Nighttime waterway. C&C please

[UFLGator]

Let me first start off by saying that I have limited photo processing, so... I'm looking for compositional and technical C&C more than anything right now. Some of the photos from this outing may be a bit soft from the wind buffetting my old sorry tripod a bit... Going through a divorce just messed up my "new equipment fund"... lol

That having been said... This is my favorite capture of that evening.

UFLGator

And here is the latest edit... using an online photo editor... (*GASP* ... i know.. right?) I liked the yellowish tone that the bridge's lights (off camera) give to the yacht on the right, but this whitened out the ones on the far side a bit...


DSC_0372editted by UFLGator, on Flickr

 

[The_Traveler]

I think this is nicely done.
The position of the boat against the right margin, rather than being more at the thirds, just emphasizes the width of the water and the separation.
I do think that the leaning of the building cased by the 20mm lens is a bit distracting.

There is a technical obstacle here in that the front of the building and the bow of the boat are blown out by the length of exposure you needed to get the rest of it exposed. This might have been the time to do two or three separate exposures and get what you need from each separate exposure.
The softness of the stuff on the far bank is a negative.<br>Consider helping out your tripod by hanging a significant weight from the bottom of the centerpost.

Lew

 

[cannpope]

Looks great to me

 

[naptime]

i like the colors. but this could really use a tilt to the left, your horizon isnt straight.

as was told to me a while back, use your light reflections in the water to make sure your horizon is straight. see how they all lean to the right.

was this tripod mounted? the clouds seem really blurry.. or maybe they were moving, since you had a 13 second exposure time.

that timing made the lights look great, but blurred the clouds.


edit: just saw that you said the wind was buffeting your tripod.so that answers that.. but i think the wind was moving the clouds too.

 

[KmH]

One of the huge problems with shooting an urban lights at night scene is the plethora of different light source types in the scene that make it impossible to set an accurate white balance.

It's tilted a bit. I globally adjusted the white balance, and the Vibrance some. I adjusted the mid-tone contrast in sky seperately from the mid-tone contrast of the buildings, ship, and tree. I did no local adjustments to the water.

 

[jwbryson1]

Nice image but I too find the slant of the building a bit offputting.

 

[UFLGator]

To be honest, I hadn't noticed the tilt... I could have adjusted that on the camera, but i deleted the images after transferring them to the computer. But, this just gives me another opportunity to go back and shoot it again while paying attention to the other aspects.

I like the tones of the colors, because its close to way it appeared to the naked eye. It may have been off a bit, but i like it for some reason.

As far as the tilt, I am having a hard time lining things up in the viewfinder at night and getting them straight. I suppose I just need more practice...

Thanks for the C&C

UFLGator

 

[DiskoJoe]

Yeah there is a slight tilt. Easy correction even with basic editing software. What I would be more concerned about it that some of your white points are blown out and the building in the back ground are out of focus. Could you list your exif data for this shot?

 

[memento]

this just gives me another opportunity to go back and shoot it again while paying attention to the other aspects.

good attitude!

 

[UFLGator]

the building in the back ground are out of focus. Could you list your exif data for this shot?

I'm thinking they are soft from the slight wind buffet on the tripod, but then again, i'm the noob... lol



20mm
iso 200
SS 13 secs
Fstop 14


UFLGator

 

[naptime]

Date Time Original: 2012:01:30 20:36:46
Exposure Time: 13
F Number: 14
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 200
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire
Focal Length: 20
White Balance: Auto white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D5000

 

[UFLGator]

Thanks for posting that info. I have can see it on my Nikon viewer, but didn't know how to transfer it without typing it all in. And my typing skills are even more basic than my photography skills...

UFLGator