The Magic of Night Photography

Night photography. My favorite time to shoot has always been at night. Whether it’s been photo shoots or being out on the street capturing moody scenes, there’s something special to me about the night. It’s sexier, there’s more mystery. The shadows, the lights, the contrast. It’s just more interesting. I feel a stronger sense of story at night.

Night Photography, Seeing Differently After the Sun Goes Down

I remember going out to do some street photography one afternoon. Man, I was walking around downtown Las Vegas and it was a real challenge for me. I was not seeing any shots. Nothing seemed very interesting to me.

Does this mean that there weren’t any shots available. Of course not. It was my perspective that was preventing me from seeing. I just wasn’t interested in what I was seeing.

Then something happened. The sun started going down on the horizon. The lower the sun sank, slowly, more of the lights and neon of DTLV started to light up. I could physically feel my energy starting to rise.

I started seeing endless shots. The stories started revealing themselves. An hour before, I hadn’t seen any of this. The energy was completely different. I was very aware of the change and how it affected me and my vision.

Photo Shoots

Even with photo shoots, I really prefer shooting at night. Now don’t get me wrong, I do love natural window light, which means shooting during daylight hours. So, I’m okay with doing shoots in the afternoon. But to be honest, I still prefer photographing at night. There’s a different kind of energy; a different vibe. Again, it’s about the deeper shadows; the darker tones in the background. But mostly, it’s about the mood, the vibe. I just sense things differently at night. This is something that is intangible and it’s going to be different for every photographer. But for me, the energy of shooting at night is what resonates with me the most.

Is It For Everyone?

Of course not. That’s the cool thing about photography; we’ve all got our own unique vision. Different things appeal to each of us. But… if you haven’t done any night photography, I urge you to try it. Just because the sun goes down, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to shoot. For me, photographing at night is more exciting. The stories are different and they’re the ones I’m interested in. Give it a shot. See if you don’t feel the same.

To see more of my night street photography, check out some of the shots in my Vegas Noir gallery.

If you like that kind of stuff, you might also want to check out my small book of the same name, Vegas Noir

So give it a try. Have fun!