Night Scenes

• 1). Turn on the camera and set it to "Manual" mode.
  
  
• 2). Access the camera's settings so you can adjust the ISO, shutter speed and aperture.
  
  
• 3). Set the ISO to between 200 and 800. Higher ISO settings will produce brighter images but increase image graininess.
  
  
• 4). Adjust the aperture to "f/8." This intermediate setting will help you determine whether to reduce or enlarge the aperture for additional shots.
  
  
• 5). Modify the shutter speed so the shutter remains open for two to four seconds. When you are taking pictures that involve movement, such as a highway at night, increasing the shutter speed will let you capture light trails.
  
  
• 6). Attach the camera to the tripod or locate a place to rest the camera while you take the picture.
  
  
• 7). Compose the photograph by positioning the camera, then adjusting the zoom and focus.
  
  
• 8). Set the self-timer to prevent shaking the camera when you press the button.
  
  
• 9). Press the shutter button and let the camera take the picture. Look at the photo and adjust your settings accordingly. Reduce the aperture opening if the picture is overexposed, or enlarge it to amplify the existing light. If your background is too dark, increase the shutter speed to capture more light.
  
  

Night Portraits

• 1). Turn the camera on and set it to "Night Portrait" mode. For camera's that don't include this shooting mode, set the flash to "On" or "Auto" mode and also turn on "red-eye" reduction, if available.
  
  
• 2). Stand at a distance of at least 6 to 10 feet from your subject. Close proximity to the flash will over-expose your portrait.
  
  
• 3). Compose the portrait, zooming in if necessary, and take the picture.