Photography

I can't stand flash photography. Sure, I use it in my studio, but umbrella lighting is vastly different from the kind of flash photography the average hobbyist might use—or the kind that I use myself when I am out taking pictures of my family. I don't typically haul around a flash unit, cables, umbrellas and other equipment I might need to get a decent, artificially lit photograph (I already have too much baggage with three kids in diapers), so I rely on my camera's on-board flash or the ISO adjustment feature, neither of which give perfect results.

Over the years, though, I've discovered by trial-and-error some good ways to get decent results in low light without the need to carry around a lot of extra stuff. Here are a few tips:

1. Make your aperture as wide as it will go. This may mean you'll need to buy a lens for your camera that is capable of a wide aperture (many typical zoom lenses are not). I have a 50mm fixed focal-length lens that I use when I know I'll be shooting in low light conditions—it stops up to f/1.8, which gives me greater flexibility when lighting is less-than-adequate.

2. Find a stable surface to rest your camera on, and use the self-timer. A fence-post, the hood of a car, a picnic table—these things can all double as a tripod. The more stable your camera is, the slower your shutter speed can be. Slow shutter speeds and wide apertures mean you can shoot in low light without having to adjust your ISO or use a flash. Better still, if you use your self-timer you can almost eliminate camera shake because you won't need to touch the camera to take a photograph.

   Alternately, if you can't find a stable, safe surface to use as a tripod, you can try simply leaning on something solid, striving to keep your arms as still as possible. If you work at this you may be able to get your shutter speed down to 1/15 or even lower without any noticeable camera-shake.

3. If your camera has a RAW setting, use it. The RAW setting captures greater detail, so low light images can be more easily enhanced in Photoshop or another image processing package.

4. Set your camera to a higher ISO. The problem with this option, of course, (whether on a film camera or a digital camera) is grain. In traditional photography, the reason for visible grain is the emulsion, which is courser in high-speed film than in low speed film. Digital photography has a similar problem, though for a different reason: in digital film, images shot at a high ISO appear grainy because there is less range between highlights and shadows, so the camera is capturing a smaller sample of photons.

   Depending on your point of view, grain can be a good thing or a bad thing. Grainy images can be artistic if they're well constructed, or they can be ugly if your ultimate goal is simply capturing a moment. Fortunately, you can do something about grain after the fact—software like Photoshop can help reduce grain in an image, or you can use a tool designed specifically for that purpose such as "Noiseware" or "Noise Ninja."

5. Use your flash. I hate this option because flash photos look flat and usually feature harsh shadows behind the subject, but there are things you can do to improve some of these problems. You can minimize harsh shadows by using an attachment that "bounces" the flash, or by wrapping the flash in a piece of white cloth to diffuse it. You can also move your subject away from any vertical backgrounds (such as a wall or a curtain). Some cameras will allow you to reduce the intensity of your flash, which can also help (though you may need to do adjustments afterwards). But ideally, if you want to use a flash it's best to buy a detachable one that can be held off the camera and pointed at the subject from an angle—this will cause the shadow to drop mercifully out of sight.

Spontaneity is the key to taking good everyday photos, so if documenting your family is important too you it's a good idea to practice shooting in low light, using as little extra equipment as possible. Remember that trial and error may be the best way to find what works for you, so keep these tips in mind and keep on shooting.