Bridge Night Shot - Newbie C&C

[NikonRookie]

Bought a DSLR to get better photos of my kids, and while reading books and scouring the net to figure out how to operate the thing I have started to develop more of an interest in photography. Never in a million years would have figured i'd be interested in photography as I am not an artistically creative person, but the technical challenge is really pressing me to learn more.

At this point in the game I am more interested in technical image quality as that is one thing I can control.........can't really control my lack of creativity but I will also accept C&C on composition and maybe a better way to frame the photo next time.

After I took these shots I went home and read about Hyperfocal distance, and it started to make more sense. How do you set your focal distance on a lens that has not distance scale, or scale that doesn't go as high as the hyperfocal distance calculation requires? I tried to pick a point approx the distance away from my hyperfocal point and focused on that, then recomposed my shot. I am struggling with front to back sharpness.

Anyway, here are three different angles. I was using a D90 and a 18-105 kit lens. Probably could have benefitted from a nice wide angle lens with better DOF. These are .jpg images straight from the camera as i don't really know anything yet about photo editing. My wife has PSE 9.0 but she is better at post processing than I am.

Thanks


BF Bridge-1 by HKnut, on Flickr


BF Bridge-2 by HKnut, on Flickr


BF Bridge-3 by HKnut, on Flickr

Forgot I had some row house photos also:

Any tips for getting good night shots? These didn't come out as sharp as I would have hoped.

Row Houses-4 by HKnut, on Flickr

 

[tirediron]

You'll get much better responses if you embed the images within the thread using the

 

[NikonRookie]

You'll get much better responses if you embed the images within the thread using the tags (refer to pinned thread at the top of the forum for more help posting photos). The bridge photos seem nicely done from a technical point of view, but they're not the most exciting. The row house shot hwoever I really like and think is really well done; it could use a crop to remove some of the foreground water which adds nothing, but I like the symmetry.[/QUOTE]

Thank you.......once I read the tutorial for embedding images it was quite easy. And thank you for the input. I don't really know what kind of expectations I should have for sharpness as this was really my first landscape attempt. Most of the time I have a camera in my hands it is for trying to capture decent candids of my kids. Still trying to figure the rest out.

 

[tirediron]

That's the beauty of learning photography in the digital age; the film is cheap! Shoot lots, read lots, post lots.

 

[NikonRookie]

Thanks for the input tirediron.

Well if the technical IQ isn't terrible, but the bridge photos lack that pop to make them interesting, any thoughts from you creative souls on how to take the shot and give it that visual quality.........or is it just a boring bridge? I guess a really cool sky behind it would have helped.........

 

[RebeccaAPhotography]

Honestly for just getting a camera and just really starting to try to get better and not just take snapshots I dont think they are that bad all for your first tries Keep on shootin

 

[Compaq]

I feel it's the composition in the bridge shots that lack the "pop". I mean, it's a nice bridge, but it's not overly interesting to watch. The one where we see the whole bridge is better, imo. They do not have that sense of depth I think I want. Also, I feel it's crooked or something. Maybe it's your perspective I'm not fond of, from under the bridge... not sure.

 

[NikonRookie]

Honestly for just getting a camera and just really starting to try to get better and not just take snapshots I dont think they are that bad all for your first tries Keep on shootin

That is very encouraging, thank you! From a beginners point of view, the complexity of all that is involved in photography (most people have no idea......I certainly didn't) can be very intimidating and even a little frustrating at times.

 

[NikonRookie]

I feel it's the composition in the bridge shots that lack the "pop". I mean, it's a nice bridge, but it's not overly interesting to watch. The one where we see the whole bridge is better, imo. They do not have that sense of depth I think I want. Also, I feel it's crooked or something. Maybe it's your perspective I'm not fond of, from under the bridge... not sure.

Understood, and I agree. Maybe i'll head back over some night and see if I can get a different perspective on the bridge.....maybe find a way to make it more interesting. That will ultimately be my struggle with photography I think. Thank you for the feedback.

 

[RebeccaAPhotography]

Honestly for just getting a camera and just really starting to try to get better and not just take snapshots I dont think they are that bad all for your first tries Keep on shootin

That is very encouraging, thank you! From a beginners point of view, the complexity of all that is involved in photography (most people have no idea......I certainly didn't) can be very intimidating and even a little frustrating at times.

Keep your eyes on the prize and ask for the CC! I'm a newbie too. Ive been actually studying/learning for about a year now. Putting real honest effort in trying to read as much as I can for about 9 months and thought I was going to be a pro within a year 2 years ago BAHAHAHAHA! Just keep reading up on things, take what u want from your cc and always achieve for better. No one can ever be perfect

 

[Compaq]

Keep on it! :thumbsup: But they aren't bad for your first!

 

[Sean1965]

I think they are damm nice shots I like the second shot best for composition it goes with the lines in photo which from what I read its supposed to try and achieve. We got the reflection of lights on the water also a nice plus the one thing I don't like or think where it lacks is the actual part I guerss of the roadway on bridge is a little dark where it lacks a little definition but I think this person did a nice job.

 

[Compaq]

I think they are damm nice shots I like the second shot best for composition it goes with the lines in photo which from what I read its supposed to try and achieve. We got the reflection of lights on the water also a nice plus the one thing I don't like or think where it lacks is the actual part I guerss of the roadway on bridge is a little dark where it lacks a little definition but I think this person did a nice job.

Not sure if honest or defending
Know what a period is? . . . .

 

[Dagwood56]

These are really good for your first try. I think I like the first shot of the bridge the best, there is something about the angle of the other two that throws me off a bit, makes me feel off balance somehow. Aside from the white house in the background trees, I really like the shot of boathouse row. I've been after my husband to take me down there for years and he keeps giving me the line, he's not sure how to get into that area....this from a man who grew up in Roxboro! I'm really jealous of the boathouse shot....really! Good job.