This is possibly the worst photo I've ever taken.

[jdramirez]

So it was night... around 1a.m. and I see three deer out in a corn field looking for scraps. I first tried some photos at iso 6400, aperture f/2.8, 100mm (I didn't have my 70-200mm with me), and while I did have my tripod with me... I didn't want to get out of the car because it would spook the deer. I'm manually focusing and using IS. So I tried my best to stabilize myself and snap a few shots with the hope that some were clear (the car was still running so I'm sure that added a little bit of shake).

Nope.

So I turned around and tried again. Some awful results. So I put on my 580 ex ii and I'm manually focusing and I wait for the deer to get blurry and then turn it the other way and I try and find the middle... thinking that they are far enough away that I should have decent depth of field even at f/2.8.

Nope.

Evidently I was was horribly front focused... and now I'm wondering... did I re focus... I had to... I wouldn't look through the viewfinder and think that this was ok. So I get out of my car and the deer surprisingly weren't spooked... snap snap snap... and then deer were spooked.

So... here's my question... is there a technique for shooting in the dark? the 580 has the IR beams, but at that distance, they didn't do squat...

I didn't really miss a once in a lifetime event... the dear are always hanging out in that field, but still I like to think that after all these years I have enough competency to be able to take a freaking deer photo in the near dark.

 

[BoneDoc]

Did you focus w live view?

 

[Don Haines]

I guess setting up remote flashes is out of the question

On a really deserted road (no danger of causing accident) you could try turning the car for that deer-in-the-headlights look....

If you get out of the car, switch off the interior light first, and step out of the far side of the car where you are less visible, and don't shut the door. If the motor is off you can use the roof of the car to steady the camera.

 

[jdramirez]

Did you focus w live view?

No... just looked through the view finder. Just me, the deer, and light pollution... but I am surprised that I was THAT far off.

 

[neuroanatomist]

Live View can focus in almost no light (much less than phase AF), and/or with exposure simulation, brighten the scene enough for better manual focus.

 

[RLPhoto]

Live view is your best option.

But your not alone, any photographer worth there salt has taken terrible shots before. It what you learn from it that counts.

 

[Marsu42]

So... here's my question... is there a technique for shooting in the dark? the 580 has the IR beams, but at that distance, they didn't do squat...

6d (-3LV vf) or Magic Lantern - the latter has a "night view" mode that boosts the live view display so you can manually focus in near-darkness.

 

[jdramirez]

I appreciate it. I have played with live view before, but not in near dark. I'll give it a go next time.