Many hunters, outdoorsmen and nature photographers enjoy the convenience and flexibility of trail cameras, appreciating the ability of the devices to capture an image without human intervention. With special consideration, these cameras can also be used for indoor purposes ranging from personal photography to home security.
Choose the Proper Camera
Hunters and outdoorsmen who already have trail camera equipment may find themselves limited to a specific make and model, but some types of trail cameras seem more suited to indoor use than others. Trail cameras fall into one of three general categories: digital cameras with infrared, invisible flash; standard digital cameras with regular flash and film cameras with flash. Since most indoor conditions typically require a camera's flash to fill in shaded areas and shadows, the visible flash on either a film or digital camera may suit the needs of indoor photographers. For home security applications, though, the invisible infrared cameras may offer a more subtle, discreet vehicle for capturing images. Using these descriptions of the camera types available, select the trail camera that best fits your particular indoor photography needs.
Set Up Lighting
Despite the numerous flash options, manufacturers design trail cameras specifically for use in outdoor, natural lighting conditions. Since natural sunlight creates much brighter, well lit conditions, a user may need to supplement lighting conditions when using a trail camera indoors. A number of photographer's lamps are commercially available and easily accessible through discount chains and online retailers, but professional lighting costs can run into hundreds or even thousands of dollars. To avoid these costs, consider using bright fluorescent or incandescent lights already available in the home to create ideal lighting conditions for trail cameras. Use the camera's flash system to help fill in the shaded areas and gaps. If possible, position the camera in front of the light source to prevent silhouetting.
Trigger the Camera's Shutter
The most striking difference between traditional cameras and trail cameras involves activation of the camera shutter. Because trail cameras are designed for placement along a trail and automated photo taking, their shutters are typically activated by either a timer or a built-in motion sensor. For indoor, non-security use, a user must configure the camera to allow manual image capture. This configuration is available through a simple setting on some models; though other, more basic models may require the user to trip the shutter by exposing some movement in front of the camera. Alternatively, users who own cameras with time-lapse functionality may set the time-lapse interval to the shortest possible setting, then time the upcoming shutter exposure. By choosing the proper camera, adjusting lighting to optimal levels and manually triggering the shutter (or working with the time lapse delay), a user may conveniently use a trail camera much like a traditional, manually operated indoor camera.
Tags: trail cameras, cameras with, lighting conditions, trail camera, camera flash, digital cameras, digital cameras with