Night Fountain

[bluesaphyer]

Hey All,

This fountain is on a pond near my home. It's my first attempt at night/motion blur. I think I'm going to go back tonight, I've got some other ideas I want to try.

I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for me on how to improve it before I go back. I want the reflection to be dimmer than the actual fountain, but I'm not sure how to do that. Maybe a graduated ND filter? I was getting this same look even with a faster shutter. The lights on the fountain are really bright!

I'm not even sure if it actually looks like a fountain, or just a big white spotch.

Thanks in advance!
Julie

 

[Meysha]

Imo, it looks a little over exposed and like 'a big white spotch'. But the edges of it are really nice - just that in the middle there's nothing.
Just anothing little thing I noticed, that small bush on the left side of the fountain (middle of pic) looks like a big splodge of something and not like a bush at all. I was rubbing at my screen trying to get it off! hehehe. then i realised. :blushing:

It should be pretty easy to do a composite picture to get the right exposure all over, if you can't figure out how to do it in just one shot. Just make sure you expose one pic for the sky, one for the fountain, maybe even one for the buildings if you want.

Or you might be able to make the fountain clearer - by throwing a big rock in the water, that will make waves which will make the reflection of the fountain look different to the actual fountain!!

 

[halologist]

Or you might be able to make the fountain clearer - by throwing a big rock in the water, that will make waves which will make the reflection of the fountain look different to the actual fountain!!

that's an awesome idea, Meysha.

i love the fountain, i'd like to see more detail in the fountain. play with taking the shots!

 

[Scurra]

Yeah I'd say the fountain is a tad overexposed, but I can see what you were aiming for with the image and effect and I like it... I creates an effect that makes it look almost like a giant star.

 

[Meysha]

I'd save my throwing the rock in idea for last. hehehe.

I only suggested it because I remember someone ruined a pic for me once by being an idiot and doing that. But it turned out okay anyway.

Can you change your aperture as well?

 

[bluesaphyer]

Thanks Meysha. Great ideas! Doing a composite never even occured to me, I'm definitley going to try that. I love the rock & wave idea too, only problem is the pond is a lot bigger than it looks, and I don't think I'll be able to throw a big enough rock far enough out to make a difference. I'll try playing around with the exposure settings some more too.

Thanks!
Julie