Tip of the Day: Night Rider

The lighted rides at amusement parks and fairgrounds can make interesting, colorful photos that show the energy of the place. Wide-angle views, a medium ISO, and a tripod will help capture the excitement. Follow this advice on shutter speeds to get the shot you want:

• A short shutter speed (less than 1/15 second) will give a static view of the scene, without any motion.

• A fairly long shutter speed (about 1/2 second) with flash will give both motion blur and sharpness to the rides.

• Very long shutter speeds (1 sec +), without flash, will turn the rides into abstract light traces.

Adapted from: How to Photograph Absolutely Everything: Successful Pictures from Your Digital Camera By Tom Ang (DK Publishing, 2007; $40)
Photo by Alfonso Sierra Peña