Compact camera? Low light? No problem! Getting good photos in low light is difficult, even for advanced photographers. Often when out with friends the lighting situation is less than desirable - especially when indoors at a restaurant, or in a darkly lit bar. The ambience in the room can sometimes be magical, but it’s so difficult to capture that magic on camera, especially compact cameras. So what can you do to improve your photos and get a good low light shots (or at least a shot you can edit on the computer – but that’s fodder for a whole other post). 

<div><a title="Low Light by Carl Zeiss Planar, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bounding/1267413614/">[imageeffect type="frame" align="aligncenter" width="640" height="427" alt="" url="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/low-light-photo-.jpg"]</a></div>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Low Light Portrait</em>
Photo by Carl Zeiss Planar</p>
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<h3>Get Rid of the Flash.</h3>
All compact cameras allow you to control the on-camera flash, so just go ahead and turn it off. It’s usually the button with a lighting bolt inside a circle with a line going through the bolt, as in, no flash, thank you very much. We’ve all had nighttime photos taken with a flash – where the faces end up washed out, the subjects look white as ghosts, with ultra-flatter red vampire eyes, and the background is pitch black or virtually non-existent. Not. Very. Flattering. 

<h3>Use The Shutter Speed. </h3>
Next, check out your camera’s shutter speed – ie the length of time the shutter stays open determining how much light is let into the camera. Many compact cameras have a variable shutter speed, with the longest setting around 1 second. Most people can only hold a camera steady for 1/30th of a second – not to mention your subject is likely to move given that length of time - so set your shutter speed to approximately 1/30th. 

Now with your shutter speed set there's a few last things you can do to get better shots... 

<h3>Do these things!</h3>
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<ul>
<li>Look for the available light. If there is some, try moving your subjects closer or into the light to improve the situation. Just remember, the light source will need to be in front of your subjects (if the light source is behind, you will get silhouettes – nice if that’s the kind of thing you’re going for). </li>
<li>Most compact cameras allow you to change the ISO sensitivity – this is essentially your “film speed”, a higher number equals a faster speed, so if you can bump up your ISO to 400 or even 800 you could improve the shot. It’s best to try this out first as some compact cameras add digital “noise”, making your shot visibly grainy – which is not the point! The key here is to find a balance between the highest ISO and the least amount of digital noise.</li>
<li>Reduce camera shake by steadying yourself or the camera. If you can lean up against a wall, tree, or handrail you can improve the shot dramatically. Or if you have a mini portable tripod just set it up quickly to steady the camera. </li>
<li>Most compact cameras now have image stabilization; if you have it, use it. </li>
<li>Finally, it may be easier to set the camera’s self-timer and leave it on a tree, rock, or chair, taking your shaking hands out of the equation completely. This works particularly well for indoor architectural or decorative photos. </li>
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So with practice, and few easy tips & tricks, you’ll be taking low light photos like a pro – in no time! 
