Harbour Reflections C&C

[BenDy]

This shot was only taken about a week after I picked up my first DSLR, so unfortunately I didn't have enough technical knowledge on the workings of a camera to fully make the most of the scene (huge ISO, short shutter speed, blown highlights and max aperture). I knew what I wanted to achieve, I just didn't know quite how to make the highest quality shot.

However now I have a much better idea of how to achieve the shot I want technically, I'm just waiting for a night when the harbour is as smooth as it was so that I can make the shot as it should have been made the first time.

So basically what I'm asking for is general C&C, however more focused on the artistic side of things rather than camera settings.

Cheers
Ben

 

[mishele]

Artistically, I guess I would take some room off the top. You don't quite need that much empty space up there.
The colors in the water are just mesmerizing to me!! I almost want to see a crop w/ just them. lol I played around w/ your photo out of fun, let me know if you want me to post it.
Keep shooting!!

 

[BenDy]

I did take several shots of just the reflections, but unfortunately not from this angle, so the range of colours were not nearly as interesting.

By all means, post your take on it.

 

[mishele]

This was purely out of fun, but this is what I was mesmerized by.......

The lines and the colors just hit me as a cool abstract....

 

[BenDy]

Love it.

 

[mishele]

Thanks and welcome to the forum!!!

 

[tyler_h]

Nice shot but one suggestion; longer exposure to smooth the water. You'd have to play around with different SS a little to see what looks best.

Easy range of SS's:
Your's w/ f3.5 ISO1600
and to slow it down:
f/8 and ISO100 would give ~20sec SS (I think I worked that out right but could be wrong. Should be around about there).

 

[BenDy]

Nice shot but one suggestion; longer exposure to smooth the water.

Yep, that's exactly what I was meaning when I said that I didn't have the technical knowledge at the time. When I go back to try again, a longer shutter speed and lower ISO were going to be the first two changes which I make.

 

[Compaq]

Lovely colours. I took the liberty to reduce some noise, sharpen and crop to a tighter panoramic framing.

 

[tyler_h]

Nice shot but one suggestion; longer exposure to smooth the water.

Yep, that's exactly what I was meaning when I said that I didn't have the technical knowledge at the time. When I go back to try again, a longer shutter speed and lower ISO were going to be the first two changes which I make.

My bad, I skimmed when I was reading and interpreted this to be the adjusted settings. Look forward to seeing the results; there are a lot of different colour lights to be reflected which isn't the case were I am which makes for a much more interesting shot.