Amsterdam Canal with Light Trails

Created by Daly Photography

Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

My usual routine when arriving after a long flight is to take a short nap no longer than 3 hours in duration. I set an alarm to wake up so I don’t lose the light of day to explore the city. I use this time to get the feel of what a location and the people who live (and visit) are about. It guides me in knowing what I want to shoot at night.

I’ll usually drop in to local coffee shop that I would have already researched in the area. From there I wander and pick up small bites from whatever café I find along the way. It’s my tapas walk. I don’t sit down for a full meal. I get everything to go and keep moving.

I’ll often pack very lightly in this initial walk- so I can cover a lot of ground without much fatigue.

Along the way I will mark spots in google maps as dropped pins with notes about the location. I might take day shots in these locations if the conditions are right.

I find that I observe the patterns of traffic, the congregations of people, angles to capture my subject or subjects and mentally map out how I will return to the best spots with all of my gear.

My main lens for night cityscape shots is a 24-105 mm Canon L lens. A wireless shutter release minimizes any vibrations and ensures a sharp, well-defined scene. A sturdy, well-built carbon fiber travel tripod provides a stable platform for these long-exposure photographs that I love so much.

After I’ve reconnoitered the area, I will take a short nap, grab some food and let the night come to life.

In this photograph, I exposed for the brightest light source in the frame, used bulb mode, and activated the shutter as a small tour boat entered the frame below me.

I watched the boat carve out light trails with its aft- mounted light and released the shutter as the boat came to rest.

What resulted is one of my favorite photographs from Amsterdam. I love the play of both static objects and the patterns that are made from movement.

You can view the photograph above by clicking on it.

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