Tips to capture Glowing tents.

[ClickAddict]

I'm sure you've all seen 1-2 photos of camping tents with lights on inside and some scenic background in the evening. (example here: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m612mvH0Y41qmqv58o1_500.jpg

I'm going to be heading out camping on the river for a few nights and there will be about 4-5 tents. Was hoping to take a shot like the one above. Anybody have any tips? I'll be bringing a tripod, and the camera and lenses listed below. I also have a set of gels for my flash. I'd seen a tip of using one to match the light from a campfire for shots around the fire. To give a bit more light to the faces. Not sure if those could be used. Given that the tents are different colors, they'd be giving of different shades of colors. Planning on doing the shot without people outside anyway for the glowing tents.

I'm sure I could pull something half decent off, but figure if my window for the best light is short, I don't want to be experimenting too much. Any tips would be helpfull.

Thanks,

 

[kundalini]

Shoot it after the sun has gone down but there is still some light in the sky. This will help with shadow details.

 

[Dao]

Do you have remove flash trigger?

I never shot anything like that, but that what I may try.

- Camera on tripod.
- Multiple flashes with radio trigger receiver sitting inside the tents. Light maybe diffused by a plastic milk jar or something like that.
- Wait until sun have set.
- When the sky is getting darker, meter the sky and take a shot.
- Manually trigger the flashes (those radio trigger usually has a button for manually triggering) or triggered with the hotshoe when pressing the shutter button.

Not too sure about the flash power yet. You may need to do few tries in the backyard and see.

 

[ClickAddict]

I thought of putting the flashes in the tents, but only have the two. (I'v got a wired 24 foot trigger for the 580 and the 430 can be slave, although it needs line of sight so not sure if it could penetrate the thin camp fabric.) Problem is I have 4-5 tents so not enough flashes. I have some camp lights to hang in the tents and was figuring to use those instead. I like the idea of trying in the backyard though. (Don't know why I didn't think of it.) Only will have 2 of the tents but should give a good idea of what I'm trying. Will play with that in the next week. Trip is in two weeks so I have plenty of time.

 

[Buckster]

use a long exposure and go from tent to tent triggering thm by hand.

 

[ClickAddict]

Wow. Good idea Buckster. Never thought of that. Sort of like light painting. Will certainly consider this if the tent lamps don't give me the effect I want.

 

[TCampbell]

You wouldn't even need strobes. These may be ordinary lights. If it darks enough, you can take a fairly long duration shot (on a tripod of course) and then just turn on a light for a moment. Similar to "painting with light" in the dark. Just think about the shape of the beam projected from a light. For example a lantern is fairly omnidirectional but probably has a shield/reflector that keeps light from shining straight up. Meanwhile a flashlight is going to project a cone which usually has a hot spot in the middle of it. For these shots, you'd want a light that's fairly omnidirectional without hot-spots... but it wouldn't need to be a photo flash.

 

[jwbryson1]

use a long exposure and go from tent to tent triggering thm by hand.

:hail::hail::hail:

 

[McNugget801]

I've done quite a few of these.

On a clear night I will typically set up for a 30exposure, F2-2.8, and ISO1250-ISO1600. Light can be your worst enemy here and even a small camp fire or moon light can completely blow our your foreground. The advantage you have with method is this the amount of stars you will pick up in the sky.

If its cloudy I will set switch to bulb mode and and shoot 60-120sec exposures, F5.6-8, ISO400-800. The advantage you have here is streaky cloud movement. Just remember if your shooting over 30sec and have have any stars in your frame they will trail.

For lighting a tent (or any other foreground element) I typically used a flash at very low power 1/16. Remember to keep the flash low in the tent to keep the lighting even. Most of time I will just duck behind the tent and hold the flash against it and strobe it once, this basically turned the tent into a giant soft-box. Rather then pack a flash while backpacking or on long hikes I typically use a small battery powered lantern in side the tent.

here are few of my shots...

Coyote Gulch camp trails by Summit42, on Flickr


milky night by Summit42, on Flickr


False Kiva Star Trails by Summit42, on Flickr

 

[ClickAddict]

Thanks, Work here filters out flickr, so I'll have to look at your shots tonight.