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Uluru at Dusk courtesy dinsci via Flickr
Uluru is such an iconic attraction that hundred of thousands of people a year come to visit, marvel at, and take photos of the giant rock formation. With so many visitors, it’s inevitable that many tourists return home with the same old photos of Uluru. It is possible to get some truly amazing – and much more unique – photos of Ayers Rock however: by learning how to photograph Uluru at night, and capture the stars.
Equipment
First things first, it’s much easier to get a stunning night shot with a camera that lets you set manual controls. You don’t need a DSLR – micro four thirds cameras are equally capable – but you’ll need something with a little more creative control than your standard point and shoot. Your photos will also greatly benefit from the use of a tripod.
Set the Scene
Ideally, you actually want some light in the sky, if you want to see Uluru itself. Sunset is a great time to take photos, as is dusk as the light is falling but there’s still enough to make out the rock and the desert surrounding it. Another option is to wait until the stars come out and silhouette Uluru against the sky.
If you’ve taken a multi day tour of the area surrounding Uluru, you’ll also be well situated to take night photos of other landscapes in the Red Centre.
How To
With your camera set on manual, you need to adjust a few settings.
Shutter speed: Set between 15-30. This depends on the amount of light around, and is best-tested using trial and error.
Aperture: Because this is landscape photography, you’ll want an aperture around 8 or so, to ensure your entire scene is in focus.
ISO: Along with shutter speed, ISO is where you control how much light is coming into your camera. A high ISO will introduce noise into your images, so play around, and try not to set it too high.
Focus: If it’s dark, use manual focus to set your camera to infinite. If you can however, it’s best to focus during the day.
White Balance: Setting your white balance to Tungsten will help the colours appear as lifelike as possible.
What to Do if You Don’t Have the Fancy Camera
It is possible to still get some great snapshots of Uluru at night without a fancy camera, as long as you don’t raise your expectations too high. You won’t be getting any astrophotography shots, but most point and shoot cameras do have powerful sunset modes that will allow you to capture Uluru and the national parks of the Red Centre in full glory.
How to Photograph Uluru at Night from Ayers Rock Things To Do
