The iPhone Streaks of Los Angeles

Night Mode did the trick

So how is that new iPhone 16 Pro treating you, people ask me all the time?

How’s this top photo for an answer? I happen to be, along with many other news photographers (check the front page of your local paper) a fan of the nighttime “streaks” shot, which can usually be picked up by placing a big camera on a tripod, setting the exposure to manual, and leaving the shutter open for five or ten seconds.

I’ve been trying to replicate it on mobile phones over the years, to mixed results. What I picked up tonight is unlike any “night streaks” shot I’ve been able to pull off easily on previous iPhone, Galaxy or Pixel models.

I brought the iPhone 16 Pro to downtown Los Angeles Tuesday night, and started shooting about 15 minutes after sunset.

I put the phone on a tripod, set it to .5, the ultra-wide lens that Apple says is greatly improved over previous editions, and used Night Mode, the feature that allows the shutter to stay open longer, as long as 30 seconds, depending upon how bright it it outside. Figure this is about a ten second exposure. (For more on Night Mode, watch my tutorial.)

I’ve been playing with the new phone since it was released on September 20, and while the enhanced Slo-Mo video gets the lions share of attention, this .5 improvement really rocks.

What do you think? Let me know.