Low Light – MikeHawkey.com

As part of a Christmas function I took some part in organising for work we had a local live band, EXIT 420. What they lack in years, they make up for in talent. Playing a broad spectrum of rock, and the odd Christmas number, they had a decent group of the audience up dancing and stepping to the beat. Perhaps I am starting to show my age, but these guys were young – I don’t recall talent to that degree when I was their age (I was playing orchestral type music…)

Shot on the Sony Nex 5N at 3200 ASA and 1/60th of a second (no flash) I am still very pleased with the low light capability of the Sony. Looking at some of the more recent releases in digital cameras, we are simply seeing better and better low light capability- a great bonus for all, but especially hand-held no flash shooters!

In Gimp I darkened the right of the shot, off and behind the stage and added a vignette. I then popped the contrast up a few points and resized.

If you are ever in the Auckland area, check out their facebook page linked above and see if you catch them live somewhere!

I don’t take that many portrait shots in the scheme of things – even less that I make public. ‘Emily’ is one exception today. The daughter of two of my friends, Emily came along to help me celebrate my birthday the other week. I managed to attract her gaze away from the ice cream bowl for long enough to snap a few shots, today’s being my favourite of them. Her ice-cream covered face and expression cracks me up – how cute it that!

Shot hand-held on the Sony, in very low lighting, with no flash, I was very happy with the result. Sure its not pin sharp, and there is noise present, but if you had told me a few years ago I could do this on a digital camera in such light without flash I would not have believed it! for those interested its shot at 3200iso and 1/30th sec with a 16mm pancake lens.

I really did like this image out of the camera and resisted making any changes aside from a small crop and resize.

Thanks for posing Emily!