Photographs taken at night produce beautiful images. I have to admit that I when I first started getting serious about photography I was too scared to come out at night! It seemed overwhelming with too many variables. But the truth is it's no less overwhelming than shooting during the day.

Whether you are taking pictures of the holiday lights throughout the neighborhood or photographs of the city's night skyline, there is definitely something magical about night shots. In order to snap quality images after dark, it is important to understand the role of camera settings, as well as how to set up shots in order to ensure the lighting is spot on and your shots are steady. Here are some basic tips that I've started using that will allow you to shoot quality night time images each and every time.

Camera Mode

Images that appear too dark are the result of the camera's mode. When a camera is in automatic mode, the camera will often automatically use a setting that is much too dark, which result in a dark photo. This is quite common when taking photos of holiday lights, and the end result tends to be a darkened photograph where the only images that stand out are the outline of the lights. This takes away from the additional subjects in the photo, which often include home exteriors and outdoor trees. This can easily be adjusted for any type of night time photography where outdoor lighting is prevalent by setting the camera mode to manual mode, and then choosing the a shutter speed of at least 1 second in order to capture the lights.

Keep the Camera Steady

When photographing in the dark, if your camera experiences any kind of vibration when shooting the photos, you risk light trails and flashes appearing in your photographs. You can ensure the steadiness of your camera by setting up a tripod, but if you are simply taking photos on the fly you may not have a tripod handy. If that is the case, simply use your camera's self timer and back away a bit when taking your shot. I've even rested my camera on a stone wall or fence to get a better shot. But I wouldn't even think of taking night shots without a tripod.

Check Your Focus

If your camera is having trouble focusing in the dark, this can easily be remedied by switching the camera lens settings to manual, and then keep the camera focused on the lights in the scene. If the lights are far away, you will want to set the camera lens to the infinity setting.

Perfect Night Shots

You never know what can happen at night, which makes city streets, parks, and even suburban neighborhood a wonderful canvas for photographers. By knowing the basics when it comes to camera settings and planning your shots, you can produce some truly amazing night images. Spend some time playing with Manual Mode and don't be scared of it, it could become your favorite setting.

Don’t make the same mistake I did: Buy a great tripod from the start and save your money. A few months ago the I read an article about how cheap people end up spending more money than folks who buy quality the first time. The same goes for your tripod.

I bought a $100 tripod at B&H photo that immediately started breaking down and falling apart. While the knobs are working fine the panning bracket started wobbling with no way of fixing it.

Your tripod can make or break a shot. A cheap tripod can ruin the shot with a wobble or a loose tripod head. When it comes to big purchases, your grandparents had the right idea: Buy it once and have it forever. That's what you get when you spend the money for the best tripod rather than purchasing several cheaper tripods in your quest to get the best image. To get the best tripod, combine the best material, the tripod head and size for what you want to do with your camera..

Material

When you get the best tripod, you will need to consider the job intended. Will it travel the back country with you, sit in a studio or need to fit snugly in your suitcase? Generally, there are three types -- aluminum, carbon fiber and wood -- of material used to create a tripod. Aluminum is light, durable and inexpensive. It's the most common tripod material. Aluminum does not dampen vibrations like wood and carbon fiber and it reacts to extreme temperatures. Carbon fiber is also light weight, easily fixed and durable, but it's extremely expensive. Wood tripods are too heavy, although wood dims vibrations wonderfully.

I decided to get one of the best. Really Right Stuff makes fantastic legs that are relatively light carbon fiber, and super sturdy. I bought the TVC-33 series.

Ball Head and Clamp

You've found a suitable tripod made from the best material. The next part of your quest for the best tripod revolves around the tripod head. Ideally, you'll be in a photography store and be able to handle the tripods before purchase. You want a tight head and clamp. Ball heads are among the best tripods heads.

Again I’m not messing around anymore so I decided to buy this great BH-55 Ball Head and L-series bracket from Really Right Stuff.

Size

Larger tripod legs can stretch out and put the camera a lower height. You may be able put a smaller tripod on a table to gain perspective. Out in the woods you won't find a table unless you bring it. The best size is the size you need to achieve your intended purpose.

Although our modern throw away culture encourages buying an item multiple times, when you get what you really need to succeed and buy the best the first time around, you won't have to buy the it again. In addition, the quality of the tripod translates into quality of the photograph. The best tripod helps create the best photograph. Creating the best photograph is the goal of every photographer. No more wobbling for me!

Night Photography: How to Take Great Pictures in the Dark

Really Right Stuff: Buying the Right Tripod the First Time