Nightphptpgraphy and the scary but fun adventures

I just started trying out in astrophotography, yesterday i went out at 9 PM pitch black, buetiful skylight stars no clouds, and the only light was from my powerful firefighter flashlight (had to turn it off befor opening the shutter, its so powerfull i an acually show up on the clouds if you point it up). I felt like i was being watched by something, mabey it was just me? mabey it wasnt. The night befor, i had gone out, buit as i was turning the corner of my house, the glimering light of two eyes aperred 70 feet away, cat?, fox, Something else? i dont know, that wasnt what scared me, what scared me was the other two pair of eyes no more than 5 feet away. could have been a harmless cat, mabey it was a fox, i dont know but i got outa ther pretty quick.

Maby you have some stories like these but i would realy like some tips on nightphotography and/or astrophotogray


Sure, a picture of those two eyes might have made a great picture, but i was weilding a camera preset to "bulb" and it was kodachrom 64 ISO.

anyway, im gonna finish this up, good luck on your next nightime outdoor adventer.

I've been shooting twice downtown at about 3 in the morning before. You'd be suprised by all the 'crazies' you see out there at that time. So I was basically trying to get some good shots and watch my back at the same time. One guy did ride past me on a bike really fast....i didn't even hear him coming until he was right in front of me. Scared the bejeebes out of me...lol

Moving about on city streets at night with a lot of expensive camera gear is not my idea of excitement but some of my most popular images have been made at night. (One particularly jovial local photographer and instructor referred to me in his class introduction as an “unavailable light” photographer.)

As said previously, some pretty bizarre situations can develop in the dark. My favorite tale is: Once when making a very long exposure in Annapolis, an elderly black man approached and recognizing what was happening, made an abrupt change in direction to avoid passing before my lens. When I told him it would be O.K. to proceed – that he would not show up on the film, he replied, “Yeah, I knows”. Then I had to go into a long explanation…..

Nope, not usually. I'm not easily perturbed by anything.

However, while I don't wanna sound like a redneck, I do often pack heat (a gat, a rod, shootin' iron) when out and about on our rural homestead because we get feral dogs on rare occasions and coyotes even less often. The dogs are far more dangerous. I was once attacked on my own property by a neighbor's pit bull that had developed a taste for blood, killing every bit of livestock in the neighborhood. I actually shot that dog three times on three different occasions in a single day and it kept coming back! The authorities finally cited the guy but he still has the dog, tho' it's chained up in the back yard not four lots away.

We get water moccasins in the evening too coming up from our lakefront, tho' I don't worry much about 'em. They're not fast, they aren't really aggressive, just inquisitive. When they sense body heat they'll investigate but as soon as they realize how big a human is they wander off. They don't bother me, I don't bother them.

In town, tho', (I live in a rural area near Fort Worth, Texas) I feel comparitively safer. For example, downtown is patrolled by bicycle mounted guards. The panhandlers are possibly among the world's most polite. I often chat with 'em and occasionally take their photos, tho' sometimes it's at their request rather than mine.

Only wildlife that ever scared me was a skunk that got me trapped on a pier at night. I was out about half way, with no place to go when I saw him approach. He walked onto the pier and to within 12 feet of me and I was just starting to panic at the thought of a long smelly ride home when he suddenly lost interest and turned back.

As far as humans go, the only ones that scare me when I'm shooting at night are the cops and security guards. They're usually bored stiff and just itching to find someone to hassle.

I just took a few shots last night from our dock under the waning moon. A moving cloud cover made it difficult to guesstimate exposures. Dunno how successful the photos will be.

It was a lovely night, tho'. Very gentle breeze. I could hear some kids partying way off in the distance, laughing and listening to music. One of our resident owls (I think we have two) hooted occasionally. Fish taunted me by rolling over on the water and slapping up spray - more likely to be catfish than bass this time of year and at night. My dog wandered over to see what I was doing but lost interest when she realized I didn't have any treats.

Maybe I'll do some fishing tomorrow night.

Lex Jenkins said:

I do often pack heat (a gat, a rod, shootin' iron) when out and about on our rural homestead because we get feral dogs on rare occasions and coyotes even less often. The dogs are far more dangerous. I was once attacked on my own property by a neighbor's pit bull that had developed a taste for blood, killing every bit of livestock in the neighborhood. I actually shot that dog three times on three different occasions in a single day and it kept coming back!

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Hmm.... Three times?!? What are you using, .22 shorts?

I'd recommend - or at least my preference - would be: .357 Magnum, loaded with a 140gr. Sierra HP in front of - what was it - 6? 8? grains of DuPont Blue Dot, through my Ruger Security Six, with a 6" barrel.

That was developed as the result of an incident where we were beset by two(2) rather p****d off Dobermans swimming for us while we were in a canoe. Never had to use it but.... It sure would be more effective than splashing away with a paddle.

Well, at the risk of getting grisly, the first time I popped the beast was with #8 shot from my Winchester Model 12 (16 ga - a gem). Hit it in the buttocks as it was running away with yet another of our hens. It had already killed most of our 30-odd chickens and, worst of all, our pet turkey, technically a wild turkey who had wandered onto our property as a lame jake and decided to stay even after he'd recovered and was well enough to leave.

It had also killed several sheep and goats of our neighbors - I'd actually followed the dog from my car and saw it doing this. The neighbors said they'd shot, or at least shot *at*, the dog.

After nicking the pit bull in the rump from about 100 yards away, which would barely draw blood but cause a mighty sting, instead of fleeing it turned and ran straight toward me. I emptied the shotgun to no effect. Eventually I had to run and jump onto the roof of a car to get away from the thing!

I figured that would be the last we'd see of the beast but no, it returned later for yet another hen. This time I shot it in the neck with a .22 LR from a rifle - twice. It dropped the hen, which wasn't dead yet, and ran home.

Finally I realized the dog was absolutely crazed and nothing would prevent it from returning. The animal control officer in our rural county refused to come out to take a report. The local deputy suggested I just kill the dog next time it appeared. I spent the rest of the day with a .357 in a belt holster.

Sure enough, it came back. This time I grazed it in the head (the bullet just bounced off - pit bulls have notoriously thick skulls) and put one round in a shoulder.

Only after I called the animal control officer and told her I had tracked the monster to its home and would kill it right on the owner's doorstep if the authorities didn't act did she finally come out.

It was all very unpleasant. I don't take any pride or comfort in my actions. My grandmother wanted me to go ahead and kill the cur anyway just to make the neighborhood safer but I was worried that after all the fuss I'd raised it'd be me in jail instead of the dog's owner.

The best I can say of the whole affair is that the dog's owner has kept it chained up for the past two years. But I never allow my grandchildren to play outside unsupervised and I still carry a handgun in a holster whenever I'm outside doing chores, mowing or just watching the kids. It's a sad testimony to how indifferent some folks can be regarding responsibility for their animals.

Anyway, sorry for the unpleasant thread drift. Needless to say, I don't worry nearly as much about humans I encounter during nighttime photography.

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We’re a bloodthirsty bunch, aren’t we? Personally I’d just get out the ol’ flame thrower….

But I gotta throw this in: I was raised in the mountains of Ol’ Virginie very near the Kentucky line where most men carried. Hunting is an everyday sport there today. As a teen, I used to take to the hills after school and on weekends when all you city folks were cutting up in the back of Buicks and drinking beer.

On my way I always passed a small farm-ett run by a crazy old lady with about 50 Leghorn chickens. She used to yell at me to stop, have some tea (that is what we called it) and kill chickens. “I want you to kill that old hen that has stopped alayin’ – you see that’n over thar!” “Yes Mrs. Carter.” You ever see 50 leghorn chickens in a single coup? I never had any idea which one she meant, but the one I shot was always O.K.

My weapons of choice: City, P90; country, Browning 22 long rifle semi-automatic. I spent many years on the Army’s large and small bore teams. I can confirm Lex’s close misses with a moving target at long range – it ain’t easy!

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Well, Lex old buddy, next time just give a yell and the 454 Cassull TC will be on its way...that oughta take care of that pesky critter...

Damn, ain't we a bunch of country bumpkins? I guess shootin' irons take all kinds of forms and formats.

I can definitely relate to Aggie's episode. What really infuriated me wasn't what that dog did to the neighborhood livestock; it was the thought of what it might do to a child, specifically one of my grandsons. When I confronted the owner I asked him how he could put his own small daughters at risk by keeping a dog known to have a taste for blood? Naturally I didn't get a coherent reply.

Jorge, .454 Cassull, hmm? That's quite a piece and I do have a fondness for big bores. But I'll make do with what I have.

As I said, it's generally been quiet the past year or so. In fact, I never even hear that neighbor's dog bark anymore. It used to bellow and wail constantly, 'til one of my rounds hit it in the throat. Must've debarked the critter.

I might upload a pic of my own pesky mutt just so nobody gets the notion I don't like dogs. If I can think of a photographic tie-in, or a nighttime photography tie-in so we can get back on-topic...

Talk about a subject that has drifted!
I guess that it should be no surprise that people as sensible as APUGGERS would have some really practical solutions (and experience!) and would be able to address the unique situations nighttime photography sometimes presents.
Recent good news is that Missouri just passed a concealed-carry law, effective sometime in October. Since I'm in Illinois just across the river from St. Louis, it won't affect me directly, but it's encouraging. I actually haven't used a firearm, even for target shooting, for over twenty-five years, but, after doing night shots in St. Louis at various times (with no problems, fortunately), I can see why someone might want to carry on occasion. Things can be a little creepy out there sometimes; I've heard of other photographers who shoot at night only when they have a friend or two handy for company.
I wonder how long it will be before one of the anti-gun nuts finds this discussion and tells us we are way off target. In any case, APPUGGERS are straight shooters, no matter what they're triggering!

Jorge said:

Well, Lex old buddy, next time just give a yell and the 454 Cassull TC will be on its way...that oughta take care of that pesky critter...

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lol, good lord Jorge. I used to have a little beretta .22 in my camera bag for emergencies (about the size of one of Jorge's bullets, hehe)

Back on topic... I think getting some shots deep in the woods not paying attention to time, and finding yourself suddenly in pitch black dark is pretty spooky. Other time would be doing some photography on top of an old parking garage late night downtown. Surrounded by that erie silence, then you hear a bottle tip over in the distance and start getting paranoid...

It's nice and peaceful out in the middle of the desert, and the sky is usually clear and light pollution free to boot, and usually nobody around (if you know some of the good places to go to). Nice for star trails and the like.

Though I do feel a little safer with company along, especially when that company has a concealed weapons permit!

No - I don't spook easily.

I do actually own a gun, but can't remember where I put it when I last saw it five years ago...

I live in the UK and so don't have access to all the heavy artillary you bloodthirsty colonials are discussing... ...although I do have a monopod with a pointy end!

The most worried I've been, so far, is doing a lateish sunset shoot on the seafront at Morecambe in Lancashire. I hung around for the more intense colours after the sun had dropped below the horizon and then did a few night shots of the town lights.

Unfortunately the warm weekend summer evenings also bring out the great British drinking public with its customary cheery cries of "You spilled my pint!" and "You bin lookin' at my bird?!". Given the number of watering holes along the seafront, walking back from an out-of-the-way jetty to the car with all this going on was a bit unnerving.

I was actually glad of that monopod...!

Frank, the Brits do have a knack for making fine projectile-spitting implements. It's just that now that the gummint has suppressed much private ownership of firearms that skill has migrated to air powered guns. Air Arms and many other makers of fine pellet guns have sprung up over the last 20 years or so, not to mention their forebears.

BTW, I think Four Bears was the name of one such maker of air canes. Advertised as just the thing for the gentleman who wanted a little safety and security for his nighttime photography.

Later one of the four bears died and the remaining three shifted the business to making tripods.

Or perhaps I'm making all of this up.

Lex Jenkins said:

Frank, the Brits do have a knack for making fine projectile-spitting implements. It's just that now that the gummint has suppressed much private ownership of firearms that skill has migrated to air powered guns.

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Yep, been there done that. But my Weirauch HW80 is a bit ostentatious for the town and the legal penalty for carrying my BAC air pistol is outweighed by the probability of being despatched by a police marksman!

Until I find something better I'll continue on with my pointy stick! I'm better with that anyway...

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I hate silince, thats probaly why i stick to the woods where the crickets are. as a drummer, i was an idiot and played after i had lost my earplugs. BIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG mistake, Now i have tnitus, (ear ringing) which means that i hear a high pitched Tone in silince. anyways, you guys have really gotten into this nightphotography stories. keep posting.THX a million guys

Well, just a funny tale an old german gent told me decades ago...
When he was young, after some years out of Germany he went back home to a visit and while he was there to a night party in the town's square with a friend.
There, they met two girls and. after sometime, the girls said they would go home (in a small farm out of town) and they should follow, and the girl's rom was the one in the attic with a window.
There the two happily went, just to be greeted by two big dogs, had to run and jump in a manure tank to escape...

Jorge O