The Set Up: Getting golden-hour magic with the Nikon Z5II and Dhan Limwattana

While he likes to keep his mindset fresh, Dhan’s technique is firmly tried and tested. He typically prefers to capture street scenes in Manual mode, setting a f/2.8 aperture with a shutter speed faster than 1/400 sec, while relying on auto ISO. “That way, once you set something up, you already have a rough idea of the outcome,” he explains. “For me, it’s important to keep a fast shutter speed, especially when framing directly into the sun – everything is frozen and not too much light gets in. If you want to get more creative, you’ll need to use an ND filter on your lens, which allows you to use a slower shutter speed and a more closed aperture to achieve slow-shutter effects during sunset. This can be a bit tricky, but with practice it works well.” Pairing the Nikon Z5II with the NIKKOR Z 28-75mm f/2.8, he adds, “I’m also a huge fan of shallow depth of field, as it helps separate the subjects in front of my lens from the background, so using a wider aperture helps me achieve a beautiful bokeh. It’s something truly special.”

Street moments are among the most fleeting of any genre, so speed and responsiveness are crucial, which is why Dhan likes to customise the Nikon Z5II’s controls, assigning Fn1 to autofocus settings, where he primarily uses spot AF or auto-area AF, and Fn2 to playback, allowing him to stay immersed and review images through the viewfinder without lowering the camera. “Nikon does a great job of keeping the buttons, controls and settings consistent across their camera models, so you don’t need to spend much time learning a new layout if you’re familiar with Nikon cameras,” he says. “It also means I don’t have to focus too much on the technical side, and instead can spend more time observing what’s happening and reacting to the scene. Also, as a more compact camera, it makes you less noticeable than when using a large, bulky camera.”

As Dhan moves through the streets in search of creative compositions, he often pauses to capture shadows or make use of reflective surfaces such as shop windows or puddles. “The tilting and vari-angle display is another great feature to have here,” he says. “It makes it much easier to capture more creative perspectives, such as those from high or low angles, like reflections, without having to lie flat on the ground.”

For Dhan, the strongest golden-hour street scenes often emerge when changing weather and light transform the city, creating unexpected conditions to work with. “From my experience, the best and most beautiful sunsets I’ve witnessed have often happened on days when I didn’t expect them at all. My personal favourites are always after the rain – when it has rained during the day, then stops, and the sun comes out. For me, that almost always guarantees a great sunset.”