Low Light Without Flash with Sarah Meghan Lee

It is counter intuitive: the less light there is, the less I use flash. In really low light situations, the flash can ruin the mood (religious ceremonies, vigils) or overpower the inherent emotions and qualities (candle light, moonlight) of beautiful low light. So what can you do?

Bump up your ISO. The new digital cameras work amazingly well at higher ISOs. Test your camera at 800, 1600, or higher, and find out where the image starts to deteriorate.

Buy a 50mm or other fixed lens that opens up to at least f/1.8. These lenses provide the low-light photographer with double value: they are so small and light, you can shoot slow shutter speeds at wide apertures.

Get steady. To photograph at slow shutter speeds try leaning against a wall, sitting down, or putting your elbows on the ground.

Finally, let the image go dark. It should be dark. And when the sun goes down, keep shooting!

Learn more from Sarah in her workshop
San Miguel de Allende: Day of the Dead
October 29 - November 4, 2010

Visit her web site www.sarahmeghanleephotography.com to see what she’s up to.