Night shot practice

[kazuhiro]

Hi guys,

Any comments on how I could improve would be great.

[Bigfoot1966]

What would you want to improve,
Look great to me !

[Kyle]

Nice work there Paul :)

Love the first one, what location is that?

[Alpha_7]

First one is my favourite, the treatment and exposure are great.

The second one seems to lack a point of interest, so it's as strong for me.

The third shot seems to suffer from camera/building shake, it lacks sharpness.

[Andyt]

kazuhiro,

Top one as said is great!, if it was me, and I wanted to "improve" it, if you have PS, the top seems a touch over exposed, and the bottom is a little under exposed, (losing detail).

I would reshoot with a tripod, first shot expose for the top half, second shot expose for the bottom half, and then merge the two in PS. Or use a similar technique to get a more even exposure and picking up on the detail lost above.

Great subject with "atmosphere", does it for me!

edit: Nicely framed with the tree branches in the foreground

[marcotrov]

#1 and #2 are lovely Kazuhiro. In #1 I'd have been tempted to include the top(spire) of the cathedral/church to add interest and sense of completion.
In #2 I would crop left and right side so that you just see the lane way.

To shoot again I'd use a tripod as Andyt has suggested (the image needs to be sharper), or a steadier one if you used one, hang a bag between the legs of your tripod to stabilise it, and perhaps get a friend to be walking (away) down the tight lane way, bottom third of the image in either a complementary or very contrasting coloured outfit e.g. rted jacket or skirt

cheers
marco

[Colcam]

Okay kazuhiro, if you want some critique, I will have a go. My first reaction on No.1 was really good, but I do have a soft spot for sepia as 90 % of my work is sepia, but after looking deeper, I would either burn in the highlight areas in Photoshop or give it a touch in Highlights and Shadows if you have P.S. CS2. If so, work your shadows up a little and the highlights down, but don't forget to slip the midtone contrast up some too or it will get a little flat. I could live without the spire, but the top of the lit portion of the front wall would have been better included in its entirety along with the step in front. i.e. zoom back a little. Andyt's idea is sound too. Multiple, varied exposures and blend them if you have CS2.

I like the misty look inside the front doorway though. Obviously always work on a tripod for this sort of low light stuff. The resulting crispy bits willl make it worth all the trouble.

Loved the light & the mood in No.2 but it screams for a couple in love strolling up or down there. I may have even tried to lose the long black lampost in the left foreground if I thought it worth the trouble to me, but nice just the same.

No. 3 leaves me cold, I am afraid. Nothing holding my eye in there and I find the Lumley sign distractiong, but not interesting enough to be the subject of my attention. Tripod or beanbag to steady the camera too.

Lets see some more.
Col