Extreme HIGH ISO photography tricks. Whatever you do, don't do THIS!

[@simon_dentremont]

What’s your favorite crazy-low-light technique? Let us know!

[@ardnfast]

Hi Simon. I was thinking of getting Topaz and just wondering if you have used it for noise reduction in your astro photography? Great video, as always. Cheers 👌👏

[@Marisa_enjoyer]

The s-curve adjustment has served me well

[@RussellVineyard]

I'm thinking ETTR is probably going to be my go-to for low light. I think it's going to work far better for where I live.

[@davidgommeren7283]

I was lucky enough to live a few years in Mwanza (Tanzania). This is less than 2 hours from the western gate of the Serengeti. I would do day trips, leaving at around 4 in the morning (tricky, because driving at night is not allowed and there are roadblocks, but if you explain where you're heading they normally would let you through). If the gate staff was quick enough I could sometimes enter the park before sunrise and position myself at some trees with baboons in them and wait for the morning red to appear in the sky. This gave the opportunity for some fantastic silhouette photos.

[@interpolpirate]

Ditch the telephoto for a smaller lens with a bigger aperture and get as close as I can. I don't photograph lions though 😂.

[@psphotos]

No creepy background music, no useless jokes, and no more frequent scene changes. That's Simon for us, bringing the knowledge in most optimal and clean way. Keep up your good spirit! Best wishes from India ❤️

[@karolmuskala]

Best tip for low light shooting is to watch Simon d'Entremont 😊

[@ChunterInfo]

Honesty is the best policy

[@ArmandoMedia]

😂😂😂😂

[@theWZZA]

My tip: I incorporate rifle shooting concepts for added stability in low light. 1) use my sling for support. Look up what a hasty sling is and use that with your camera strap. 2) Breath hold for stability. Exhale half the air in your lungs and hold before you press the shutter. Hyperventilate ahead of time to oxygenate your blood to lengthen your hold. 3) The rifle shooting positions for standing, kneeling, seated or prone can be easily adapted to photography. I frequently use a squatting position with my elbows resting on my knees. 4) Using paper clips, I made a set of ghost ring sights that I taped to my camera and lens. For birds in flight, I often use these instead of my EVF for fast acquisition and tracking.

[@simon_dentremont]

Same! Used to shoot guns and archery.

[@clivemilner]

Great advice. One needs to get the shot!

[@jesss7930]

Photo shooting techniques also let me win 35 straight rounds of buckhunter with no practice, so they’re transferable and rewarding in many ways!

[@curtsuneson6161]

I'm calling the cops

[@David_Quinn_Photography]

It's very true, do what you would for a rifle. I exhale when I need low shutter speeds and don't have a tripod

[@krzysztofg2145]

I really like when You share not only perfect shots, but the bad-ones also. It shows realistically how work in the field looks like. Im more a landscape photographer but I watch Your videos for fun& educational purposes. There is always something to learn and just enjoy how you present informations . Cheers!

[@simon_dentremont]

Glad you like them!

[@hiphopsuperman]

I love that you shares all your "failed" lion photos. We too often only see the best shots and wonder how on earth they got that!

[@vincemahama]

Your advice on overexposing (without clipping) in low light is an absolute game-changer for me. I was always under the impression that ISO = noise. It's very liberating knowing that ISO is your friend and that it's not a matter of less is automatically better.

[@tothespace2122]

I didn't quite get that part... If it's low light situation then that implies there isn't enough light to get to the sensor for it to be exposed properly at minimum ISO. So how can you overexpose the image when there isn't enough light in the first place?

[@vincemahama]

@@tothespace2122 You're mostly right. If you keep the ISO low, you're going to have to make significant compromises in other areas, for example shutter speed, to correctly (or over-expose) your image. Simon's advice is to avoid under-exposing your image, even if that means increasing your ISO. This is because brightening an under-exposed image in post makes the noise in the image much more visible. To counteract this, you can increase the ISO more so your image is actually slightly overexposed (but not overly clipping to white), then reduce the exposure in post to reduce noise visibility somewhat. Hope that makes sense.

[@tothespace2122]

@@vincemahama Yea but I don't see why this advice is exclusive to low light. If during the day you use high ISO you'll also be forced to use faster shutter speed or higher aperature. The NEED for high ISO always means there will be noise and one can't prevent noise by shifting the histogram right (given that you already have your aperature and shutter speed maximally utilized). It's always best to minimize ISO while getting properly exposed image. There is something called front-end read noise and back-end read noise. Most cameras are not ISO invariant so increasing the ISO and then decresing exposure in post processing is better than using low ISO and then increasing the exposure in post processing. Maybe the video was refering to that? Otherwise the advice can basically be boiled down to: "for any occasion, use the slowest possible shutter speed, the lowest possible aperature and let ISO be what it needs to be".

[@garyrowe58]

​@@tothespace2122he can't. He's wrong.

[@garyrowe58]

​@@tothespace2122in other words, the video is wrong, you can't get get something for free.

[@jesss7930]

Spray and pray is my absolute go to. And if I’m not happy with my photos, at least there’s usually someone around to go “oooh that’s a fancy camera!” and be impressed with my shutter sounds to make me feel a little better 😂 I also like ignoring that I need to breathe, and holding awkward positions so tightly that I pull muscles. Worth it for the shot!

[@Christoffychocolate]

😂😂

[@Nemeth_Kornel]

I came to photography while being an automotive journalist. On my first day at the magazine, they gave me a 250k+ exposure Canon EOS 700D with a kinda working 18-135 kit lens and no instructions. It took me years to get ok at photography, even if I was doing it every day. Now, years later it's not even a debate, that I am the best photographer working at the same magazine, and all I needed was to find out most of the techniques you show in your videos on my own, trial and error style. I found your channel some weeks ago, and I still learn a lot here. I've seen enough to confirm, that this content is golden. I can't even imagine where I'd be right now if I had found your channel when I started. 100% recommend, amazing work.

[@simon_dentremont]

Too kind!

[@interpolpirate]

I think I've been subscribed to you for a few months now, you have a really great way of explaining things. Also big respect for showing examples of your own "poor" photos to help others learn. I think a lot of KZbin photographers are reluctant to make themselves look "bad" and only really show the good shots. The problem is it looks unattainable when someone is seemingly always taking perfect shots and it isn't very helpful to people learning not to see what a given mistake looks like. With your examples I find the "mistakes" very relatable and it also helps me identify when I am making the same error because you have shown me what to look for. And then showing what to do to improve and the incredibly good photos of your own at the end makes me feel I have a much better chance of achieving some good shots of my own. Keep up the good work, thank you!

[@AnandaGarden]

The bird photos are marvelous. Thanks for an enjoyable session. At 82 I still photograph an annual K-8 school theater event that is quite extraordinary. Like wildlife and birds, theater requires a utility photographer's tool bag. What has completely transformed my theater photography is Adobe Denoise AI. Never before could I shoot at up to ISO 20,000 and deliver amazingly clean photos. After this year's shoot I culled 3,660 photos to 155, applied Denoise AI, then corrected the DNG from Denoise as normal. The parents, students, and teachers were very pleased.

[@FinnishSuperSomebody]

My personal trick for low light photography is "Just shoot and don't care about the noise that much and print photos on paper". Many times noise does not ruin photo except maybe on computer screens for pixel peepers. Lots and lots of great photography in history is made where is noise and those are even blurry photos, but still wonderful photography. Just stop caring and start shooting, don't seek for perfection since you never get any shots done because world is not perfect and perfect conditions never comes.

[@Kruemel93]

People like Simon are the only ones allowed to shoot animals ☝️😎because he doesn't kill them and his trophies show what we need to preserve ❤ Thanks for your work here on KZbin

[@lionheart4424]

ETTR for life! I learnt this from you first. Thanks for educating us, Simon! Waiting for part 2.

[@simon_dentremont]

More to come!

[@sarahtaylor9841]

I've only been into photography for about 3 years and I actually am more of a lifestyle family/newborn photographer. BUT you are one of my favourite youtube pros. I love the outdoors and wildlife so of course I love your content but honestly, your guidance and tips have helped me so much in my development, even though our subject matter is different. Thank you for another great video!

[@simon_dentremont]

Wow, thank you!

[@theWZZA]

Spray and pray is my JAM 😅 I've gone as low as 1/30 s. Your videos are the most useful to me, THANK YOU.

[@dangilmore9724]

Spot on! The signal to noise issue is important. I shootvatvup to ISO 12,800 without noise being an issue provided I shove the histogram to the right. If you have enough dynamic range in the actual view, you get a usable image. You can actually "clean up" noise by introducing noise in processing. I figured this out by realizing that how an image looks depends largely upon how it is perceived in final form. This is done in audio recording by introducing "floor noise" that covers up artifacts in the process.

[@sunlbx]

if you shove the histogram to the right, isn't it the same as shoving it 1 stop lower and setting ISO to 1 stop lower, effectively same shutter speed?

[@Tardsmat]

Or just add film grain to cover up the noise haha

[@anthonylujan]

love love the tip of your hand at the end of the lens and your brow at the eyepiece. I do this all the time with my 600mm. I'm usually in the forest and high ISO is required. I feel comfy shooting at 8,000 or even 10,000 if I must get the shot. Lowering my shutter and opening up to allow all the light in. I also agree that it doesn't matter what others say, as it's important that you get the shot, especially when we spend thousands of dollars on our trips not to get the shot. Keep on shooting and spreading the love of photography Simon!

[@WildpixFPV]

You are one of the if not the best teacher(s) I ever had. And at 50, there have been a few... Your enthusiasm and clarity in words and thoughts help me to enjoy every minute of your videos and love learning more and more... 👍👍👍 Thank you a lot and hi from good old Germany!

[@simon_dentremont]

Wow, thank you!

[@edgorochowski9709]

At last, someone talking common sense and giving some real tips. Thank you.

[@simon_dentremont]

Glad it was helpful!

[@blueridgestops3128]

With my knees shaking and arms trembling, I move my thumb and hit “auto ISO.” My friends don’t understand. They are portrait photographers. No one in that genre raises their ISO above 100, because they can add and shape the light in their scene when they don’t have enough. But I want the picture of that hummingbird as the sun is setting. Waiting for the sky to fall, I take the shot. Hmm. The sky didn’t fall! 🤣😂😃

[@simon_dentremont]

blasphemy! lol

[@jeffslade1892]

A trick I've learned for dawn light and dusk where we have a dim but full spectrum and a decent amount of contrast is to let the ISO go up. If that spectrum and contrast is not there then it will look grainy. With wildlife we cannot use the slowest of shutters even with crazy stabilisation because they insist on moving, and no lens is fully sharp wide-open and will want shutting down by a stop, maybe only 2/3 or 1/3. I consider ISO 3200 to be normal, no noise , where ISO 6400 is onset and ISO 12800 may need a touch of de-noise, much depends on the read noise of your sensor. This allows a faster shutter and a sharper aperture.

[@evandennis2110]

I do mostly concert photography where the light is always very dark, and I find that the motion blur that comes with using slow shutter speeds can actually lead to some pretty unique shots that are properly exposed without having to raise your iso to crazy heights.

[@AnandaGarden]

Unsolicited suggestion - Adobe Denoise AI might be worth a test. It has transformed my theater photography. We've come so far from Tri-X.

[@JakubKlubkoSmejkal]

When shooting a concert, I usually wait for lights stroboscopes or fires to go on. It is like having a flash on the stage 😁

[@kurtmanderbach8164]

We need more of your positive and chill energy down here in the states. Keep em coming! 😎

[@mylucksmiles]

When shooting in bad light I use pixel peeking . Auto foucs does not always work. Also you can work out what is in foucs . But my biggest tip is don’t wait till you’re on holiday to try to learn your equipment. I have the 180/600z for the last 8 weeks when I have time I have spent time trying to work out how it preforms in low light how it performs best for me .I shoot on manual so I get to know what works for me. The last tip is to release the camera is a machine, it does not have moods that bits tells you more about you than your equipment. ISO need not always have to be so high has you think . Light room gives a lot of light power if you know how to use it correctly. So really practice makes perfect. Kind off trade off. I live 15 mins away from a local park . It’s as a pound and wild life there. I have loads of photos of geese ducks gulls and dogs. I plan to expand my collection of course however for now a fast moving duck or geese in flight allow me to work out what works for me gives me hands on practical experience of my gear. Horses or the local deer seagull or Golden eagle same skill factor for capture for all So be a Boy Scout and learn your equipment . It pays you practice

[@SAVAGEAVIATIONYT]

Hi Simon! I recently started bird photography with my old Canon SX40. I got a Canon T7 a few days ago. There has not been anyone who has explained photography tips more clearly and thoroughly than you. Thank you for taking me from having super grainy photos to getting photos I’m actually proud of! Amazing tips, keep up the good work!

[@cardboardscope]

You completely eliminated all the issues I was having with my x-h2 that I wasn't having with a panasonic point and shoot. Fuji should honestly pay you because you made me realize how good this camera actually is, where reviewers just dismissed it. Macro without a flash because I'm shooting at 1/2000 in sunlight with an ISO of 12800 and f/8? Best shots I've taken. You're incredible.

[@johnchedsey1306]

I love that your videos are incredibly practical and snob-free! The reality is most of us hobbyist photographers might not have the luxury of arriving at any given spot with optimal lighting and simply have to make do with the situation. Realistic, helpful advice is so welcome! Can't wait for the next part because I generally find myself shooting in daylight hours (ie: harsh lighting). Most of my trips to explore the southwest US mean I'm driving around to neat points at 11 AM and just have to deal with whatever harsh light is going on.

[@danjepaunce]

My favourite photography channel! My low light photography trick is-set radial filter on object and decrease exposure slightly outside filter. That can make object "more lighter" and in more contrast to the backoround. Decrease clarity outside filter (object) at the same time also reduces noisy background.

[@simon_dentremont]

Great tip!

[@KobieMC]

I have tried to explain this whole idea that high iso on its own is not the cause of noise. Incorrect exposure is the cause. It's really a subject that many can't wrap their heads around. I don't have any extra tips other than use Image stabilization if your camera or lens has it, to combat shakiness if you're doing low light hand held photos. Other than that, pretty much everything you've mentioned is what I do. This was a great video my eastern Canada neighbour! (I'm about an hour east of Toronto).

[@HFXmermaid]

Great to meet you at the KZbin event Simon! Simon this is really great stuff. We are trying to learn how to improve noise in our underwater stuff. I think some of these tips will translate. But we run into these issues too just trying to get sunset shots etc. We also found shooting in Mexico a challenge with the brightness too!

[@simon_dentremont]

My pleasure Riane!

[@Photo-zl6wt]

Thanks again for another informative lesson! As a newer photographer, I find myself shooting in low light more frequently than I anticipated. Your bonus tip about using the histogram and exposing to the right at higher ISOs was exactly what I was looking for and worth watching all the way to the end of the video. My adventure continues.

[@diann546]

You are the first person to mention prefocusing for flying birds. I have been doing this for a while. It is especially helpful when a bird comes back to a particular spot or flies through an area frequently.

[@BarrytheCuda]

There are several people blessed in KZbin content creators, Unmesh Dinda (Piximperfect ) for photoshop tricks, Simon d'Entremont for photography techniques... Again, thank you sir.

[@simon_dentremont]

Thanks for that!

[@VTheGonk]

Simon... Your content is so refreshing!!! You truly ago against the grains to give photographers options improve their skills, and to use your shared knowledge however they please. What I appreciate the most is how genuine you are, and your generosity to share your experiences.

[@MrThoogo]

As a Kenyan, I had the opportunity to explore Amboseli National Park towards the end of last year. Watching your video now, I realize how much it would have helped me then, as you've expertly addressed the very challenges I faced. Your clear explanations and extensive knowledge are truly commendable. Thank you for sharing your expertise-I'm subscribing right away. 😊

[@antonvoloshin9833]

In general for shooting relatively long exposures: Sniper technique - breathe slow, shoot on exhale, push the trigger softly. For long lenses you can rest your left palm on the right shoulder (if you are right-handed) and use your elbow as an additional stabilizing point

[@prberends2]

Apart from the tips, the biggest thing I took from this video is seeing the pro having the same struggles as I do 😊 Thanks for the confidence boost Simon!! As always, great video!

[@mohammadjavid1699]

your channel is great, straight to the point, clean, without any shouting and boom transition. you do it in your own way, not these days social media concepts and thats great. Ive leaned a lot from you, Just wanna say thank you❤

[@thechefkoch123]

Lessons learned: think positive

[@petergottschling2597]

Hello Simon, I love your practical instructional videos. I almost always have my auto ISO set +2/3 stop and rarely clip the highlights on the subject. I have been using 1.4x on RF100-500, so almost always dealing with high ISO when shooting in early or late situations. I find that denoise in Lightroom and then bringing up exposure with the highlight slider instead of the exposure slider really makes a difference with noise.

[@houserhythm]

The bonus tip only applies to Canon cameras. The others (using Sony sensors) are ISO invariant and underexposing + raising in post will look the same as ETTR. And with the NR tools available today, you can shoot at much higher ISO than you mentioned - I have some ISO 12800 photos shot on MFT that look pretty damn amazing.

[@ladyethyme]

Just info. No weird intro cringey jokes or fake 'setting up' moments. Just a super nice guy giving info. ❤❤

[@brunopaquin5637]

Absolutely fascinating to listen to your videos. I used to be very into photography ... 42y ago. Just got back into it, equipped myself and then realized that the game has changed quite a bit (used to shoot manual black and white), and you sir, are one unbelievable source of knowledge on how to use today's technology, and the way you explain things is just fantastic. Thank you. Merci Simon.

[@mstrathmore]

Simon, you nailed it. Bravo. I’ve been shooting wildlife in Africa for most of my time as a photographer and I often just shake my head at some of the advice I see on KZbin or in books, given by folks who clearly have no experience in the area. Everything you have described is as it is: you don’t control the light, the angle, the behaviour, or even the subject you (might) see. At best, you can time your arrival at a given location. There’s no time (generally) for tripods, and the behaviour you’re seeing you may never see again! The beanbag is your best friend. Be ready, be quick, *always* immediately take the “insurance shot” before tinkering with settings, and mostly just use the lowest aperture / fastest shutter speed you can get, ISO be darned… Finally, if you happen to see a Leopard in a tree with a kill and it’s midday, well, so be it: take the shot because the animals never read the manual that says they’re only supposed to be active in golden hour.

[@simon_dentremont]

So true! And the advice everyone gives to shoot at iso 100 all the time. Yeah, try THAT in Africa!

[@Steven_Ray_Photography]

Those bee eater shots are insane! You are like a never ending fountain of photography knowledge, my friend haha excellent work!👌🏼

[@simon_dentremont]

Thanks a ton!

[@IsouDw]

You have the clearest tutorials I have ever seen. Even when it comes to video. Thank you for your videos. So helpful

[@Stran8n]

Thanks, Simon! I just wanted to say congratulations on two years of success on YT!

[@simon_dentremont]

Thanks! It’s been amazing.

[@velayudhanvijayan706]

Thanks Mr. Simon for the tip to move histogram to the right rather than go for shutter adjustment. Your bee eater is awesome!

[@Spiros_Pandis]

Your channel is such a great asset to wildlife & nature photographers!!

[@QuicknStraight]

Yes, a common mistake is that people think noise automatically comes with higher ISO, but it doesn't. Noise comes from underexposure and can be seen even at lower ISO if the shot is underexposed. +2/3 of a stop, or even a whole stop, of exposure comp is an easy way to compensate. As long as you are mindful of the shutter speed.

[@danielspenner3683]

I shoot an older APS-C DSLR (Pentax K70). In low light I can use every ISO up to 800 without any sacrifice. 1600 ist manageable with a little bit more elaborate processing and denoising. 3200 is still usable with topaz ai denoise. Beyond that I just enjoy, what I'm seeing and I have my peace with it. If you don't pay for really good low light capabilities, then you just have to adapt your expectations in low light and that's fine for me.

[@chrisb2129]

Expose to the right if you want high ISO delight! One additional technique I have used with good results, specifically thinking of taking photos of forest mushrooms, which is where I encounter some of my lowest light situations, is use a wider angle lens in place of a longer lens. I use a Canon 35mm f/2 IS lens with a 12mm tube to knock down the MFD a bit so I can get a little closer. It might be a bit of an unusual use for that kind of lens, but it has made for a pretty good low light set up for forest mushrooms, even in the darkest hemlock grove. I could get sharp results with lower shutter speeds than I could with my 100mm macro lens and I preferred the wider perspective. But I'm not sure there'd be much application for that, using a wider angle lens in place of a longer lens, outside of something like forest mushrooms.

[@goldfern6]

You made me laugh with "Stay at home at get more sleep" option, and yes I've been guilty of such. It's incredible how much I learn from Simon. Many Thank You.!!!.

[@pradippatel9345]

I love your enthusiasm, Simon

[@ginnymorlock4922]

Some very good information here, thank you. My trick is fix the shutter, fix the aperature, and set auto-iso, letting the iso be whatever it needs to be. (Nikon D5) Shoot raw, and fix the highlights and noise in post. As you said, it doesn't matter if the ISO is low if you have motion blur. Speaking of which, I don't recall you mentioning this, but in tricky light situations, it's vital that you shoot raw. You can do much more with a raw image in post than you can a jpg. I also tend to expose bright, and occasionally I overdrive the highlights, which tends to bleed a bit (at least on my monitor) and give the impression of blur. I've noticed that exposing bright but dialing down the highlights slightly can make some photos look sharper. Not too much, or the photo looks dull. I'm also a big fan of "pre-loading" your autofocus, by focusing on an object the appropriate distance before the subject comes into frame. I have a Topaz license, but recently went back to Lightroom's AI driven noise reduction. It seems to work well enough that I don't bother with Topaz anymore. Again, good article. Lots of good information.

[@dinastumm5539]

Thank you so much for your wonderful lessons! You are not only a master of your craft, but also a giving and informative teacher. You share your joy of the art of photography and we benefit so much from your lessons. I look foward to your videos and welcome the ability to have your esrlier videos as reference. Thanks again !

[@simon_dentremont]

Wow, thank you!

[@bluestarcesium]

It is best to sit down with your left side facing subject; use your left knee to support your left arm, which is holding the lens. If you do this in a steady movement, you can sometimes catch the subject before it moves. If in bright sunlight or snow conditions, you can open the f/stop two-thirds of a stop. A spot meter is best in conditions of bright sunlight or snow covered ground. Sitting down slowly can present less of a threat to wildlife, but it also make a person vulnerable.

[@wellingtoncrescent2480]

Excellent discussion. Maybe I'm compromising, but with a crop sensor Canon R7, I routinely allow the AutoISO to range up to 3200, and I'm happy to go to 6400 if required. And with de-noising software, even ISO 12800 can yield acceptable images.

[@thej.ustory-moviecomingsoo3878]

The best I'm in NYC excellent

[@romy4593]

I was able to get a vibrantly colored beautiful sunset shot with a 10mm to 20mm wide lens on my Nikon D5300 using Aperture Priority lowest setting with a stop on the ISO level so it could not go up too high. I got images people are praising me for and I didn't even use a tripod. Beats me because I keep reading about the limitations of my inferior gear to most others....Watching your videos is truly helping my confidence and I am learning so much! I take mass pictures of everything I photo and dump what isn't to my liking. I always get something by doing that.

[@edcarville6625]

This is the best video on this topic anywhere I have seen. Very nicely done! I dont have a special tip, except to repeat that taking many shots at a slower shutter speed can result in capturing some great dynamic movement with birds, even if details are blurred. Of course stabilizing the camera is still critical, even though the final photo is less sharp, because you need all the sharpness you can get.

[@arkaefortt8]

Thanks for the great advice as always. Looking forward to part 2 just as I am practicing taking photos in difficult lighting.

[@simon_dentremont]

Coming soon!

[@alexandermckown1409]

Good ideas; also like your encouraging sign-off: "I know you can do it." Thanks for the confidence. Alex

[@ianslingsby3415]

I always learn something new every time I watch your videos.

[@simon_dentremont]

Glad to hear it!

[@michaelkencom]

Thank you, Simon. Great advice and instruction, as always. It seems that while technology keeps changing the camera’s ability, most photography instruction stays traditional. I appreciate how you encourage people to push past these older ideas and that you have the results to back up the techniques.

[@chrisjohn1138]

Great images Simon, I’m not even a wildlife photographer but I’m addicted to your videos. Thanks for being so free with your knowledge 👏👏👏

[@warrenlloyd7532]

Great video Simon, some very useful tips but it also showed me that for the most part, I'm on the right track with my own work! I was happy to see you like Topaz - I've been using it for quite a while and love it, but recently I've seen people saying the new noise reduction in LR is better. Personally I've found this is only true for some shots. I also occasionally like using slow shutter speeds to produce abstract shots of birds in flight

[@jibantik00]

Love your videos. They've given me a lot of useful information and tips that I have applied. However, in this instance for the majority of the photography I'm hired to do, there's only one bit of info that works for me. Spray and pray lol. Mostly, I shoot dance events that are indoors with low light and oftentimes colorful or complicated lighting. My shutter can't go below 1/250 since the movement is too fast for slower. The best tip I can give for people in a similar situation is be aware of ambient lighting and take advantage of it whenever possible, especially if a flash is not. Don't listen to the people that tell you not to use a lens hood indoors. I've never faced anything more challenging than these dance events and there's really only a handful of people who do them. At least that I know of or have met.

[@BusterMcFlea]

In low light I use an monopod. It provides great stability, allows me to shoot at slow speeds & it’s very portable. Simple and effective. It’s ideal for shooting night sports.

[@jimphilpott902]

I have watched your presentations for a good while now. You have loosened up and improved your "on camera" performance. There is a twinkle in your eye! Your videos are informative and fun to watch! Thank you for sharing your skills and knowledge.

[@alf.quijano7582]

Thank you so much for the lesson. As a beginner photographer the lesson about exposing to the right is super helpful. I was in the camp that low iso is better but it makes sense that allowing more light can is more beneficial.

[@hstein27]

Last night at sunset I had my first experience with American Woodcocks displaying. I had my R5 with EF 600 f/4 MK II on a tripod, and my first time using the remote shutter. One of the woodcocks landed straight ahead, and I fired off a burst of 1/6 second shots. One of them was fairly usable even after noise reduction! Fortunately the bird was sitting completely still for more than a second. The remote shutter definitely helped. By the time the sun was completely set, we were using my LCD display on the camera to watch the birds, with the shutter speed set to 30 seconds, and it was like having night-vision goggles with full color (almost)!

[@socraticgadfly]

Not for low-light photography, but for editing in general? My favorite tool in Photoshop on a Mac is Apple-F. Any editing that you kind of like, but don't totally like? Most of it can be faded back to less than 100 percent. A related tip? When you "fade," remember the drop-down menu and all the controls on lighting besides "normal."

[@MidValleyMercenaries]

I am so glad I found your channel several months ago. You have helped me so much and you’re a great teacher! Thank you!

[@kurtissutley1485]

One of your best ever. I'm sharing with all my friends. Common sense technique with logical purpose statement. Shoot with a purpose and have a reason for your settings.

[@MrWorstNews]

If there's anything I've learned binging your videos is the camera body doesn't matter too much. However, your lense, position, lighting, and knowledge are what can make an incredible photo 😉👌 Getting my Canon 850D next Friday and I'm incredibly excited!

[@henrikcarlsen1881]

The last tip was really good, thanks. My first digital was the entry-level EOS 400D (from when our first was born), now he's adult and I stepped up with a practically unused EOS 70D expecting grand(er) results. Where the old one couldn't go higher than ISO1600, the new one is ISO12800 (or 25600?) and boy did I get noise. I read the instruction book, bought the "EOS 70D for dummies" (it actually exists) and started to watch these videos. Now, at that stage I was wondering if the camera was failing ... but it's probably just me. That's better than not knowing.

[@svaphrodite]

Nice to hear a pro admit that pray and spray is sometimes your best option, and that throwing away hundreds of images to get just one or two decent shots is not uncommon :)

[@simon_dentremont]

Thousands if needed!

[@TheLotusManFILMs.]

This guy is brilliant, I always take loads of pictures on rapid shot then pick the best ones, and i'm not too worried about ISO as I have an excellent camera in low light.

[@OldJack1960]

Great tips as always, Simon. I'm very firmly in the "spray and pray" category - with the emphasis on prayer! I also use Topaz and, although purists will no doubt argue that I should get it right in-camera, it really is an amazing aid. I've been using it on some old scanned family-and-friends photos from the 80s (taken on a Hanimex point-and-shoot) with remarkable results. Thanks!

[@timd4524]

I use the spray a pray technique quite a bit. Like you said, and I tell people, megapixels are free. I also leave my ISO on auto a lot. Unlike the days of film, I'd rather take 80 shots in a day and come out with 5 to 10 great shots, than go out with film to find slightly under or over exposed pictures. Digital can create ISOs that never existed with film even if you hypered it. And that was never fun.

[@alastairmckinlay8550]

Hi Simon, I sometimes use a tabletop tripod, with the legs extended and pressed against my chest. The three legs give more stability. You just have to stand still and hold your breath for a couple of seconds. Thanks for the videos. Really appreciated.

[@KofieBluejay]

What's funny about ETTR, is that a lot of photographers do not believe it exists and still maintain you should shoot underexposed (???), but the first time I understood what the technique meant is when I started astro-photography and what noise/signal ratio is. Great tips, thanks !

[@SERGI1974]

I had the opportunity to photograph tigers in Ranthambore National Park (India) at sunrise and sunset with a Nikon D50 and a Sigma 50-500 without a stabilizer. I was able to take about 1000 photos and miraculously half a dozen came out well focused. Knowing the conditions and the equipment I had, I left very happy and proud of myself. ☺

[@WIHRC]

I absolutely love the fact that you go against some of the rules. The spray and pray method is something I would never let myself do due to the fear of getting blurry photos, but the way you explained it makes it some its something I will definitely try next time.

[@xtensionxward3659]

salvage the moment as best as you can is the best conclusion i got from this video thanks for the great advices

[@simon_dentremont]

Glad it was helpful!

[@davidmurphy7847]

You’re a great teacher. I learn something new with every video.

[@fisheresque]

There is clearly a direct relationship between high ISO and noise, generally. I am always pleasantly surprised when I capture a tack sharp image with a relatively high ISO and don’t always necessarily understand why. Good video.

[@samuelsmith6804]

The final image is the best real world example, and not just a test rig that i have come across proving high iso doesn’t necessarily mean high noise.

[@davidmilisock5200]

Get out of my head!😀😀 I just spent a dreary rainy morning shooting at ISO 3200 practicing holding the camera steady and shooting between showers. It was so much work I transferred the files and decided to wait and process the files. I know it's not popular today but I needed time to think! I haven't decided on a high ISO low light denoise application yet so I'm glad to see your Topaz images. Being trained with rifle techniques I apply counter pressure and rests to stabilize the camera and lens. I utilize various techniques to enhance color and contrast. It's a trial and error process as more radical curves and other settings can be detrimental to background noise.

[@simon_dentremont]

I shot rifles as a lad and archery too. Holding your breath helps!

[@davidmilisock5200]

@@simon_dentremont And drinking less coffee!! My tests will lead me to better noise reduction software. Leaning toward DXO Photo Lab 7 or Topaz.

[@Mariner1460]

Your point buried in the end that noise is caused by low light exposure not by high ISO is super important. A point that is so often confused by camera reviewers on the interwebs who crank the ISO and lower the shutter speed when testing "ISO performance" without actually reducing the light on the subject. What even is ISO performance? I want low light performance.

[@lvr2704]

Thanks....I'm going out to practice! I take lots of photos in low light of birds, so knowing this about ISO and exposing well to the right might just help my final images. Looking forward to the next video.

[@simon_dentremont]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mortonj02]

Thank you for your videos Simon. Helped me overcome artists block / anxiety and just go take photos. I had not touched my D750 in over a year and am loving taking it to the farmers market to shoot candids. Spray and pray all the way!

[@alanmoore5426]

Yep the secret to low/er noise is don't underexpose and if you can, overexpose. The quick and dirty way to ettr is to to take a 3 shot bracket .7 ev over 1.3ev over and 2ev over and in post choose the one where the highlights are not blown out, and then in post reduce the exposure slider by the amount you have "over exposed".

[@dustybootstravel]

Fantastic insights, Simon. Navigating the nuanced lighting of early mornings and the golden hues of late afternoons can indeed pose a challenge. However, it's precisely these moments that offer unparalleled photographic opportunities, especially in Africa. Your suggestions are invaluable for mastering these critical shooting times.

[@IcedReaver]

It's great proving the "fundamentalists" wrong when you get great results! Also, I love how much information from my astrophotography transfers over to terrestial photography (SNR, ETTR, lucky imaging) which I'm enjoying so far! Thanks for showing the good and bad shots, illustrating that pros don't always capture perfect shots every time.

[@VickiTraud]

THIS is one of my most challenging issues. THANK YOU Simon!!!

[@tdawg719]

I do landscape photography and sometimes it’s too dark for the camera to focus and also to dark to see when the object you’re focusing on is in focus because there’s no sun creating texture. So I carry a letter A around. About the size of those magnet letters for kids. I can shine my light at the object and then figure out the focus when the letter becomes sharp. This prevents me from having to guess or take dozens of shots after slightly adjusting focus. Then when I am in focus I walk over and grab the letter and then take the shot. The letter is on a black piece of poster board and made out of very thin lines of reflective tape.

[@juliette-mansour]

Fantastic coverage of some really advanced techniques, Simon! The bird shot is just beautiful! Merci beaucoup!