Capturing the little moments for generations to come.
THello and welcome to another issue of Obscura magazine. In this issue, I was inspired by film photography and the unique look and feel each photo holds without additional editing. I felt that it was importatnt to highlight each photo in a way that enhanced the feel that the photos bring to the magazine. The film feature was a favorite of mine to explore because of the collage-style layout. This is something I ended carrying out in the other features as well to form a more cohesive vibe. The traveling portion of the magazine was interesting to explore as I learned more about the places I was looking into. In this particular issue, I tried to emphasize the indi vidualality to comes with each photo we take as
photographers. It’s easy to get lost in the process of photo taking without taking a moment to look at our surroundings. Obscura Magazine focuses on many areas of travel photography but remains focused on it’s singular goal of being a resource to other creatives for inspiration. This goal has been the same since it’s creation and continues to strive towards that goal as each issue comes out. This issue’s inspiration comes from the beauty of the outside world and how easy it is to miss that beauty in our busy lives. Our team and I hope this magazine can serve as a break in your daily routine to observe more of the world around us through the lens. Photography will always be a passion of mine to share. As always, thanks for checking in!
Layla Dominguez Obscura Magazine is written exclusively by the Obscura staff. Copyright Obscura Magazine. All rights reserved. Director / Editor Layla Dominguez Nick Wheatley Kiersten Rich Samantha Stortecky Jessica Stewart Lana Law Diana Jarvis Penguin Fern Publishing
Keep current on the best gear combos for travel photography. Here’s our list for 2022.
Written by Nick WheatleyIn choosing what gear to carry we always focus on finding a balance between picture quality, versatility, weight, and cost. Read on to find out what pho tography equipment we’ve chosen for our travels and how you can get it too!
While on the road, we’ve tried everything from small point-and-shoot cameras, several different DSLRs, waterproof cameras, and a GoPro. Over time we have ditched all of it except for our cell phones and a DSLR camera duo.
We selected the Nikon D7500 because it checks all of the boxes for quality, afford ability, and versatility. It’s fairly compact and lightweight while still offering great photo quality. Plus, it’s weather-sealed, which we (accidentally) put to the test quite oftenduring our travels.
The D7500 offers 20.9 Megapixels, an ISO range up to 51,200 (for low-light conditions), shoots 8 frames per second in RAW (which we always use) and can shoot 4k video if needed.
But that being said, the camera body has little to do with photo quality. If you want to improve your photography skills but don’t want to drop a lot of cash, choose instead to invest in one or two quality
camera lenses that suit your photography style. A high-quality, lightweight travel tripod is also a good investment.
If you want to spend a little less, pick up the Nikon D3500. It costs less than half of the D7500 and is both lighter and smaller (which you’ll appreciate when you’re lug ging your camera up a mountain or around the world in a suitcase).
TThe Nikon Nikkor 18200mm is the real workhorse lens of the Wandering Wheatleys. We use this daily and most of the photos you see on our website and our Instagram page have been taken with this camera lens.
It’s a wonderful zoom lens with a lot of range while still being light, compact, and very affordable. It’s rare that we need to zoom more than this lens will allow. We also have shot a lot of photos with the Nikkor 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G which is a bit smaller, but we sometimes felt it just didn’t have enough zoom.
Of course, there are always better lenses on the market, but they come at a much higher price which means a higher loss in the unfortunate event that it gets lost, sto len, or damaged. If we weren’t so hard on our gear, I would consider investing in the faster and significantly more expensive Nikkor 16-80mm f/2.8-4E.
If you’re going to be out in nature taking photos of all the pictur esque landscapes, you will most certainly need a wide-angle lens to fit it all in.
We find this lens to be invaluable when we want to capture the expansiveness of the scenery around us.
While Nikon’s wide-angle lenses can be rather pricey, the Tokina 11-16mm Wide Angle Lens made for Nikon cameras, of fers amazing quality and costs about half as much as a similar lens with a Nikon logo on it would. Bonus points for the Tokina for the price-point!
WWish to master the Instagram
stick and invest in a high-quality, light weight travel tripod instead. Besides improving your selfie game, you’ll also need it for waterfall shots, night photography, video, and other long time-lapses.
The challenge with tripods is that they tend to be heavy and bulky. Travel photographers need a tripod that is sturdy enough for long exposure shots, compact enough to fit in a day pack, and light enough to take on a multi-day hiking adventure.
The Sirui 5-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod is the perfect mix of lightweight and sturdy. It weighs less than 2 lbs and when folded up is just 13.8″ long. It is small enough to fit in almost any backpack and won’t weigh you down.
You’ll also need a ball head for your tripod – this is the part that connects your camera to your tripod. Some tripods come bundled with a ball head but Sirui sells them separately. This gives you
more flexibility to select one that is right for your camera and lens setup. If you have a heavier camera and/or a longer lens, you’ll need a heavy-duty ball head to hold it steadily in place.
The Sirui K-10X ball head will suffice for most camera and lens setups. It has a load weight of 44 lbs and adds just 0.9 lbs to your tripod setup.
The MeFOTO Backpacker is also a great option for a lightweight and extreme ly portable tripod. It is our second (much less expensive) choice. It is alumi num rather than carbon fiber which means that it’s not quite as sturdy as the Sirui Tripod, but it’s about half the price and comes with the ball head included!
FFilters used to be caried in large quantities by photographers in the days of film. Luckily, with digital photography, those days are behind us. But you’ll still find that having a few filters in your bag of tricks can help you take your photographs to the next level. For each of our lenses, we carry a circular polarizing and neutral density.
A polarizing filter can be useful when you want to remove or accentuate reflections. For example, if you want to highlight the reflection of mountains or trees on a still lake. Or if you want to shoot through a window but are having trouble because of the light reflecting off of the window. It will also help to accentuate the blue color of the sky and water to really make your landscape photos pop!
The filter you should purchase will de pend on the diameter of the ‘filter thread’ on your lens. Our 18-200mm Nikon lens uses 72mm filters and our 11-16mm Tokina lens uses 77mm filters. You can either find this number printed on your lens or just do a quick Google.
Neutral density filters are pretty simple – they simply reduce the amount of light entering your camera lens without alter ing any colors. You may be asking “why would I want to do that?” Photographers are usually trying to figure out how to get more light through the lens in order to use a faster shutter speed. You’ll need at least one natural density filter to shoot waterfalls though!
“If you stop and think about it, our lives are built by moments.”
Who doesn’t love having fresh flowers around them? They brighten up a space, smell fantastic, and in my experience—they lift my mood! You too? Well, why not take that to the next level? Imagine being in a field, surrounded by millions of them… Whether you’re looking to travel in the States and visit California or Texas or you’re looking to head abroad to Japan or the UK, these amazing flower fields are next level. One thing to note: when you are visiting, it’s always important to be mindful of the
Written by Kiersten Richenvironment. Though it’s really fun to get photos with the gorgeous flowers, make sure not to walk on them and respect both the space and the work of the cultivators! Preserving the fields let’s us ensure we can enjoy the fields.
will be opening earlier and staying open later, as well as switching over to online ticketing to ensure you have the most amazing tulip experience possible!
There are three passes available: General Admission, Experience Pass, and Photography Pass. The General Admission is $15 ages 12+, $7 ages 6-11, and kids 5 and under are free. A new Anytime ticket is now available for $25 (one full day admission, not time reservation necessary).
General Admission includes parking, a trolley ride, and access to the Tulip Bloom field, tulip gardens, indoor tulip display, and barn experience. The Experience pass is $50/person and includes everything in General Admission plus a mini-workshop and escorted access directly into the field where you will be taught how to pick your own bouquet. You will go home with not only the experience of a lifetime but also with your prized, beautiful bouquets.
he Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is magic! The Magic Skagit Valley’s natural wonders also include shorelines, bays, islands, mountains, the Skagit River, and one of the largest and most diverse agricultural communities west of the Cascade mountain range in Washington.
Skagit Valley Farmers invite visitors to take a scenic drive through the valley and experience the art of farming during the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival and throughout the year. Did you know that agriculture is the No. 1 industry in Skagit County? More tulip, and daffodil bulbs are produced here than in any other county in the U.S., and local farmers produce about $261 million worth of 90 different crops, livestock, and dairy products on 93,000 acres of land. In addition to food and fiber products, agriculture in
the Skagit Valley provides habitat for thousands of swans, snow geese, and dabbling ducks.
Come see why the rest of the world agrees that Skagit Valley is an incredible destination for enjoyment of beauty.
The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is designed as a driving tour. There is no one location that you go to for the festival. The fields are centrally located in the Valley between La Conner and Mount Vernon with events and happenings sprinkled all around Skagit Valley. The tulip fields are the crops of RoozenGaarde/Washington Bulb Co., Inc. and Tulip Town. Because of crop rotation, the tulip fields are different each year. Both RoozenGaarde and Tulip Town also have displays of tulips in gardens for visitors to view and photograph all throughout the flowering season.
celebrating MILLIONS of tulips bursting into BLOOM
international and independent showcase for the Dutch floricultural sector, with a special emphasis on flower bulbs. In the space of eight weeks Keukenhof shows what the Dutch floricultural sector has to offer. The park’s focus is on the 7 million springflowering bulbs, which allow the 100 participating companies to show their living catalog. 500 flower growers present an enormous variety of cut flowers and pot plants at the over 20 flower shows.
That’s what makes Keukenhof an excellent opportunity to network and meet business contacts. Trade events for growers are also organized regularly. Keukenhof has strong ties with all the relevant organizations in the floricultural and tourist sectors.
From the 10 miles (15 km) hiking trails of Keukenhof you will have a spectacular view of the flower gardens. During your walk you will see unique, weekly changing flower shows, beautiful ponds and various pavilions with various restaurants and terraces. It is your chance to make the most beautiful selfie and flowers photos. In addition to the huge flower garden, the flower park is also the largest statue garden of the Netherlands. You can admire many statues made by national and international artist.
Keukenhof is also very nice for children. They can enjoy the treasure hunt, the petting zoo, the maze and the playground. For the little ones, there is also a Miffy playground. A visit to the flower park is a nice day out for the whole family.
A question we get very often is when is the best time to visit the tulip park. Because the flower bulbs are planted in different layers in the park, the flower park is great every day during the season. In 2023, the season starts on Thursday 23 March and the last day is Sunday 14 May. There are three different beautiful flowering periods.
From the opening the park will have lots of blooming flowers. There are some great indoor flower shows with many blooming tulips. Outside there are daffodils and crocuses in bloom.
After the daffodils and crocuses it’s time for the hyacinths and the early tulips to bloom in the outdoor gardens. The indoor flower shows are still amazing with great colors. As the colors of the flowers are really the spectacle to come see, this begins the busy time of year for visitors.
The history of Keukenhof dates back to the 15th century. Countess Jacoba van Beieren (1401-1436) gathered fruit and vegetables from the Keukenduin [kitchen dunes] for the kitchen of Teylingen Castle. Keukenhof Castle was built in 1641 and the estate grew to encompass an area of over 200 hectares.
Landscape architects Jan David Zocher and his son Louis Paul Zocher, who also designed Amsterdam’s Vondelpark, redesigned the castle gardens in 1857. That very park, in the English landscape style, still constitutes the basis of the Keukenhof gardens.
In 1949 a group of 20 leading flower bulb growers and exporters came up with the plan to use the estate to exhibit spring-flowering bulbs, signaling the birth of
Keukenhof as a spring park. The park opened its gates to the public in 1950 and was an instant success, with 236,000 visitors in the first year alone. 2023 will be the 74th edition of Keukenhof. During the past 73 years Keukenhof developed into a world-famous attractionfor all.
In Keukenhof 100 flower bulb companies and growers (exhibitors) display their very best range of spring flowering bulbs. Our garden designer creates a special design for each of these companies.
Every year the flower park is dedicated to a specific theme. The inspiration gardens, events and artworks are adjusted accordingly. Keukenhof has chosen not to focus on one theme in 2023 but to work with multiple themes. The gardens will become even more varied.
cherry blossom is the flower from a Prunus tree, of which there are many different kinds. Species cherry blossoms are found throughout the world being especially common in regions in the Northern Hemisphere with temperate climates, including Japan, China, and Korea, as well as Nepal, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan, and several areas across Europe.
Japan is particularly famous for its cherry blossom due its large number of varieties and the nationwide celebrations during the blooming season. As the buds burst open in parks and streets across the country, people throw picnic and hanami (flower viewing) parties to appreciate the transient beauty of the flowers and welcome in the warmer weather. Cherry
blossoms in Japanese are known as sakura and it would not be an exaggeration to say they are a national obsession.
Different varieties of cherry blossoms bloom at different times, but most hit their peak in Tokyo at the end of March to the beginning of April. During this season, the atmosphere changes. Just like spring brings the promise of new life and new beginnings, the soft scent of blossom brings a vibrancy and optimism to the streets. The blossoms become a topic of everyday conversation and it is common to see people transfixed in the street, photographing a tree in bloom from many different angles. Products and decorations in stores become pink, flowery shapes and sakuraflavored sweets and drinks adorn menus–the sakura-themed drinks
have a large following.
Cherry blossom festivals are held in many parks and castle grounds across Japan, but their beauty is also celebrated in countries worldwide. Appearing in everything from traditional art and paintings to making a popular choice for wallpapers and even tattoos, these delicate, transient flowers have captured people’s hearts and imagination.
The most common species of cherry blossom in Japan is the “Somei-yoshino” or Yoshino cherry, a hybrid between two other species. It is known for its almost entirely white petals tinged with the faintest of pinks. You can also find them around parks and schools.
Break open a cherry tree and there are no flowers; but the spring breeze brings forth myriad blossoms. -Ikkyu
Finding the right film camera for your specific needs so here’s a couple that we enjoyed in the past year. Film choice can also affect the way your photoos turn out, so keep that in mind.
Written by Samantha StorteckyThe Pentax 645N is a medium format film camera. A favorite for us because of it’s built-in light meter and extensive range of versatile shots.
• autofocus available
• shoots 6x4.5 format
• shutter-speed knob ranging from 4 seconds to 1/1000th of a second
:• uses 120 roll film (16 exposures) or 220 roll film (32 exposures)
A huge one for me is the price. The Pentax 645N not only creates stunning images but typically only costs around $500-600 used! Considering that the Contax 645 runs around $3K (check it out on eBay), this price point for the Pentax 645N is awesome.
Another huge pro for this camera is the internal light meter. I rarely use an external light meter when using this camera as the internal meter does fantastic on its own.
This is such a time saver, especially if you are shooting a wedding or other event where you need to be constantly moving and shooting!
Another pro for this camera is the
functions and flexibility you have with taking pictures. Its multiple exposure switch is one of my favorites to use and creates such fun, experimental images.
And not only that, but it utilizes battery life wisely. I’ve gone through a whole wedding and still had plenty of battery life left afterwards!
For me, the biggest con of this camera is its weight and shape. If you’re not used to holding a camera in your hand for long periods, this one is going to leave your wrist and arm sore due to the heaviness.
And forget about using a camera strap, your neck and shoulder will
never forgive you. For me, this camera is one of my favorites to travel with but can become such a pain (literally) when trying to lug it around all day.
Another con is a common one when being a film shooter. Almost all film cameras are going to be purchased second hand, and this doesn’t always guarantee that your camera is going to be in tiptop shape.
As great as this camera is, it’s still a film camera, and without cleaning and proper maintenance, this camera can break or have back focusing issues internally.
Lastly, a con for this camera is the amount of time it takes to unload and load film into the camera back. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve missed vital shots because I was busy trying to make sure I had film loaded into the camera quickly and correctly.
The Pentax A3000 is a light-weight, 35mm film camera. Shooting in the aperature priority mode is a big plus for efficiency.
• easy, fast-paced shooting style because of the aperature priority main shooting mode
• great for on-the-go people
• 35mm film has a lot of variety of stock for different looks
• easy to hold and store
One of my biggest pros of this camera is how light it is.
I’m one of those photographers who will always hold her camera in her hand rather than using a neck strap. I can’t stand having things hang around my neck, especially the really old and heavy film cameras in my collection.
This constant hand-holding inevitably leads to me stuffing my camera in a bag and forgetting about it, which then leads to a ton of missed pictures. Not cool.
But because of how light this camera’s weight is, I have absolutely no problem with letting it swing around my neck while I do my thing. It’s made for family
events and everyday outings to be captured easily and effortlessly.
A con for this camera is, like most old film cameras, it doesn’t always work the way it was intended to.
When I first bought this camera, I remember bringing it home and trying to figure out how it worked. Because it had spent so much time on a shelf collecting dust, the shutter kept getting stuck in the closed position. I had to fiddle around with it and warm it up to get some life into it again.
Even so, a lot of my first rolls of film would come back with random images from errors or malfunctions due to camera wear.
The 2021 Travel Photographer of the Year awards are back to remind us of how glorious the world truly is.
Written by Jessica StewartPPhotographers from 151 countries submitted their best images, but it was Fortunato Gatto of Italy that took home the top prize. Gatto, who has called Scotland his home since 2007, was selected as the overall winner based on his portfolio of stunning landscapes taken in Alaska.
Whether the winning photographers are highlighting the environment, engaging with local cultures, or capturing wildlife, they are all providing a well-needed reminder of what awaits us out in the world recently. “The last two years have been tough for everyone and opportunities for travel photographers to shoot new imagery have been limited,” shared TPOTY founder Chris Coe. “Despite this, TPOTY has managed to keep attracting great imagery and we have kept our exhibitions running in safe outdoor spaces. The winning images and those received from all entrants, are testament to the tenacity, creativity, and ingenuity of traveling photographers.”
Indeed, there are many examples of this tenacity and creativity on the winner’s list. In particular, one standout photo is Pally Learmond’s striking image of “Dirty Needle” mountain in Alaska. At first
glance, one notices the fascinating white folds of the snowy mountain. But then, upon closer inspection, the free-skier in the center of the frame comes into view and steals the show.
Young photographers are also represented in the competition, with 13-year-old Indigo Larmour winning her age group for the third consecutive year. The young Irish photographer took the top prize this year for her incredibly dynamic photos of a camel race in the United Arab Emirates.
AAll of the winning images provide inspiration to go out and explore what the world has to offer. Now, more than ever, it’s an important reminder. All of the winning images will go on view in an open-air exhibition in London’s Granary Square in April and May 2022.
The World Photography Organisation has announced the open shortlist and category winners of the prestigious Sony World Photography
Awards. Now in its 14th year, this partnership between Sony and the World Photography Organisation has highlighted the work of some of the world’s most talented professional, amateur, and youth photographers. The National Awards for the 2021 competition were released in February; now, you can view the gallery of the winners of the open categories and the open images.
For the 2021 awards, 10 photographs have been designated category winners in topics such as architecture, travel, and motion. The winning photographers receive precision Sony equipment to continue their artistic missions. They are also in the running for the Open Photographer of the Year title and a $5,000 cash prize. These winning images—plus the work of over 100 shortlisted photographers from around the world—will be displayed online on the World Photography Organisation.
New Zealand, with its incredibly versatile terrain and mild climate, is an excellent place to snap some incredibly beauti ful photos. Windswept coast lines in the north side of the island, lush fiords in the south, and volcanoes in the middle allow you to capture amazing photos even in a small space.
WRITTEN BY LANA LAW
The Road to Paradise is a long drive with amazing scenic views. Paradise is actually a very small town in New Zealand located just outside of North Queenstown.
Mount Taranaki is a dormant stratovolcano located in the Taranki region on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island (Also known as Mount Egmont).
Lake Tekapo is a small town located on the south island. Considered a picture perfect location, there is a lot to see and visit around the town.
Outside of Glenorchy there is a town called Paradise. Town is stretching it. Queenstown is a town. Glenorchy is a general store and a cluster of buildings. Paradise is actually a sign. You don’t re ally go to Paradise for Paradise–you go there for the drive. (If you think about it, this is a rather telling metaphor.) The Road to Paradise is supposedly one of the most scenic drives in New Zealand which is saying something, as it has scenic drives coming out the wazoo.
The Road to Paradise is not for the faint of heart. Actually it’s not that bad, I just liked how that sounded–but seriously, it’s not for people with low clearance cars. Luckily, we were able to leave Medi um Red (did I mention we named the car?) at the campground and take Geoff’s Mitsub ishi Delica which, in addition to being a troop er through the river crossings, was piloted by Geoff, who has lots of interesting theories about driving on gravel, like “you just have to go fast enough to smooth out the bumps,” which actually works.
The hike in Paradise wins the prize for worst signage — you would never see it unless you were looking for it. Shortly after the Paradise sign you’ll see it looks like a private driveway with a sign written in Chinese. It goes uphill a little and then opens up to a collection of old buildings. This is the site of the former Paradise Home stead (which burnt down a few years ago) but there are still accommodation options there, including two large houses and several rustic huts. This is also where the walk starts.
The snow-capped cone of Taranaki Maunga lures visitors who appreci ate geological phenom ena. Apart from one small bump - a subsid iary vent called Fantham’s Peak - the mountain’s cone is beautifully sym metrical. Climbing to the summit is achievable for experienced hikers in all seasons – although winter is more difficult and not recommended–and is best done with a guide. The best months to attempt the summit climb is January through to April.
of plant species from surf to summit.
The lowland forest is scattered with rimu and rata trees, which gradually make way for kamahi, tōtara and kaikawaka throughout the seasons.
The ‘Goblin Forest’, on the mountain’s middle slopes, takes its name from
the gnarled shape of the trees and the thick swathes of trailing moss. Above the forest you’ll find sub-alpine scrub and alpine herbs. A comprehensive network of walking tracks provides access to the beauty of the park. The Egmont National/Te Papakura o Taranaki has 13 entrances, making it one of the most accessible wildlife locations to visit in New Zealand.
For those who might be interested in botany, Egmont National Park/Te Papakura o Taranaki makes it possible to observe the interesting progression
But the adventure doesn’t stop there! For thrill-seekers, romantics, and those seeking views from above, there’s also plenty to do.
PPicturesque and vibrant by day and dazzling by night, Lake Tekapo is part of a UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve, making it the perfect spot for star gazing or for taking the perfect night photos.
Lake Tekapo is about three hours drive south-west of Christchurch in the Mackenzie Basin. The town ship faces north across the re markable turquoise coloured lake to the mountainous drama of the Southern Alps. Lake Tekapo gets its intense milky-turquoise colour from the fine rock-flour (otherwise known as ground by glaciers) which is suspended in the water.
On the shores on the lake you’ll see the photogenic, beautiful Church of the Good Shepherd, where the altar
window frames a perfect view of the Southern Alps beyond the lake. The church was built in 1935 for the pioneer families of the Mackenzie district and is still used as a place of worship. The church is a popular photo spot for visitors- please keep in mind that when you visit the church, weddings and services may be taking place, so respect is needed from visitors.
Nearby is the interesting “sheepdog monument” a bronze statue sculpt ed to recognise the district’s debt to the sheepdog “without the help of which the grazing of the mountain
ous country would be impossible”. There are walking tracks following the lake shore. For huge views of the Mackenzie Basin you can hike up to Mount John Observatory (1031 me tres) or Cowans Hill.
Lake Tekapo is known for it’s clear nights and lack of light pollution, making it a great viewing destination.
Our guide to blue hour photography has all you need to get inspired for the most magical time to shoot.
Written by Diana JarvisTThe so-called ‘blue hour’ is the period of time just after the sunset, around dusk when the sky takes on inky, indigo hues and before it becomes impenetrably black. It’s a unique time of day, and not something that can be recreated even using the the best photo editing apps (opens in new tab).The ‘hour’ is a bit of a misnomer because it depends what latitude on the earth you’re at as to how long it lasts. Nearer the equator there’s very little blue between sunset and darkness whereas towards the poles and during their respective summer times, the ‘hour’ can be seemingly endless. There’s also another blue hour just before dawn. It’s the perfect light to capture the move ment and energy of cityscapes when buildings are illuminated, as well as seascapes and landforms in the beautiful moonlight.
Most DSLR or mirrorless cameras (opens in new tab) are suitable for taking decent night time images. While those with higher ISO capabilities will give you more flexibility and range in very dark situa tions, during the blue hour it’s possible to combine a lower ISO with a long expo sure to capture the night to great effect.
For cityscapes and landscapes, a wide or super wide angle lens will allow you to get more of the scene in your shot. By balancing the ISO with the exposure time, you don’t necessarily need to worry about large aperture capabilities. To ensure sharpness throughout the shot, a prime lens between 16mm and 50mm is ideal but zoom lenses that also cover these ranges will also work well.
blocks often glow with activity while historical buildings like castles and churches are often lit up for a few hours at night. In wilder landscapes, you can try light painting with a torch on rocks and landscape features or you could coincide your shoot with a full moon and use it to illuminate them. (Once the light has gone completely, you can then have a go at photographing the moon (opens in new tab) with your camera.)
Art installations using light are becoming more popular and many cities now have winter light festivals during the darker months, plus firework displays are another great opportunity to flex your skills. Lights reflected on water – in puddles, lakes, rivers or in the sea – also present a great opportunity to create intriguing abstract compositions.
While they’re generally not great for astrophotography purposes, cities are great places to shoot during blue hour as there’s activity, color and an array of types of lights to contend with. Capturing light trails from moving vehicles is a pop ular way to start photographing at night and allows you to depict the city in a way we usually don’t see with the naked eye. Within cityscapes, office and apartment
AAt dusk, the sky is not evenly dark; it’s much darker in the opposite direction to the sunset and will stay lighter where the sun has gone down. Cloud cover impacts the color of the sky during blue hour – urban lights bounce off the clouds and turns the sky a murky brown hue that can be unflattering.
