Long Exposure Sunset

[gagehingeley]

Just wanted to see how my Long exposure techniques are improving, let me know what you think. Havent been into photography for long, just about 4 months and in high school and considering going to college for it. Tell me if you think photo is worth blowing up or all of the blacks will ruin it? I wanted to get a picture of Scripps Pier and La jolla cove with a fisheye and I just like how this picture turned out.

Canon 60D
Tokina 10-17mm
Focal Length: 10mm
Exposure: 15 sec at f/20
ISO: 100

[o0chad0o]

Great shot! I like the color of the sky, reflection of the bridge, and the rays emitting from the moon.

Perhaps there's a touch too much black, but that's just my taste.

Perhaps cropping it just above the black would help it some. You would still have the reflection in the water and not so much dead space. Just my $.02. Either way, great shot, I like it alot! Good job!

Edit: Not a big deal, but looks like there may be a couple small dust spots just above and to the right of the city...might try edit those out. Might also want to check your lenses make sure they're clean, and your image sensor, too.

[gagehingeley]

thank you so much! and yah i agree with the cropping. would look a lot better. also, with the spots, i cleaned my lens right before and there wasnt anything on it but now there is when i checked today. And for the sensor, how dirty is dirty to make it have spots in the photos? I have a couple little dust flecs but thats about it. And i will try and edit those out right now, not sure how but I will youtube it.

[o0chad0o]

You can edit the spots out with photoshop, gimp, paintshop pro, or something of the like. If your software has a heal tool, makeover tool or blemish removal tool (whatever the manufacturers call it)...use that. Just zoom in on the spots just enough you can still see them, and use a brush size just large enough to cover the spot. You just want to be careful not to over-do it.

The other day I ran into the same problem with dust flecks on my sensor. I didn't notice the spots until I started editing the pictures. There were two flecks that I could barely see...had to use a headlamp and hold the camera at weird angles to see them.

Be very careful when cleaning the sensor...you can kill it relatively easily. There are some specialized swabs and fluid for cleaning them. Make sure you follow your manufacturers recommendations. If you're uncomfortable cleaning it yourself, might get a camera shop to do it for a few bucks.

[o0chad0o]

Hope you don't mind, but here is a quick edit using PaintShop Photo Pro X3. Cropped, removed some noise and dust spots, and sharpened. If I overstepped my boundary, let me know, and I'll delete it.

Edit: Deleted photo as it served its purpose...

[EOBeav]

Nice colors, nice comp, overall a great image. Another thing I'm seeing is that you've got some banding going on in the sky. That happens when you try to push the colors and contrast a little too much.

[gagehingeley]

Originally Posted by o0chad0o

Hope you don't mind, but here is a quick edit using PaintShop Photo Pro X3. Cropped, removed some noise and dust spots, and sharpened. If I overstepped my boundary, let me know, and I'll delete it.

looks good! I just got photoshop from a friend recently so i will try some stuff with it. I love what you did with it. I dont mind if you have it up. As long as it has my name on it. My dad is always bugging me about what if people try and steal your work. Is that why I should put the copyright symbol on all of my pics? I am not really sure what the symbol entails but I just want my work protected.

[gagehingeley]

Originally Posted by EOBeav

Nice colors, nice comp, overall a great image. Another thing I'm seeing is that you've got some banding going on in the sky. That happens when you try to push the colors and contrast a little too much.

Thanks for the advice. I am reediting right now and trying to get the best quality work. Banding as in gets more speckeled as as picture gets near the outside?? Please explain. Be as critical as you think I want to improve!

[o0chad0o]

Originally Posted by gagehingeley

looks good! I just got photoshop from a friend recently so i will try some stuff with it. I love what you did with it. I dont mind if you have it up. As long as it has my name on it. My dad is always bugging me about what if people try and steal your work. Is that why I should put the copyright symbol on all of my pics? I am not really sure what the symbol entails but I just want my work protected.

Check out the links below for some basic information regarding copyrighting...

U.S. Copyright Office - Registration of Published Photographs
http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdf

[gagehingeley]

Here is my new re-edited, spot free version with a nice little font change on the copyright. Let me know if the banding on this is less noticeable and a better quality image. Thanks! Also recropped to take out some of the unnecessary blackness.