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Do the photos you take on Halloween, at night while travelling, or in a dimly lit restaurant fall short of your expectations? Taking pictures at night with a cell phone is an art that anyone can learn! Check out our tips for capturing stunning night shots and find out which mobile devices tackle low-light conditions best.
1. Increase the ISO
The ISO is your camera’s sensitivity to light. You want the device to be more sensitive to light in dark locations in order to capture as much detail as possible. On some mobile phones, there’s an ISO button in the camera app that lets you change that setting. On other devices, there’s a brightness scale you can adjust up or down. However, keep in mind that the higher the ISO, the more noise there is in the photo. In other words, the image becomes grainy and less sharp.
Photo taken with a high ISO setting, making the image grain visible (especially in the sky)
2. Reduce the shutter speed
The shutter is like a “door” between the lens and the sensor. It opens when a photo is being taken in order to let light in. The longer the shutter stays open, the more light that reaches the sensor.
When taking photos at night, you want to reduce the rate at which the shutter opens and closes to increase exposure time and allow maximum light entry. To achieve this, select your phone camera’s Long Exposure mode, if it has that feature. Some phones with advanced settings also let you choose the shutter speed (for example, the Speed setting).
Long exposure is also used in night photography to create a motion effect.
Long exposure makes it possible to see the path of the fireworks
3. Adjust the white balance
In night photos, whites often appear yellow due to artificial lighting. In your camera settings, you can adjust the white balance while shooting to correct for that effect. This is usually a slider that you can drag left to right to make whites appear warmer (closer to yellow) or cooler (closer to blue). You can also adjust the white balance during post-editing.
4. Use a tripod
To avoid taking blurry photos, it’s crucial to keep the phone steady throughout exposure. Because the shutter stays open longer in night mode, you have to stay still for several seconds, which isn’t easy when you’re holding the phone. That’s when a tripod becomes your best friend! If you don’t have one, you can place your phone on a flat surface and set the timer to take the photo a few seconds after you press the shutter release.
5. Learn how to post-edit
These days, photo editing is a breeze thanks to the various apps on the market. With Google Photos, for example, just tap Enhance to get an improved image suggestion. You can also try out the different filters available in your camera to make colours or details pop. The Vivid colour filter often creates good results.
You can even use artificial intelligence (AI) on mobile phones to easily remove things you don’t like in a picture. The AI fills any empty space created with a background that fits the image perfectly. The possibilities are nearly endless.
6. Harness the blue hour
Just after sunset, the sky darkens, and our lights brighten. This is the magical time of day called the blue hour. The partial darkness lets you capture a range of colours that would look different in the middle of the night. But snap those photos quickly—you only have a window of about 30 minutes!
Photo taken during the blue hour
What settings should I use when taking photos at night?
The simplest option is to use Night mode on your mobile phone. Here are the steps to follow depending on your phone brand.
How to take photos at night with a Samsung
In the camera app, open the list of shooting modes. Tap More, then tap Night. The steps may vary if you have an older model.
How to take photos at night with an iPhone
Night mode is automatically activated in low-light conditions. However, you can still manually adjust the settings if you prefer. Here’s how.
How to take photos at night with a Google Pixel
Launch the camera app. In the menu, swipe right to select Night Sight mode. This mode is automatically suggested when the device detects that you’re in a dark environment.
Photo taken in normal mode on a Google Pixel 7
Photo taken in Night Sight mode on a Google Pixel 7
The best phones for taking photos at night
The following cell phones have a high-performance camera that will enable you to capture vivid, sharp images, even in low-light conditions:
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Samsung claims this phone has their “most advanced camera ever.” It includes a night zoom feature that keeps distant objects sharp, even in low-light conditions.
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6: Because this phone is foldable, you can bend it to 90 degrees in Flex mode to keep it stable while taking photos. Read our full review.
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: This phone features three cameras (including a 48 MP Ultra Wide camera) and a Camera Control button to make it easier to adjust settings while shooting. With its large screen and excellent battery life, it’s a top-notch choice for night photographers. Read our full iPhone 16 review.
- Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: The Pro Controls let you adjust the camera’s advanced settings, such as shutter speed and manual focus. The high-resolution zoom and three high-performance rear cameras are worth checking out.
Night photography brought to light
All cats appear grey in the dark—but are they really? Once you’ve perfected the art of taking night photos with your mobile phone, you’ll discover a whole new world of colours and textures! To sum up, remember to keep your phone stable and turn Night mode on if you don’t want to adjust the advanced settings. If the results are less than optimal, use the filters and enhancements available on your device. Have fun!
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