How to get Pictures to Look like this?

[5antoro]

I'm new to photography and I'm still learning about everything. The included picture is not mine, I don't take credit, and I was wondering what I needed to do to get pictures to look like it? I feel like if I took a picture, it wouldn't look anything like it. None of my pictures have looked like it. Has it been edited in Photoshop or anything you think? I really like it and would love to take similar pictures. I have a Nikon D3200 with a 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 variable zoom lens. Any advice for a beginner is appreciated. Thank you.

http://31.media.tumblr.com/825de87476b507d79113a8e5caf56164/tumblr_mr2mb8Uhl71rrbooyo1_500.jpg

 

[ronlane]

If the photo is not yours, you should not post it on the forum. You can post a link to it, but to post it on here, is against the rules of the forum.

 

[Bossy]

What do you want to reproduce about that pic? It actually looks like a cell phone shot with an "action" applied.

 

[Bossy]

Reading the exif data, its processed in Photoshop CS6.
Edit, another copy of the image says Picaso. So I'm not sure if the PS6 is correct.

 

[ShootRaw]

Nothing special about that pic..

 

[Bossy]

Nothing special about that pic..

I bet OP is talking about the shallow depth of field, I'm not sure he'd be able to get that with a 3.5 so close.

 

[5antoro]

What do you want to reproduce about that pic? It actually looks like a cell phone shot with an "action" applied.

I like the unfocused traffic lights and the lighting on the ground.

 

[Bossy]

Shoot at night, after it rains, longer exposure. Process in photoshop.

 

[480sparky38 37]

Looks like it was taken with a long lens, say 200mm or more.

 

[Bossy]

Looks like it was taken with a long lens, say 200mm or more.

Out of curiosity, what do you see that makes you think that?

 

[480sparky38 37]

Looks like it was taken with a long lens, say 200mm or more.

Out of curiosity, what do you see that makes you think that?

Compression of the stop lights (a block apart, I'm guessing) and shallow DOF.

 

[Bossy]

Looks like it was taken with a long lens, say 200mm or more.

Out of curiosity, what do you see that makes you think that?

Compression of the stop lights (a block apart, I'm guessing) and shallow DOF.

Oooh neat trick! I'll have to play with that more.

 

[JoeW27 1]

I'm new to photography and I'm still learning about everything. The included picture is not mine, I don't take credit, and I was wondering what I needed to do to get pictures to look like it? I feel like if I took a picture, it wouldn't look anything like it. None of my pictures have looked like it. Has it been edited in Photoshop or anything you think? I really like it and would love to take similar pictures. I have a Nikon D3200 with a 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 variable zoom lens. Any advice for a beginner is appreciated. Thank you.

http://31.media.tumblr.com/825de87476b507d79113a8e5caf56164/tumblr_mr2mb8Uhl71rrbooyo1_500.jpg

Here's my humble take on how you get a shoot that has that look and feel.

1. Wait for nighttime and some rain on the pavement (so it's stopped but enough to produce puddles that create reflections).
2. You need to find a stretch of street that either b/c of consecutive lights with their timing OR b/c of bars on the side (that may not appear in your photo) will give off red light.
3. You'll be shooting on a tripod.
4. You'll be shooting with a relatively narrow DoF. I don't think it's would be as extreme as f1.8. But an f2.8 would probably do it. The focus is on the foreground (notice the puddle and asphalt details) so the lights in the background become blurred.
5. It will likely be a slow exposure (thus the tripod).

 

[manaheim]

My glib answer was "take a shot of a city street at night, but underexpose it so you can't tell what you're looking at, and then swing the colors towards blue."

Because that, to me, is pretty much how you replicate the shot.

If, however, you were looking for some specific element of the shot you were trying to duplicate, maybe if you let us know what that is we can give you some other insights.

 

[Braineack]

I assuming you want to know how it was done so you don't accidently replica it, right?