# Camera settings. Advice needed.



## Nautifish (Sep 16, 2010)

I plan on getting up early am a little before sunrise and taking some photo's. Weatherman has forcast fog through the night so hope to get down to the lake and get some shots of the fog over and around the lake. I am useing a Nikon D5000 and would like too know what settings would be best for this kind of photo.

Thank you so much.


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## reznap (Sep 16, 2010)

I'd put it on manual, while in spot metering mode, point cam at a bright area and set your exposure for that.  Bring a tripod and use a sharp aperture... like f/9.  Exposing for the highlights should get you some cool 'light rays through the fog' type of photos..


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## hartz (Sep 17, 2010)

KP007 said:


> Nautifish said:
> 
> 
> > I plan on getting up early am a little before sunrise and taking some photo's. Weatherman has forcast fog through the night so hope to get down to the lake and get some shots of the fog over and around the lake. I am useing a Nikon D5000 and would like too know what settings would be best for this kind of photo.
> ...



Your recommendation prompts me to ask questions about an experience I had a little while ago. A few days ago I left (forgot) my camera in the car overnight.  The next morning I wanted to take some photos of the kids getting ready for school, but I discovered I could see almost nothing through the camera.  When I examined the lens front I could clearly see the fogginess.  I wiped it off thinking it was no problem but it just fogged right back over again after 5 seconds!  

Worse, the rear lens was also fogging over, and I think even some of the internal lens surfaces were fogging over.  It was impossible to take any photos!

A few hours later all was well again, but this raises many questions.  Can this be avoided (eg with some kind of anti-fog treatment on the lenses?)   What exactly causes it?  

I've never experienced fogging over when taking my camera outside early, but then again this might be because the only times I do do this, is when comming out of a tent, the inside and outside of which is very close to the same temperature - i.e no sudden changes in temperature or humidity.


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## Overread (Sep 17, 2010)

The humidity changes will cause you problems and I don't think there is any way to really prevent it occuring save to have the camera already used to the temperature that its going to be used in. I get the very same thing when shooting in insect houses as the sudden jump in temperature always causes fogging of the lens - just to wait it out till the gear is ready - though it shouldn't take hours only a few mins at most.


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## Overread (Sep 17, 2010)

Nautifish said:


> I plan on getting up early am a little before sunrise and taking some photo's. Weatherman has forcast fog through the night so hope to get down to the lake and get some shots of the fog over and around the lake. I am useing a Nikon D5000 and would like too know what settings would be best for this kind of photo.
> 
> Thank you so much.



The best advice I can give you is "Understanding Exposure " by Bryan Peterson - find a copy of this book and read it as it will give you a lot of advice, examples and explanations regarding exposure and how to use the 3 settings you have both to achieve correct exposures and also how to use them artistically. 

I will also recomend that you read your camera manual and find out how to show the Histogram when you review your photos. This is an invaluble tool when out in the field as it will show you points of overexposure and the degree of underexposure in your shots. This is very important as sometimes you might get the meter tricked into giving you settings that lead to blown highlights, hard things to see on a LCD.


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