I had a particular dark audit that ended up in a big loss because it being so far away and having to go back for a different reason already, and then had the shop returned.

I encountered a MID that was completely unlit except for the LED prices. Additionally, there was no perimeter lighting and no other businesses, streetlights, or ambient light anywhere near it. It was so DARK that night and this place was out in the boonies. The bright green LED prices completely blew out the photo and there seemed to be no way to capture any better photo. After 4 different photos, I figured it would be enough to show that the only lights on the sign with LEDs. Much to my surprise, the shop was returned because they could not accept that photo. They said that they need to be able to read and see the other text or graphics on the unlit portion of sign! The unlit portion, the portion that didn’t have enough light to photograph!!!

The trouble with that is I would have either had to have high lumen portable lighting like a spotlight (as you can’t point your car headlights that far up at will), or wait for sunrise which the wouldn’t be a dark audit. Or have an extra special camera that I don’t know to exist. I argued it and made my case and appealed but to no avail. The MSC didn’t want it.

What would you have done? Any good ideas or suggestions for the future? Does such a camera exist?

What type of phone are you using? If you're not using something along the lines of the newest (within a year or two) Samsung galaxy or iPhone then you might run into this issue. I've never had an issue using a Samsung Galaxy (within two years or so) and yes, I've had photos where there was next to no light.

Good to know. I have an older Galaxy S Series. Thank you.

The camera on that phone isn't going to cut it for anything other than 'the best case' scenarios... I'd get a new phone.

@Maria72 wrote:

Good to know. I have an older Galaxy S Series. Thank you.

When this happens to me, I do some of the following:

1. I take the photos at a slight angle. Sometimes it works.
2. I will also use my car headlights to illuminate the sign.
3. As a last resort, take the photo from inside the car; sometimes the window acts as a buffer.
4. Accept the fact I could not get a good enough photo, and let it get rejected. I only have so much control over the lack of lighting.

@Maria72 wrote:

I had a particular dark audit that ended up in a big loss because it being so far away and having to go back for a different reason already, and then had the shop returned.

I encountered a MID that was completely unlit except for the LED prices. Additionally, there was no perimeter lighting and no other businesses, streetlights, or ambient light anywhere near it. It was so DARK that night and this place was out in the boonies. The bright green LED prices completely blew out the photo and there seemed to be no way to capture any better photo. After 4 different photos, I figured it would be enough to show that the only lights on the sign with LEDs. Much to my surprise, the shop was returned because they could not accept that photo. They said that they need to be able to read and see the other text or graphics on the unlit portion of sign! The unlit portion, the portion that didn’t have enough light to photograph!!!

The trouble with that is I would have either had to have high lumen portable lighting like a spotlight (as you can’t point your car headlights that far up at will), or wait for sunrise which the wouldn’t be a dark audit. Or have an extra special camera that I don’t know to exist. I argued it and made my case and appealed but to no avail. The MSC didn’t want it.

What would you have done? Any good ideas or suggestions for the future? Does such a camera exist?

Sometimes the flash helps, but you have to hold the camera very still.

You can also change the focus to the bright part, and hope it dims.

Wiping the lens helps sometimes to minimize glare.

But, yeah, the newer phones do a much better job. Doesn't even have to be that new.

Let's see.. with my older galaxy phones I poked the picture to focus the camera on the sign, cleaned the lens (I wear glasses, so there is almost always a glass cleaning cloth where I am), and if I still couldn't get a decent pic, I would turn on the flash and then I would send them the best of the 5 or 6 pictures I took and hope for the best.

Now I have a Google PIxel 10 Pro, and I just make sure the lens is clean. It changes to low light photography without my input.

I have one of the new phones that adjust to darkness automatically. But, in the older phones, there is a "night" setting. It works wonders. You will need to hold your pose for a few seconds while it takes the picture. It comes out great if used correctly.

Maria, I had your exact problem, and more, with a Galaxy phone that was a lower tier than the S series. The camera was horrible and it didn't even have a zoom out function. I came here to the forum to ask for help, trying to make a phone work that just wasn't made to work well. With some prodding and good information, our pals here persuaded me to get the top tier phone, even used, and it has been a life changer. The used phone from Backmarket.com was a couple of years old but the cost was pretty close to what I had spent on the crappy phone, new.

I am thankful to my forum buddies every single day for convincing me that this was the way to go. Often, I can get an entire restroom in one photo with the zoom out function and I have even gotten a compliment from an editor on my night time photos being so clear and vivid. Go for it! You won't be sorry. And, it's a business expense!

Thank you, that is encouraging! I rather like the dark audits because it’s nice not to have to deal with people and I didn’t really want to quit them! Blackmarket.com? Ok, I’ll give it a look. I wish there was a way to get a newer phone that wasn’t completely polluted with google crap or that it could be removed.

@sestrahelena wrote:

Maria, I had your exact problem, and more, with a Galaxy phone that was a lower tier than the S series. The camera was horrible and it didn't even have a zoom out function. I came here to the forum to ask for help, trying to make a phone work that just wasn't made to work well. With some prodding and good information, our pals here persuaded me to get the top tier phone, even used, and it has been a life changer. The used phone from Backmarket.com was a couple of years old but the cost was pretty close to what I had spent on the crappy phone, new.

I am thankful to my forum buddies every single day for convincing me that this was the way to go. Often, I can get an entire restroom in one photo with the zoom out function and I have even gotten a compliment from an editor on my night time photos being so clear and vivid. Go for it! You won't be sorry. And, it's a business expense!

You added a letter. Not Blackmarket.com so just leave out the "l" and go to Backmarket.com

@Maria72 wrote:

Thank you, that is encouraging! I rather like the dark audits because it’s nice not to have to deal with people and I didn’t really want to quit them! Blackmarket.com? Ok, I’ll give it a look. I wish there was a way to get a newer phone that wasn’t completely polluted with google crap or that it could be removed.

@sestrahelena wrote:

Maria, I had your exact problem, and more, with a Galaxy phone that was a lower tier than the S series. The camera was horrible and it didn't even have a zoom out function. I came here to the forum to ask for help, trying to make a phone work that just wasn't made to work well. With some prodding and good information, our pals here persuaded me to get the top tier phone, even used, and it has been a life changer. The used phone from Backmarket.com was a couple of years old but the cost was pretty close to what I had spent on the crappy phone, new.

I am thankful to my forum buddies every single day for convincing me that this was the way to go. Often, I can get an entire restroom in one photo with the zoom out function and I have even gotten a compliment from an editor on my night time photos being so clear and vivid. Go for it! You won't be sorry. And, it's a business expense!

My Pixel 3a is almost 6 years old and it can take a night photo with clarity. I bought it on Backmarket several years ago. It still works just fine but looking into a newer phone I saw they are selling the 3a for under $100 which is strange as 3 years ago i got mine there for around $115 used. Check with your cell data provider as they sometimes have great deals on phones with a trade in. The 3a also has unlimited photo storage. I will be sorry to see that go when i finally get a new model.

Next time try tapping on the phone screen and use the +/- brightness adjustment. Also try an additional camera app like Open Camera. It's open source, free. You'll need to learn how to use the functions of your camera. An old S7 has low light optimization and it's 10yrs old! Good Luck!

I got my pixel 10 pro with a trade in for less than $200.

They had that deal last week but I missed it at my phone data provider. This week they wont take a 3a in trade. The other phones I can get cheap from them all require a different plan than the one I have.

@Morledzep wrote:

I got my pixel 10 pro with a trade in for less than $200.