Chicago at Night #2 - Preliminary Help

[psykon99]

Ok, I just took this last night. I used a tripod from below the bridge. Exposure was ISO 100 @ 30 seconds for shutter speed f22.

I've cloned/healed out a few intrusions and light articles. I'm having troubles with the light flair by the buildings. At this point, I'm looking for a preliminary critique and/or suggestions.

[jiminyClickit]

psykon,

Wait...what? You want comments before the real comments come along? I feel so...used.

So, 1927, Fritz Lang, Metropolis is just a twinkle in his eye. I think he might have been seeing something like this. Some disparity in darks, lights. Sky flare could be considered "atmosphere," adding that floodlight/opening night look. It leans left a little bit too much. Now, can I stick around for the real help?

[psykon99]

Originally Posted by jiminyClickit

psykon,

Wait...what? You want comments before the real comments come along? I feel so...used.

So, 1927, Fritz Lang, Metropolis is just a twinkle in his eye. I think he might have been seeing something like this. Some disparity in darks, lights. Sky flare could be considered "atmosphere," adding that floodlight/opening night look. It leans left a little bit too much. Now, can I stick around for the real help?

Jiminy, you're always welcome to stick around! I do have some questions for you though.

1. Who the heck is Fritz Lang and what the heck is Metropolis? (Sorry, I'm pretty uncultured.
2. Which area are you referring to and what exactly do you mean by disparity? I'd like to try and work on them. I feel this shot has some potential.
3. If I fix the building, then the bridge goes way out of wack. Which do you think should be preferred? I always struggle with these straightening decisions when doing wide/low angle shots.

Thanks!

[peeperita]

i usually never comment on night shots because it's not a project i am familiar with....

personally, i like the light flares in the sky....they define the edge of the building on the left and add dimension to what would have been a very flat and black space in your image.....i can see where cropping can be a difficult choice and if i had my druthers, i would rotate so that the smaller, brighter building's verticals were more....well, vertical....but then again....everything is converging to center and there maybe no real solution for it....

thanks for sharing....as i said, i like this image...

peeper

[jiminyClickit]

psykon99,

3. It is just a guess that if both left and right edges of buildings next to vertical frame were at equal angles, the general impression would be"straighter." Just a few degrees clockwise.

2. The dark building (UL) seems too dark, and the general light building/street lamp area seems too light (LR).

1. Least important: Lang directed a movie far ahead of its time,depictingthe "Future" with the huge (impossible) buildings, flying craft, unisex clothing, robots. This reminded me quite a bit of some of the opening scenes.

Here's one: http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne...8478871&size=l

[Matthew James Norman]

I really like the image as it is. It has a futuristic, new metropolis feel about it. The only thing I would do is crop the bottom a bit to remove those blocky plant pots. Really nice image.