How to Get Better Photos in Any Light

Miracles in Low Light

Candlelit moments
Massimo Bochi's evocative view of a Chinese New Year candle-lighting ceremony shows why photographers find the warm glow of flames irresistible. It also seems to achieve the impossible: Faces captured in clear detail in the dimmest of ambient light.

The key to his success? Patience. "You have to concentrate on the scene and wait until the people are standing quite still," says Bochi.

If you can't use a tripod in a crowded scene, try to set your camera on a flat surface (better yet, mount it on a monopod). If you're forced to handhold your camera, set it at the highest ISO and be sure to meter off the people's faces, not off the candles.