Mosque at dusk

[Jonathan Evans]

I've been having this idea for a while now of trying to capture the local mosque using light trails from the local highway as leading lines to draw attention. After several attempts, I feel I am getting closer to my vision (perhaps not quite there yet). I've been using the composition below, but I am beginning to wonder whether there is too much empty space in the sky, or whether the composition is okay and I just need to keep waiting for the right time/day where all the elements combine. What are your thoughts on the composition? Are the light trails effective as leading lines? Should there be a tighter crop on the mosque at the expense of the light trails? Does it need a more dramatic sky?

Thanks in advance for your critique!

Regards,

Jonathan



Exif:

Camera Canon EOS 50D
Exposure 8
Aperture f/14.0
Focal Length 23 mm
ISO Speed 100
Exposure Bias 0 EV

[giannisna]

I like it as it is! I usually use 16:9 ratio for my pics so maybe i'd crop a bit of the sky. On the other hand i think the more sky you have the better the contrast between the dark blue sky and the yellow colors of the mosque. Another thing i 'd try is to zoom in just a bit in order get rid of the buildings on the right but thats just my opinion.
Once again great pic!

[Krusty79]

That's a cool concept and I think you're almost there. It's too bad those trees are obscuring the mosque. I know in landscapes, there's always a tree or power lines that you would like to move. Is it possible to move a little closer to the mosque or to the right so the light trails will look more like they are intersecting with the mosque? Ideally, you could find a spot where the trees don't block the view of the light trails or the mosque. I like the time of day you took the shot.

[Jonathan Evans]

Thanks for the positive comments. The trees go all around the mosque and the position I am standing actually gives the least obscured view, short of actually entering the grounds of the mosque. I can't really move closer to the mosque as I am standing on a bridge, with a very large roundabout behind me. I could use a longer lens though, so I might try that. The issue I have found on my previous attempts with a longer lens is that the light trails become flat with little curvature. Maybe a bit more experimentation is in order still...

[milosh]

I think this is a great concept and it's almost perfectly executed!

Since you say you're pretty limited in changing views and positions, I would just try to crop this to bring the mosque and light trails closer, because now, the mosque does look like the main subject but I find it to be too far away and too small (I would like to see more of it). Since keeping the trails is important, that leads to a non-standard crop ratio, but that's not so bad in my opinion.
I think your timing is very good, the trails and mosque exposure are perfect, and there's not too much ambient light.

I've tried cropping it just to illustrate what I wrote.

[Jonathan Evans]

Thanks Milosh for the feedback. I like the crop. I have been umming and ahhing over whether to crop or not and have experimented with various crops trying to find what works. I agree that the mosque seems far away in my original photo, and I like that the crop brings it into greater focus. I have perhaps been constraining myself with the rule of thirds, trying to place the mosque a third of the way in from the left and bottom. As with all rules, I should treat it as a starting point, not an absolute must. Thanks again for the feedback.

[milosh]

You're welcome!