Across the Lagoon

[Markel253]

This shot was taken while waiting for a fireworks/laser show to start. It was taken handheld as I very rarely carry a tripod with me, although it would have helped with the fireworks of course. But I steadied myself on a wall and this was the result. I have done very little editing of exposure or contrast from the RAW file and added just a touch of unsharp mask in Photoshop. I did crop from both the right and left side after much consideration. I also considered cropping from the bottom, but wasn't sure if I wanted to lose much of the water - if any. Your thoughts on that? Anything else you would do with the composition of this photo?



Aperture: f/4.2
Shutter: 1/8 sec.
ISO: 3200
Focal Length: 62mm
Handheld

[mwatson]

I can never see your images... any reason why?

[Markel253]

Originally Posted by mwatson

I can never see your images... any reason why?

Can't think of any reason ... any one else having trouble?

Try clicking on this.

[TimK0728]

I love "moody" shots like this.

I think you should have cropped in the camera, including more sky and less water. The interest is in the "cityscape"; the water adds little, but more sky would have allowed the eye to go upward, which it seems to want to do.

[tlpphoto]

I'll 2nd TimK0728 comments. Normally I like reflections in water at night. But the reflections in this shot don't do much for me. Nice job steadying the camera by hand -- I'm not sure I could do that well without a tripod.

[Markel253]

Thanks for the thoughts.

I see what you are saying. I might want to leave some of the water with the squiggly reflections however.

I have always been lucky enough to find a way to steady a handheld shot ... even as I have gotten older. There are a few tricks that I have learned over the years - elbows braced against body - exhale gently as you release shutter, etc. Oh the things I will do not to carry a tripod.

[Krusty79]

Although I would still recommend using a tripod, you did well to shoot this hand-held. My only issue is that I don't know what you wanted to show in this shot. I can't identify a subject.

[narmour]

Originally Posted by Krusty79

Although I would still recommend using a tripod, you did well to shoot this hand-held. My only issue is that I don't know what you wanted to show in this shot. I can't identify a subject.

I would agree with this. I would also add that in your quest to avoid carrying a tripod you have forced yourself to push the ISO up which leads to a very grainy looking picture.

[Markel253]

Thanks for all the thoughts. Appreciated. :-)

[anandnkr]

Is there an issue with leveling? Or is it my eye?