Night shots in Valongo (Porto outskirts)!

written on the 28th November 2007

Not only FS lend me his photo equipment, but he also offered me a expertise class on how to handle the Canon 350D with the new Tamron Lens, a 17-50mm / f2.8 (for those photo curious that get this far reading! :-)

Because we both weren’t too familiar with night pics, we took this night to make some tests and went to this hill nearby Porto (overlooking the city of Valongo), to take some photos on less intense city lights - I know it’s not comparable to the northern lights, but we have to shoot at something at night ;-) from this experience I learn how you feel when using a camera with no light to see it, as we choose a dark spot without artificial light around us! Especially if you are not familiar with the camera: “this button do this… and that button do that…” and I hardly see what he was pointing at!!! Well, we joked with the situation :-D

So my advice on taken pics in dark environments would be that you get quite familiar with equipment and know the main buttons by heart, cause you won’t see a thing :-)

This was also good to know that with a “warm” +6ºC my fingers almost freeze!!! So the gloves I bought wasn’t as good as promised!!! So what I’m I suppose to do if I get -10 or -20ºC ?! Well, guess I’ve to wait till I get on place, cause also, I’ve just fond out that I can’t operate a new camera and wear gloves at the same time :-D

Ah! The camcorder… probably won’t catch anything!!! As it could be seen from the sequences recorded, with a much more intensity of lights in this place :-(

So, another advice, if you wanna film the northern lights better go with a professional with pretty good equipment :-)