Photography tips

Night photography

The moon shines through clouds at night above Mount Pilatus.

Night photography requires precise adjustment of exposure parameters, as the limited ambient light significantly influences technical composition. In urban environments, such as photographing illuminated facades or light installations in Central Switzerland, the focus lies on controlling light quantity and image noise.

Light quantity and aperture selection

The choice of aperture in night photography determines how much light reaches the sensor and the depth of the image. While wide apertures optimally utilize the scarce light, medium aperture settings allow for greater detail when capturing architectural subjects.

Controlling time and sensor

Shutter speed affects both the capture of light reflections and the prevention of motion blur. By specifically adjusting the ISO value, you establish a balanced ratio between the necessary light sensitivity and clean image quality.

What night photography changes

The dark Mount Pilatus with illuminated summit above the night lights of Lucerne
50 mm · f/16 · 30 s · ISO 400

Light capture and aperture

A wide aperture is essential to efficiently direct limited ambient light onto the sensor. For complex subjects like illuminated buildings, a medium aperture also ensures the necessary depth of detail.

The Lion Monument in Lucerne illuminated at night in front of a rock face
23 mm · f/6.3 · 1/5 s · ISO 20000

Exposure time and dynamics

The shutter speed determines how sharply details of light installations or reflections on water are rendered. Longer times allow for the capture of fine structures, while short times prevent motion blur during handheld shots.

Light installation over the night-time Seebrücke in Lucerne with moving vehicles
12 mm · f/9 · 1/1 s · ISO 1000

ISO and image quality

The ISO value regulates image noise in dark environments. A moderate adjustment ensures clean quality while maintaining an appropriate brightness of architectural details.

Three concrete examples

Christmas-lit Seebrücke bridge in Lucerne at night with the Water Tower in the background
70 mm · f/20 · 15 s · ISO 400
View of Lucerne at night with reflections of the Lilu Light Festival 2025 in Lake Lucerne
15 mm · f/22 · 30 s · ISO 800
Detailed view of the stone main portal featuring the Last Judgment at Bern Minster by night
22 mm · f/18 · 5 s · ISO 400

Key tips

  1. Choose a wide aperture to allow sufficient light onto the sensor under difficult lighting conditions.
  2. Adjust the ISO value to achieve a balanced ratio between image noise and the necessary brightness.
  3. Use a longer shutter speed to capture details of facades and light reflections on surfaces in detail.

Photographs on this topic

173 photographs with tips

The exact camera settings for each shot are shown below it - a starting point for recreating the look yourself. Click through to a photograph for detailed photography tips on that specific shot, under "Photography tips for this image".

All subjects Mountains Landscape Architecture City Pilatus Lake Lucerne Lucerne Central Switzerland
Facade of Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne illuminated in blue at night with a crowd in the foreground 12 mm · f/8 · 1.6 s · ISO 160 Facade of Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne illuminated in blue at night with a crowd in the foreground 12 mm · f/8 · 1.6 s · ISO 160 Illuminated facade of the Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne at night 12 mm · f/8 · 1.6 s · ISO 160 Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne in blue night lighting with festival visitors in front of the building 26 mm · f/7.1 · 1 s · ISO 250 Illuminated facade of the Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne at night with people in front of the building 26 mm · f/7.1 · 1 s · ISO 250 Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne illuminated at night, located directly by the lake. 100 mm · f/16 · 3.2 s · ISO 200 Hotel Schweizerhof on the shores of Lake Lucerne at night 149 mm · f/9 · 4 s · ISO 100 Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne illuminated in blue at night with reflection in Lake Lucerne 45 mm · f/22 · 1.3 s · ISO 3200 Hotel Schweizerhof illuminated in blue light by Lake Lucerne at night 45 mm · f/16 · 1/2 s · ISO 3200 Night view of the hotels along Lake Lucerne in Lucerne 45 mm · f/4 · 1/10 s · ISO 3200 Blue facade illumination at Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne at night with passing cars 15 mm · f/9 · 1 s · ISO 250 The Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne is illuminated in blue at night during the Lilu light festival. 12 mm · f/9 · 1 s · ISO 250 Jesuit Church in Lucerne at night with colorful light projection and tree branches in the foreground 78 mm · f/4.7 · 1/4 s · ISO 4000 Night view of the illuminated Hotel Montana Lucerne behind dark tree branches 96 mm · f/4.9 · 1/10 s · ISO 4000 The illuminated Wasserturm of the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne at night 150 mm · f/5.6 · 1/6 s · ISO 4000 Night illumination of the facade of the Jesuit Church in Lucerne on the Reuss river 12 mm · f/2 · 1/25 s · ISO 2000 The Hofkirche in Lucerne at night with a colourful light projection reflecting in the Reuss river. 12 mm · f/2 · 1/15 s · ISO 2000 The illuminated Water Tower of the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne at night with a light projection on its facade. 12 mm · f/2 · 1/8 s · ISO 2000 The illuminated water tower of the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne at night with light projections. 12 mm · f/2 · 1/8 s · ISO 2000 View of the interior of the illuminated Jesuit Church in Lucerne during a light show 12 mm · f/2 · 1/15 s · ISO 4000 Interior view of the Jesuit Church in Lucerne with blue light projection on vault and altar 12 mm · f/2 · 1/30 s · ISO 4000 Interior of the Hofkirche Lucerne with a colorful light projection on the ceiling and altar during an event 12 mm · f/2 · 1/30 s · ISO 4000 Interior view of the Jesuit Church in Lucerne with a blue light projection on the ceiling. 12 mm · f/2 · 1/25 s · ISO 4000 Interior view of the Jesuit Church in Lucerne with a colorful projection on the ceiling and walls 12 mm · f/2 · 1/15 s · ISO 4000

Related topics

  • Mountains
  • Landscape
  • Architecture
  • City
  • Camera settings
  • Light
  • Perspective
  • Composition
  • Pilatus
  • Lake Lucerne
  • Lucerne
  • Central Switzerland
  • Night
  • Blue hour
  • Snow
  • Fog
  • Evening light
  • Sunset
  • Rain
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