Planning your low-light shoot in advance will help increase your prospects of creating magical photos

© Eberhard Grossgasteiger

Preparation is the most important thing when it comes to low-light photography. The light will fade rapidly during the shoot, so it’s essential to familiarise yourself with the surroundings beforehand. It’s advisable to be at the location about two hours before it gets dark, so that you can prepare your equipment and try different framing options.

In low-light scenes, the composition of the photograph is important and should be well considered. It can be difficult to create a good balance, as large areas of a subject or scene may be dark due to the reduced light. Such areas should preferably be excluded to avoid overloading the image, while elements that provide additional light should be integrated.