Night Shot

[cagemaster33]

The is my first real attempt at a long exposure night shot. Please let me know what I need to improve on.

Camera: Canon 400D
Exposure: 30 Sec.
Aperture: f16
Focal Length: 10 mm
ISO Speed: 100

[Triglav]

How about nothing? Really great shot!!

If I may give 2 pointers:

- try to put the horizon on 1/3 or 2/3 of the image.
- maybe try a bit earlier, at the time when the sky turns from dark blue to pitch black.

But again, just a few pointers because this is a great image, well done!

PS where is it?

[SteveRu]

Hi,

I like the shot for the most part. The trick with night photography seems to be to take it when there's still some light in the sky either at the edges of dawn / dusk. The picture below (whilst far from perfect) was taken on my way to the swimming pool at around 7am. The light is just a bit better because it's mixed. I could have taken it a bit earlier still but I think some light in the sky just works better.



The only other thing I'd say is that you need something to focus on. I'm not sure whether the bridge or the office should hold my attention and in the end neither really does... I guess the question is, what are you taking a picture of exactly?

A good effort though. I've been meaning to take some photos of the illuminated buildings along the river this week but haven't managed to. So lots of credit for making the effort!

Steve.

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www.steverutherford.co.uk

[stuart]

wow ive got to try this

[cagemaster33]

thank you for the pointers. i have been teaching myself and that only goes so far. the photo is of london bridge from the north side of the thames.

[KagoGrl]

A lovely shot. The only thing I would say is you need to find a focal point, and as someone already mentioned, I would move the horizon down a little (rule of 3rds and all, but rules were made to be broken, so maybe it's good as it - that's just my take on it).

[RainPacket]

Just to be different... I wouldn't move the horizon down. A lot of what makes that shot interesting is the lovely lights on the water. If you moved the horizon line down, you'd lose some of that lovely color.

So I think despite it breaking the rule of thirds the composition in this shot, vertically, is fine. I MIGHT offset slightly horizontally to play with the balance, but really, I rather like the composition myself as it stands now.

[cagemaster33]

i agree with the fact that vertically if i had moved the horizon down i would have lost the glow in the water which is what caught my eye. as for the horizontal, i wanted my focal point to be the bridge yet there was a light pole beside me and had a moved it over anymore it would have been in the shot. i will go back and see if i can move to another location to get a better angle on london bridge. thanks for all the criticism, it is a big help.

[RainPacket]

Originally Posted by cagemaster33

i agree with the fact that vertically if i had moved the horizon down i would have lost the glow in the water which is what caught my eye. as for the horizontal, i wanted my focal point to be the bridge yet there was a light pole beside me and had a moved it over anymore it would have been in the shot. i will go back and see if i can move to another location to get a better angle on london bridge. thanks for all the criticism, it is a big help.

Ah, the physical obstacle... one of the banes of my existence. There's a shot of a biplane I took at a museum where I would dearly have loved to get just a slightly further-back angle, but I was using a prime lens (no zoom!)... and I was already crouched UNDER the information kiosk for the plane across from that one. If I'd backed up any more to get the shot of the one I wanted, I would've been sitting in the cockpit of a World War I Sopwith biplane.

So, I do understand how that one goes!

[steevdavis62]

I love it. great colour, great capture... dont move it down at all. The bridge and its reflection i find are symetrical, and togeather create a centre line between them. putting each of them slightly in a diferent third of the frame. Hence making the photo work. It is gorgeous, i love it...good example of rule breaking