Night Mysteries

Bal Bhatla worked in advertising for 12 years but was more inspired by the nighttime scenes he photographed on his evening commute on the London Underground than his day job. He shared his photos on Instagram and soon brands began reaching out, paving a way for him to dive into commercial photography full time. 

His new book “London After Dark” (Trope Publishing) features a collection of his night street photography. Bhatla, also known as Mr. Whisper, offers tips on capturing street photos after dark:

• Low light, not no light. Sure, today’s cameras are great at seeing in the dark, but good lighting is still fundamental to a great composition. Use passing headlights, streetlamps, and neon lights, he says.
• Go with a prime lens. “Use lenses with large maximum apertures like f/1.2 to f/2.0,” he says. “They let in more light compared to zoom lenses, making them ideal for low light conditions.” A prime lens with a wide aperture is best.

• Keep it on a low ISO. “Raise your ISO to a level where you can achieve a shutter speed of at least 1/125 second to minimize motion blur,” Bhatla advises. Be mindful that high ISO settings can introduce more noise and grain. “Personally, I never go above 3200 unless absolutely necessary. My aim is to capture what I can see and not what the camera can, as the results can lead to very unrealistic street photos.”
• Keep them guessing. Silhouettes backlit by shop fronts, windows, or LED screens create a sense of mystery that intrigues viewers.

• Let the light be your guide. “When shooting after dark, expose your photo for the brightest element in your frame. Then in post [production], you can pull details out of the dark,” he explains. “But if you overexpose, there is no way of bringing those blown-out highlights back.” 

Amanda Arnold is a senior editor.