpark, this was probably my favourite shot :)
(straight off the camera)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad174/mariobosko/_MG_7609.jpg)
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Ridg on 09 June 2010, 13:56
An old one

25 seconds @ f/18

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2748/4282480087_78c6a07f17_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ridg/4282480087/)
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Horney on 09 June 2010, 13:57
These are really cool guys. I need to get out and do some more myself.

Nick
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Shady Pioneer on 09 June 2010, 15:40
Ridg that is pure epicness.
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: shepgti on 09 June 2010, 16:01
anyone fancy doing a tutorial on incar light trail shots? i tried the other night but wasnt happy with the results :undecided:
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Ridg on 10 June 2010, 11:23
anyone fancy doing a tutorial on incar light trail shots? i tried the other night but wasnt happy with the results :undecided:

basically; luck and perseverance  :wink:

In car trails and any light trail shots involve a massive amount of luck or trial and error, as you've got no control over the light, e.g. your in car ones, how are you or the camera's EV metering going to be able to predict how much traffic you'll have coming toward you and how fast it's going?  the same goes for light trails, you can have everything set up correctly and boom a police car moves through the scene on a blue light call and it can either ruin or makes the photo .

The only advice I'd give for trails shots, is make sure the camera is on a solid base either a quality tripod (using a remote shutter or selftimer) or on a suction clamp / rig for in car for smaller cameras you could use a gorilapod.  But try and hold the camera and you'll get shake and 'head bob'.  Obviously once the camera is mounted to the car, it's going to track with the suspension.

Use the lowest ISO you've got, this will help cut down the noise.

You're going to need a small aperture say 16 and up, in order to increase the shutter speed, this will give you a nice wide DoF too, using ND filters with a large aperture could give you some nice bokeh trails though.

but it's basically trial and error, hope that helps.
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Gareth F on 08 June 2011, 14:06
Read this last night so thought id give it a go, heres my first light trail photo.
(http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll38/Munk3yRac3r/Photography/012.jpg)
Title: Re: How To: Light Trials
Post by: Jack3559 on 09 June 2011, 09:46
If you strap a light to your wheel, you can get some really nice sine waves.

Gotta make sure you use a light that you can see from all angles though, otherwise you get lines.
Title: Re: How To: Light Trails
Post by: Mr_F on 03 May 2012, 10:31
Cheers for the leg-up on the settings Horney,  first chance for a trip out with the DSLR and it's dark, so proved most useful.  Really needs work, composition, more cars etc.  Was about 11am before I could get out the door.

(http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/The_nav/DSC_0073.jpg)
Title: Re: How To: Light Trails
Post by: DubFan on 20 August 2012, 01:03
Here's a few of my light trail shots:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7051/6949389410_cb9c56535c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/6949389410/)
fence trails (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/6949389410/) by AlistairBeavis (http://www.flickr.com/people/alistairbeavis/), on Flickr

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7251/7099872835_d382d59b08.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/7099872835/)
All Souls Langham Place at Night (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/7099872835/) by AlistairBeavis (http://www.flickr.com/people/alistairbeavis/), on Flickr

(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5239/7099874591_6b1b3f3bd1.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/7099874591/)
Oxford Circus at Night (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/7099874591/) by AlistairBeavis (http://www.flickr.com/people/alistairbeavis/), on Flickr

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8142/7513247110_8de848bb41.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/7513247110/)
Docklands at Night (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/7513247110/) by AlistairBeavis (http://www.flickr.com/people/alistairbeavis/), on Flickr

And my first attempt at in-car light trails, with the camera on the tripod which was strapped between the front seats with a bungee cord. Used the self timer and set it off several times. This one was the best.

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8157/7514255430_6ac0e349d4.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/7514255430/)
Night Driving (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/7514255430/) by AlistairBeavis (http://www.flickr.com/people/alistairbeavis/), on Flickr
Title: Re: How To: Light Trails
Post by: Mr_F on 20 August 2012, 09:22
Nice one DubFan,

I did the gorilla pod round the headrest, was amazing to watch people slow down when they saw the lcd display on the back of the camera, some of the black cabs got a bit nervous!!!

Have a new wide angle lens, so want to see how that makes the shots, first attempt was sub-par so want to give it ago with the new lens.
Title: Re: How To: Light Trails
Post by: Panthera on 21 August 2012, 14:42
I had a go at this last year in London when I did some night photography (Eye, Tower Bridge, St Paul's etc) and I got this as my first real attempt. Its okay to start with, a good start I think, but I need to 'play more' and find a better location with a better flow of traffic...

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8428/7831030240_2bab320fe1.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/djmhughesuk/7831030240/)
Bigbenlights (http://www.flickr.com/photos/djmhughesuk/7831030240/) by djmhughesuk (http://www.flickr.com/people/djmhughesuk/), on Flickr

Title: Re: How To: Light Trails
Post by: jonnym on 16 November 2012, 22:42
what shutter speeds do people use? Going to test this out tomorrow....
Title: Re: How To: Light Trails
Post by: Ridg on 17 November 2012, 10:02
what shutter speeds do people use? Going to test this out tomorrow....

Varies, let's say you're shooting the M25 at rush hour, there's going to be so many cars you'll need a shorter shutter speed otherwise the combination of all the head/tail lights will over expose the scene, if you're shooting say the M62 at midnight then you can use a longer shutter speed as there won't be as much traffic.

NB aperture, ISO and all affect the "required" shutter speed too.

Also consider other light sources when you zoom in or out too e.g. zooming in or out to remove say a lamp post / street light from the frame will change the amount of light hitting the sensor.

Best advice is put the camera in manual, shoot and try different settings till you're happy; if you don't have a remote shutter release set the camera to self timer as that will reduce camera shake from you pressing the button.
Title: Re: How To: Light Trails
Post by: T_J_G on 17 November 2012, 10:05
Another tip is to look at pics on Flickr and look at their EXIF data to see their settings.
Title: Re: How To: Light Trails
Post by: DubFan on 17 November 2012, 10:11
what shutter speeds do people use? Going to test this out tomorrow....

It depends on a) how busy the road is (you need a slower shutter speed to capture more car headlights if it's a quiet road) and b) how dark the street is (ie how much of the street will be sufficiently lit).

This shot below, was a 5 second shutter speed and even on Oxford Street I could have done with more traffic (for once).
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5239/7099874591_6b1b3f3bd1_n.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/7099874591/)
Oxford Circus at Night (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/7099874591/) by AlistairBeavis (http://www.flickr.com/people/alistairbeavis/), on Flickr

This one was 8 seconds:
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5470/7099877093_b1ed865e11_n.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/7099877093/)
All Souls at Night (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/7099877093/) by AlistairBeavis (http://www.flickr.com/people/alistairbeavis/), on Flickr

This was taken at Dawn so just as the sun was coming up but still got decent trails in a 2 second exposure due to the amount of traffic.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7051/6949389410_cb9c56535c_n.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/6949389410/)
fence trails (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alistairbeavis/6949389410/) by AlistairBeavis (http://www.flickr.com/people/alistairbeavis/), on Flickr

Other points:
Both were taken in Shutter Priority (S-mode on my Sony, "Tv" mode on Canons I think), so that you pick shutter speed and the camera picks the relevant aperture. You could put your camera into full manual mode and pick your own aperture though.
Use a low ISO too (these were both ISO 100) because if you put it too high you'll get lots of grainy noise and could over-expose the shot with such a long shutter speed.
You'll also need to focus manually before you press the shutter.
If you don't have a remote shutter release, put the camera in self-timer mode, (2 sec delay is enough) so you don't wobble the camera when pressing the shutter.

Note: Take lots of shots and be prepared for 95% of them to be rubbish. You might get cars stopping in front of you, or not enough cars or the wrong settings.
(I took loads on Oxford Street and got plenty of wierd looks from people too)

Title: Re: How To: Light Trails
Post by: LakerLover on 26 January 2013, 02:22
WOW started my first light trail about 2 hours ago on my Canon SLR and cant stop............. F**king loving it!! cant wait to get out and try it out!! Thanks guys!! Im buzzing  :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Title: Re: How To: Light Trails
Post by: VWhitehawk on 30 June 2014, 20:26
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h58/white1988/DSC01330_zps117e5007.jpg) (http://s61.photobucket.com/user/white1988/media/DSC01330_zps117e5007.jpg.html)

(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h58/white1988/DSC01331_zps01b7d588.jpg) (http://s61.photobucket.com/user/white1988/media/DSC01331_zps01b7d588.jpg.html)

These were a couple i managed to get when I was messing around on holiday, the first one is on the bottom, not bad on a moving bus with no tripod...