What about Whitby? 10

For all the fuss made over sunsets and the 'golden hours' when the sun is low in the sky and producing abundant raking light, there are plenty of photo opportunities after sunset. A 'blue hour' often follows between sunset and dusk, topped off by the occasional 'indigo flash' when  (right before turning black) the sky is at its deepest blue. And then of course there is the challenge of taking photos in darkness, when light is at its most scarce.

When faced with difficult lighting conditions, most photographers put all their effort into producing pin-sharp images. This requires sturdy tripods, remote control shutter release mechanisms or at the very least the camera's timer delay to minimise any movement during long exposures.

One evening in Whitby after sunset I climbed the 199 steps towards the abbey ruins and passed another photographer who was packing away his tripod, content with making what could very well have been the world's one-millionth sunset shot taken that day alone. Yes, every sunset is different, but there are endless possibilities for taking photos in very low (or even non-existent) light, with no special equipment at all.

There are fancy names for this type of image making, like kinetic photography or intentional camera movement photography. Me, I just call it fun.

Why not try one of these techniques yourself next time? For instance, if you're using a zoom lens, you could try twisting the zoom ring during an exposure, which makes the image look as though it is radiating from a central point.

Be sure to try both zooming in and out during exposures as the effects are slightly different. 

Another thing I often do in low light conditions (and which attracts plenty of odd looks) is to twist the camera quickly while the shutter is open for a swirly effect.

That, or moving the camera from one side to the next.

Or jerk the camera downward. This turned the streetlamp and railings along the 199 Steps into jagged spikes.

I'm not able to rub my tummy and pat my head at the same time, but sometimes I twist the camera AND adjust the zoom at the same time.

All of these photos were taken in the half hour or so after sunset, if not later, but the long exposures make some of the photos seem as bright as day.

So what if my fellow photographer who had already packed his tripod had made it to the pub by now? Wait until you see the photos taken well after dark, when Whitby is at its spookiest!