Night and Low-Light Photography: A Complete Guide

Reading this book expanded the range of my photography significantly. The author includes many excellently exposed night shots, text describing how they were done, and an exposure chart. As is typical for books of this type, the one page that is the exposure chart is the highlight of the book.The moonlit shots of a bay on the Atlantic Coast of Ireland that I shot on my honeymoon are very fun to own. In my wedding photography, I think this book has had a good influence on learning the technique of balancing the exposure of a night scene with a foreground subject lit by flash.Of course long exposures can not be attempted without a decent tripod. If you are planning some travel photography, I advise you to refrain from leaving your best gear at home in favor of recently purchased compact gear which may be inferior. Take your full camera bag, and stow a tripod/lighting bag, too.While I think this is a motivating, interesting book, my only suggestion is for the author to record exposures and publish them alongside the photographs. My recollection is that the treatment of exposure is chart and running text based, and not associated with specific photos. This treatment, while unusual, was, none the less, effective.Peter

They weren't kidding when they called this "a complete guide." Practical techniques for every conceivable low-light situation. You need a manual camera to use these methods-they won't work with a fully automatic point-and-shoot, but I think anyone interested enough to buy this book would already have a manual camera.Loses one star because some of the information about specific films and equipment is a little out-of-date.

This is a most excellent book on the subject. The fact that no one else has written a review of it is amazing. They must all be out there at night with a flashlight, reading it.......First written in 1987, it has been reprinted in '93, 94, 95, and 97. The information contained in this well written book is very much in time with today's tools and technology.These gentlemen seem to have covered every possible low light, long exposure, and flash inhanced shooting situation that you can imagine. And a lot more!I could try to list all of the low light situations that they cover in this book, but to do so runs the risk of my forgetting to include the item that you are looking for. Believe me, the authors did not forget that which you are seeking. Gibbons & Wilson have covered everyone's interests.My main interest in low light level photography came from shooting landscapes at night, only using the moon as a light souce. The results are awesome. Sometimes ephemeral, always soft and perhaps other-worldly, the results lend a pleasing effect to what might otherwise have been just another ho-hum scene.Besides covering my interest, this book goes on to give me the info that I need for using my camera after dark in more ways than I could ever dream of. It's like they are giving away professional secrets or somethin'.Of course it is very well illustrated. After all it is about photography. Where neccessary, the lads have included charts and diagrams to help make the subject easier to grasp.Buy it.Use it.Don't forget your tripod!