Night time by the lake

[SwissJon]

I shot this in pitch black.. I couldn't see the controls on the camera, and the view finder was almost uesless, so I had to guess. I'm not sure about the crop here.. Does the shoreline provide enough subject to draw you in? How's the balance between left and right? Do I need to crop tighter and lose some of the darkness top and bottom?

And as always, I think this picture is probably too dark as I think my monitor on my laptop is probably too bright, and anyway the camera was showing under exposed, even at 30seconds. What do you think.. And is the white balance ok?

Camera: SLT-A55V
Lens: Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA
Focal length: 22*mm*(equiv. 33*mm)
Aperture: F4.5
Exposure time: 30"
ISO speed rating: 200
Image Stabilizer: Off
Flash: Flash did not fire


3rd February 2011 by SwissJon, on Flickr

[dvtldav]

I like the photo, especially the the reflections in the lake. It looks like the left side is lower than the right and it directs me that way. The trees are tilted to the left and the line in the back of photo is also lower on the left so to me everything seems to be sliding to the left.

Dave

[Trankonia]

John, I like the photo as well. It seems a wee bit dark but frankly that adds to the mood. Some of the lights seem a bit blown out but with such a long exposure I know of no way to avoid it since the atmosphere will cause some blooming anyway. (at least that's my theory )

I really like the setting.

[NgaiHill]

John, I really like this photo, I like the balance between the lights and the darkness, and you can see enough detail in the buildings etc. The only thing that bothers me is that the 'horizon' or water line appears to be lower on the left than the right. I also wondered, given there is more subject on the right of the picture than the left, how this would look if it was flipped so that the tree and the path draw the eye left to right. Just a thought

[SwissJon]

Arrrgghhh.. I've fallen for my own pet hate and posted a wonky photo.. It's actually perfectly level, but it's the perception that counts and I can see it's wonky this morning, I'll correct that.

@NgaiHill - I agree it may look better flipped, but I'm really not a fan of doing things like that.. People might go looking for this spot and realise I'd done that, then start looking for other departures from reality. I'd like to keep it as close to how things really are as possible.. I'll go back there one day and take a photo pointing in the opposite direction instead

It was a misty last night, which was why there's blooming around the lights, but I like that.

As always, thanks everyone for your helpful comments.

I'm hoping I've strightened this out.. The problem is, the slope is an optical illusion because there's no clear horizon, and when I altered the rottion by as little as 0.4 degrees, it looked sloped in the other direction. So I went to 0.25 and left it at that, I'm hoping this is now going to work like a shallow bowl, with the path and tree leading you in, your eye following the horizon to the left, then rolling gently back toward the centre where it settles on the pier and restaurant...

I must say, I'm pleased with this.. not bad for shooting in pitch black


3rd February 2011 by SwissJon, on Flickr

[BigFuzzy]

And you should be happy with it considering. The only issue I have, which clearly wasn't 'fixable' at the time you were there was all the dead space from the black sky. Shame you couldn't take this just after sunset when there was still some color in the sky.

Everything else looks fine, even the horizon (as there are other clues to it being perfectly level). Sharpness is spot on.

As a completely alternative version, have you considered a crop (if it's not too much) of just the water and the cool reflections? Go a bit abstract? Just a thought. Still a fine job, now get out there at normal human time, instead of after drinking all night time, and get some color in that sky

EDIT PS saw your photoshoot of the girl from Lausanne.. I dated a couple of girls from there, it seems the town is full of hotties!

[SwissJon]

LoL.. Unfortunately yes Lausanne is, but I got married before I found out.. Mind you, I dated a pretty Dutch girl some time ago.. Seems a good trade to me! Anyway, wife #2 is a blonde french nurse. I'll say no more (Wife #1 lasted all of 6 months before running off with half my house and the milkman! Did me a favour if you ask me... The milk was sour!!)

I thought about the crop after, but none of my photos from that session lend themselves particularly well.. I might go back and point the camera at that direction.. It's on the way home when I'm in the car.. Unfortunately my remote trigger release packed in and I ran outta batteries last night before wife #2 rang to find out if I'd had a crash! Coulda got at least 20 more minutes.

I don't drink any more.. Already consumed a lifetimes supply.. Which is why I can still drive after the sun has gone down Sunset is going to coincide with my journey home pretty soon, so I'm looking forward to that, at the moment I need to nip out of work early.. And if it's misty like it has been it's a waste of time.. Look out for a guy on a black XJR1300 with all sorts of camera gear strapped to back (Cos he probably nicked my bike! )