Any advice on this great opportunity???

[Lascough]

Hi everyone.

I am only just getting to grips with my E-420 and am very much the amature. I have booked to attend an evening at Westonbirt Arboretum where the forest will be lit http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-6zpkhr

Any advice on camera settings etc would be most appreciated. If the pics end up any good I'll post them on here.

Many thanks

[snaarman]

Re: Any advice on this great opportunity???

Hmm, looks like a great opportunity. I think the problems are similar to those you get photographing fireworks at night, though presumably the trees stay lit whereas fireworks go out.

Its going to be dark, but switch the flash off. Take a tripod. You might find that the autofocus has trouble if its too dark. It could be easy to over expose the trees with all that dark around.

So: my approach would be to put the camera on a tripod. Try a wide angle lens to get plenty of trees in the image. Switch off autofocus and focus manually. Use Aperture priority (or Manual metering) and spot metering. Set the lens something like f8 (more depth of field will help with the focussing)

Now point the spot meter at a tree trunk and use the exposure you get from that. OK, the shadows will be black, but the tree trunks won't be burnt out.

My 'umble suggestions...

Pete

[Wreckdiver]

Re: Any advice on this great opportunity???

To start the ball rolling I suggest using a tripod and because of that you can afford to set the ISO to lowest value (100).

What lens(es) will you be using?

I had forgotten about this, think I'll be going along also. Cheers for the bump

Edit: You sneaked in just before me Pete

Steve

[Wally]

Re: Any advice on this great opportunity???

Seem like a cracker of an event. Hope all goes well, but above all, enjoy yourselves. Anything over and above that is a bonus.

[Paulpp]

Re: Any advice on this great opportunity???

Went to a similar event near us a month ago. Tripod a must!

[Lascough]

Re: Any advice on this great opportunity???

Thank you all for your comments.

I'll have 14-42mm and a 70-300mm lens with me and definitely a tripod.

Hopefully should get some pics worth showing. Fingers crossed.

Thanks again.

[Greytop]

Re: Any advice on this great opportunity???

Welcome to the forum, it looks like a great photo opportunity.
I too would say your number one priority would be a tripod. Hope that it works out well and look forward to seeing some images.

[Lascough]

Re: Any advice on this great opportunity???

Thanks you all for your advice. It was a great evening even though it took several hours to get the feeling back in my fingers. I have uploaded a small selection of the shots to my gallery if anyone is interested. Any comments would be appreciated (we all have to learn).

Thanks again.

[Wreckdiver]

Re: Any advice on this great opportunity???

Went to the second of the Capturing the Light evenings at Westonbirt Arboretum this evening and had a great time. Snow had just started falling when I got there but soon stopped leaving quite good conditions and a moon and clouds to give a little atmosphere.

Hope you don't mind me butting in Lascough, I have put some of my shots in my gallery also: Capturing the Light

Steve

[Lascough]

Re: Any advice on this great opportunity???

No problem at all. It's great to see what others saw and thought. Also, as I'm a complete amateur, it's good to look at an experienced photographers results.

Thanks.