The N-Photo experts say…

STEADY the CAMERA

You definitely need to use a tripod for shots like this. Make sure you get a tripod with a good head, as you’ll want to be able to lock your Nikon down nice and tight. If you’ll be walking a lot, you might want to invest in a decent travel tripod, or a lightweight carbon fibre model.

Use a WIDE LENS

To fit everything in the frame, you’ll want to go wide. Wide-angle zoom lenses are great for this type of photography, but they are a little heavy, and they can be expensive. Wide-angle primes (see page 112) tend to be smaller, lighter and more compact.

ADD A FILTER

Want to get that supersmooth, glassy look in moving water shots? Use an ND filter to reduce the amount of light reaching the sensor, so you can set a much longer exposure. You can get them in varying strengths, or you can buy a variable ND filter to save space and money.

Shoot in BURSTS

Get artificial lights to look like stars by using a narrow aperture. Using f/11 or f/16 will force the aperture blades closer together to give interesting patterns in the lights. The exact pattern will depend on the number and shape of the blade, which is different in every lens.