Photographing fairground rides at night

Gear:

• Wide-angle lens – aperture of at least f/1.4 or f/1.8 as there won't be much light.
• Remote shutter release – eliminates the risk of blur caused by camera movement.
• Weatherproof camera bag such as the Vanguard UP-Rise 46 Backpack - will keep your equipment dry and well protected from the elements.
• Tripod – is the second most important bit of kit you'll take with you as when slow shutter speeds are in use working hand-held is hard work. As you'll be moving around take a lightweight tripod such as the Vanguard Alta and 284CT Legs.

Technique:
If you want to shoot general, wide shots of the fair then head out just as the lights are coming on when there's still a touch of colour in the sky. That way you'll be able to get the lights, stalls and other foreground interest of the fair set against a deep blue sky. Leave the flash at home though as it can kill the atmosphere you're trying to create.

For more abstract images though wait until the sky's a little darker and turn the rides into streams of light patterns. To do this simply have a play around with slow shutter speeds. Better still, if your camera has it, use the Bulb setting as exposures above and beyond thirty seconds will really blur the movement of the ride and also help remove anyone who happens to be walking through your shot. Just make sure auto ISO is off and that you're using the lowest setting you have. You'll also need to manually focus as auto focus will be searching around in the dark for quite a while then simply use a small aperture to get the maximum depth of field to compensate for any inaccuracies using manual focus may throw your way.

Find the tripod and camera bag to suit your needs at www.vanguardworld.com