Beginner: Bridge At Night

digital_blue · Feb 7, 2006

Hey folks. This is my first post, and I'm very new at all this. This is a shot I took earlier tonight. Overall, I liked the pic, but there's some stuff that bothers me about it. I have no idea where the dark round spot (near the top left corner) came from, but I presume i must have had some moisture on the lens I wasn't aware of. Also, I don't know what the heck caused the blue dots just above the bridge supports. Plane maybe?

Anyway, as I said, I'm very new to this, so I would greatly appreciate any feedback, and in particular, what things I could do better or different in the future.

Thanks for looking.

db

Peanuts · Feb 7, 2006

Welcome to the photo forum! The black 'blob' is probably dust on your sensor and will need to be blown or 'wiped' off, but this can be a difficult procedure due to the 'delicate' (for lack of a better word) mechanisms inside the camera. Best to be taught by someone at a camera store I do believe.
This image is very well exposed and I like the composition very much

digital_blue · Feb 7, 2006

Hey, thanks for your reply Peanuts!

I'm not sure about dust on the sensor, as it doesn't appear on the other shots I took tonight.

Thanks again for your comments.

db

grimmett · Feb 7, 2006

digital_blue said:
Hey, thanks for your reply Peanuts!

I'm not sure about dust on the sensor, as it doesn't appear on the other shots I took tonight.

Thanks again for your comments.

db

Nice shot. If you're using a zoom, something on the lens or sensor could possibly be seen in some shots and not others. Just a thought. I really like the composition.

LaFoto · Feb 7, 2006

This is amazingly good for a beginner. I would never have considered night photography as something to begin with! I admire those who do, I really do. Took me ages to even dare try out night photography, and I still am in the "testing-stage"! Congratulations. And, oh, before I forget: Welcome to ThePhotoForum!!!

Jimee · Feb 7, 2006

Where's that bridge? I like the shot, we have one in columbus that looks sorta similiar. Maybe this'll inspire me to try to take a shot of it sometime. And the blue dot is probably a UFO

AdriaanSteyn · Feb 7, 2006

Great shot. I would have tried to shoot it without the tree in the picture as well. I find it slightly distracting from the lovely lines and lights from the bridge.
Nice exposure.

JonK · Feb 7, 2006

Hey!!!

my hometown! Winnipeg!

Gonnsa be there for a few weeks in March and will have to try my hand at shooting the newest landmark in the city; that being this bridge.
I've seen quite a few shots of this and yours is quite good; well exposed. I think the overcast sky was a benefit as the reflection of the city lights has added a extra bit of light to the sky.
I'm going to try shooting it at dusk so there's still some colour in the sky.
Anyway...thanks for sharing and welcome to TPF.

woodsac · Feb 7, 2006

Good exposure here.
Welcome to TPF

Rob · Feb 7, 2006

Great shot, perhaps the only thing I can think of to improve it slightly would be to underexpose a little more than that. Great picture and awesome first attempt!

Rob

digital_blue · Feb 7, 2006

Well thanks all for your kind words, friendly advice, and warm welcome.

This bridge is indeed in Winnipeg. It was built recently, was riddled with controversy, went way over budget, and managed to get half of Winnipeg pretty riled up, but what the heck, it makes for pretty photos.

I did take some photos at dusk, but I'm still figuring this stuff out and I wasn't as pleased with them. All my shots were dark and blue. I didn't check my WB setting before I went out shooting, and that may have been the problem (?).

While shooting last night, I also took these two shots. To be honest, I'm still new enough to this that I don't truly know a good shot from a so-so shot, but I kinda liked these:

And this required some editing, but the result was about the best I could come up with:

Cheers!

db

digital_blue · Feb 7, 2006

AdriaanSteyn said:
Great shot. I would have tried to shoot it without the tree in the picture as well. I find it slightly distracting from the lovely lines and lights from the bridge.
Nice exposure.

Sorry to double post. I had meant to answer this as well. I did try like heck to find a shot without the trees. This was about as good as I could get. The river banks are lined with rows of trees, and finding ANY clearing is near impossible. But, I do agree. I would have much preferred the trees weren't there.

db