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Photography · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Night & Low-Light Photography

When the sun goes down, a new world emerges. This course overcomes the technical challenges of shooting in the dark. Students will learn to manage high ISO noise, execute long exposures for light trails, and capture the stars through Astrophotography. The curriculum balances technical camera control with the artistic use of artificial light sources (Light Painting).

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Master Long Exposure photography: Bulb mode and Remote releases
  2. Understand High ISO performance and "Signal-to-Noise" ratio
  3. Execute "Light Painting" techniques to illuminate subjects
  4. Capture "Cityscapes" during the Blue Hour and deep night
  5. Practice Astrophotography basics: Capturing the Milky Way and Star Trails
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01The Challenges of Low Light: Focus & Noise
  2. 02Equipment: Tripods, Releases, & Fast Glass
  3. 03The Blue Hour: Balancing Natural & Artificial Light
  4. 04Long Exposure: Creating Light Trails (Cars)
  5. 05Long Exposure: Smooth Water & Clouds
  6. 06White Balance at Night: Sodium vs. LED
  7. 07Cityscapes: Composition in the Dark
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Light Painting I: Tools & Techniques
  10. 10Light Painting II: Illuminating Landscapes
  11. 11Astrophotography I: The 500 Rule
  12. 12Astrophotography II: Star Trails (Stacking)
  13. 13Post-Processing: Noise Reduction (De-Noise AI)
  14. 14High Dynamic Range (HDR) at Night
  15. 15Creative Night: Bokeh & Defocus
  16. 16Final Project: The Nocturnal Portfolio

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Nocturnal Portfolio

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Night Photography and Light Painting: Finding Your Way in the Dark by Lance Keimig
  2. The World at Night by Babak Tafreshi
  3. Night Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots by Gabriel Biderman
  4. Collier's Guide to Night Photography by Grant Collier
  5. Dusk to Dawn: A Guide to Landscape Photography at Night by Glenn Randall
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