Bayou Reflections

[houstondvr]

Took this at Festival of Lights in Dickinson, TX.

Rebel XTi
Exposure: 4 sec (4)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 22 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
Metering Mode: Average

[aakash_vakil]

I wonder how this one reached to 4th page without comments. Couple of observations....

- The front lights are all getting mixed up in the photo. They dont look clear to me. Maybe its the effect of 4s exposure?

- The trees in backgroud show a little warm red color sky. This is not highlighted in the photo. Maybe try to take a similar photo 20 mins earlier?

- Change the angle of shot if possible and take a shot with the house with flag and its reflection as the main focal point. Here there is too much to see for the eyes.

- Work on post to make the shot crisp
- Did you try shooting with f/8-f10 with ISO 200-400?
- Did you try shooting at F4.5 but with ISO 200-400? This can reduce you exposure time and will avoid any blurryness caused by wind.

Regards,
Aakash

[houstondvr]

IT's always nice to get a good review on your photos, but it is extremely helpful to get a critique that shows your weakness and areas where you need to improve. Thanks for a great critique. You definitely gave me some things to think about.

The red sky like appearance must be from the lights because it was pitch black that night.

I did try higher ISO, but it kept making the overall picture too bright. I will try and change the F-value and maybe find a good combination with the higher ISO.

You can't really get a good straight on view of the bridge with the flag due to the terrain. If I wanted a straight on view, I would have to stand another 100 yards or so away, and it would put me and my camera under street lights. Maybe I can zoom in though from the same viewpoint and eliminate some of the other aspects that seem to be a distraction.

Thanks again for your critique. I appreciate your candor.

[clockdoc]

I think you have a good capture of the lights even if the left side is a little hot. The best results come from a balance of ambient daylight and light exposure. To do this you need to start shooting about 20-30 minutes after sunset and take a shot about every 30 seconds as the sky darkens quickly. You will soon find a point where the lights and sky are in balance with respect to proper exposure. Then shoot like crazy as the time passes too quickly. Thanks for sharing your work with us.

[houstondvr]

Thanks Clockdoc. I think I read a little about what you are talking about with regards to the time of day in the article posted on Strobist. You have definitely given me some good suggestions which I will have to try out. If I think I get anything better, I will repost. Thanks again!