Photographing in the Evening During the Dark Months

Monday 20 October 2025, 20:02 by Nando Harmsen | 3,173 views | 1 comment

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

The dark months are just around the corner. The time of year when it gets dark early. It may seem like a time when photography takes a back seat. But it doesn't have to. Make use of the darkness. I'll give you a few ideas.

You can shut yourself away and spend the dark winter days indoors. Perhaps you can tidy up your Lightroom catalogue, or make a yearbook. Give your camera or tripod a clean, if needed.

You can also go outside during the dark winter evenings. The darkness itself gives you the opportunity to play with light. No sunlight or daylight, but your own light. Or with the light of the stars.

Go outside and don't shut yourself away. Try things out and be creative. Not sure where to start? I'll give you a few ideas for inspiration.

1. Photographing star trails

you need a clear sky, but if you have one, you can photograph excellent star trails. Find a dark location, or challenge yourself and do it with the light of civilisation around you.

Star trails with a beautiful reflection. Go straight after dinner and you'll be back well before bedtime.
The great thing about the dark months is that you can set off early. And you'll be back on time, so it doesn't have to become a late-night affair.

2. Photographing light trails

Don't find star trails very interesting, or get bored with them quickly? Then you can also find a place to photograph light trails. Cars and cyclists, if they have their lights on, can create beautiful lines in your image.

Find a good viewpoint and photograph car trails. Go when there is still traffic on the road.
Do you live near an airport? Photograph aircraft light trails. Ships passing by on a river. Or choose the light trails of a passing train.

3. Light painting yourself

Feeling creative? Then try light painting yourself. You can use all sorts of things for it. Torches, string lights, or special tools for light painting. Make circles, orbs, or draw figures. Nothing is too crazy.

Light painting is great fun. But it is a challenge. Fortunately, you have plenty of dark winter evenings at your disposal.
Light painting can be a challenge. But there are plenty of evenings to practise. Find a nice location and get started. The more often you do it, the better you become.

Be creative with colours and shapes. Do some real light painting if you dare. It does require plenty of practice.

4. Model photography with a flash

Of course, you can also take a model to a location with street lighting. Take an off-camera flash with you and shoot model photos. Make sure you also include the ambient light.

A model, a flash and street lighting. That's all you need. Balance the flash light with the ambient light.
It's like having a studio on location. Use one flash, or choose more. With a shallow depth of field, you can also play with bokeh.

Do you have lights in the background? Then that's perfect for bokeh balls/circles/rings.
Don't feel comfortable in the dark? Take your partner or your model's partner along to help. They can carry the bag or support the light stand. And it's more sociable too.

5. Photographing the city at night

Of course, photographing a city in the dark can't be left out. Go into a city and photograph the lit streets. Preferably with people in them, because an empty city is so... empty.

Places that aren't worth visiting during the day can look beautiful in the evening.
You can also photograph industry, such as Rotterdam or Antwerp. Refineries in particular are often lit up spectacularly. Or look for light festivals. Do you like Christmas and Christmas lights? Then December is the perfect time to go out.

The Glow light festival in Eindhoven offers plenty of possibilities.

6. Combine several things

You can of course combine all these separate 'types' of photography perfectly. A model in a city is an obvious choice. But you can also photograph the model in combination with light painting.

Strobist photography combined with light painting.

Take it a step further and photograph the lit city with star trails. It isn't easy, but it is possible. Or use the light trails of cars with star trails. Or add a model to the mix.

The city at night combined with star trails. It can all be done.

The dark months are ideal for photography. Precisely because it gets dark so early and stays dark for so long, you have many possibilities close at hand. Make use of them, and don't shut yourself away. That will only make you miserable.

Want to know how some of these techniques can be carried out? View the courses on Photofacts Academy covering star trails, light painting and photographing with a flash, among other things.

Of course, you can also use the dark months to watch the courses on Photofacts Academy. But do go out afterwards to practise... In the dark, of course.

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