Looking Towards Vauxhall Bridge

[theambitiousstranger]

C&C Welcome. Thanks a lot!

 

[Trever1t]

It's a bit on the dark side, the scene looks pretty good though.

 

[sleist]

Agreed - underexposed. Looking at the exif I see you shot this at f/20, 10 sec, with what looks like an exposure compensation of -3.3 stops. No wonder it's dark. With night shots, you're better off exposing to the right and pulling down the exposure in post, as opposed to underexposing and pulling up. Trying to fix the exposure here, if you tried, probably introduced a significant amount of noise. F/11 would have been sufficient I think without any exposure compensation. Not sure what's going on with the closest light - seems to be some odd distortion or just out of focus. Perhaps using hyperfocal distance as opposed to focusing on the distant lights would have gotten more of the foreground in focus for you.

It is a nice scene though and certainly worth going back to get another shot.


Sorry - exposure compensation I quoted was incorrect - using google chrome addon and still getting used to descriptors.

 

[theambitiousstranger]

Agreed - underexposed. Looking at the exif I see you shot this at f/20, 10 sec, with what looks like an exposure compensation of -3.3 stops. No wonder it's dark. With night shots, you're better off exposing to the right and pulling down the exposure in post, as opposed to underexposing and pulling up. Trying to fix the exposure here, if you tried, probably introduced a significant amount of noise. F/11 would have been sufficient I think without any exposure compensation. Not sure what's going on with the closest light - seems to be some odd distortion or just out of focus. Perhaps using hyperfocal distance as opposed to focusing on the distant lights would have gotten more of the foreground in focus for you.

It is a nice scene though and certainly worth going back to get another shot.

Sorry - exposure compensation I quoted was incorrect - using google chrome addon and still getting used to descriptors.

Ok thanks, ill play around with the exposure on lightroom/photoshop.

 

[HughGuessWho101 16]

Agreed - underexposed. Looking at the exif I see you shot this at f/20, 10 sec, with what looks like an exposure compensation of -3.3 stops. No wonder it's dark. With night shots, you're better off exposing to the right and pulling down the exposure in post, as opposed to underexposing and pulling up. Trying to fix the exposure here, if you tried, probably introduced a significant amount of noise. F/11 would have been sufficient I think without any exposure compensation. Not sure what's going on with the closest light - seems to be some odd distortion or just out of focus. Perhaps using hyperfocal distance as opposed to focusing on the distant lights would have gotten more of the foreground in focus for you.

It is a nice scene though and certainly worth going back to get another shot.


Sorry - exposure compensation I quoted was incorrect - using google chrome addon and still getting used to descriptors.

Nice critique and I agree. However, there something about this one just as it is. The lights in/on the building set a mood and I'm afraid, if stepped up any, the light on the post (right) would be too blown out and would have to be cropped out and I think the shot would be too boring without the light post.
Just my $0.02

 

[theambitiousstranger]

Agreed - underexposed. Looking at the exif I see you shot this at f/20, 10 sec, with what looks like an exposure compensation of -3.3 stops. No wonder it's dark. With night shots, you're better off exposing to the right and pulling down the exposure in post, as opposed to underexposing and pulling up. Trying to fix the exposure here, if you tried, probably introduced a significant amount of noise. F/11 would have been sufficient I think without any exposure compensation. Not sure what's going on with the closest light - seems to be some odd distortion or just out of focus. Perhaps using hyperfocal distance as opposed to focusing on the distant lights would have gotten more of the foreground in focus for you.

It is a nice scene though and certainly worth going back to get another shot.


Sorry - exposure compensation I quoted was incorrect - using google chrome addon and still getting used to descriptors.

Nice critique and I agree. However, there something about this one just as it is. The lights in/on the building set a mood and I'm afraid, if stepped up any, the light on the post (right) would be too blown out and would have to be cropped out and I think the shot would be too boring without the light post.
Just my $0.02

I am using darkness a lot in my black and white photos to create an atmosphere so I agree with your comment. In post the lights did look blown up. Here's an edited version, everyone can judge for themselves which they prefer.

 

[AlanE]

I agree with most of the CC... I prefer the second image with the exception of the lit building behind the lamp post. The lamp is competeing for attention with the building... If the building was darker I think it would isolate the lamp light and add interest.