Night City Scene with bulb problems.

[Simon Clarkson]

This is a scene I took at night using a Canon 7D with a 24-105 lens. If memory serves me correct this was a 15 second exposure. I haven't learnt to use mirror lock up and I was using a cheap lightwight Tripod. Unknown to me at the time, The Blackwall Tunnel runs under the loaction where I was shooting which I think caused some vibration in the final image. Shot in RAW.

As you can see I have ahd the same issue as ROSE with the lights looking blown out.


London City by imagesliveon, on Flickr

Kind Regards
Simon
imagesliveon

[Mike Farley]

Hi Simon

I have had a quick look at this and from what I can see on Flickr at the largest size, it seems to be sharp. Take a look at the "citi" and "Barclays" signs, which are both very clear. Whilst there is some flare from the signs, this is most likely to be the result of over exposure rather than vibration. I have suggested an alternative approach in Rose's Hong Kong image thread.

Incidentally, you can find the exposure information from the EXIF data recorded with the image. You should be able to see it in your Raw converter as one of the options.

[Simon Clarkson]

Hi Simon

I have had a quick look at this and from what I can see on Flickr at the largest size, it seems to be sharp. Take a look at the "citi" and "Barclays" signs, which are both very clear. Whilst there is some flare from the signs, this is most likely to be the result of over exposure rather than vibration. I have suggested an alternative approach in Rose's Hong Kong image thread.

Incidentally, you can find the exposure information from the EXIF data recorded with the image. You should be able to see it in your Raw converter as one of the options.

Thanks Mike,

I dont think the photo is over exposed as the flare/shake is present in the less exposed versions too. I was bracketing whilst taking these photos and even the building lights are same in each exposure. I posted this photograph in another forum and got very few responses. I now have a heavy duty Tripod and I'll return and try the method you have suggested.

Kind Regards

Simon

[davidc]

To be totally honest I don't really see any "problems" in this, or Rose's photos - for this one in particular, the only bit that looks over exposed in anything even remotely distracting is the building behind barclays, and even then I'm struggling to define it as distracting.

With night shots like this I think it largely comes with the territory and think both are really nice shots. I actually think in this case the black sky works better than taking it at dusk, it means the dense lighting is shown off more.

[Mike Farley]

Hi Simon

I have had a quick look at this and from what I can see on Flickr at the largest size, it seems to be sharp. Take a look at the "citi" and "Barclays" signs, which are both very clear. Whilst there is some flare from the signs, this is most likely to be the result of over exposure rather than vibration. I have suggested an alternative approach in Rose's Hong Kong image thread.

Incidentally, you can find the exposure information from the EXIF data recorded with the image. You should be able to see it in your Raw converter as one of the options.

Thanks Mike,

I dont think the photo is over exposed as the flare/shake is present in the less exposed versions too. I was bracketing whilst taking these photos and even the building lights are same in each exposure. I posted this photograph in another forum and got very few responses. I now have a heavy duty Tripod and I'll return and try the method you have suggested.

Kind Regards

Simon

Hi Simon

I agree that the overall exposure for the image is OK, but there are some burnt out highlights in one or two places which some people might not want, especially if they are camera club judges.

You might find that a bracket over a few stops might not be sufficient to avoid the issue and that you will need a very short exposure of a fraction of a second to record the brightest parts and a much longer one to capture everything else.

When you return to the scene, shooting at an earlier time immediately after sunset will reduce the difference between the exposures required for the brightest and darkest parts of the image and have the bonus of making the sky look more attractive as it will retain some of its blue. Rather than being rendered as completely black, the night time sky tends to turn brown for a long exposure with city scenes.

[davidc]

The brown comes from the orange sodium lighting reflecting off clouds, and black when it's a cloudless night. Though you can even get a blueish cast with a full moon.

Mike - do you have an example of a "blue sky" night shot, to show the difference between the black & brown ones here?

[Simon Clarkson]

Here's another one from the same set... The original shot at the top of this thread was a 30 sec exposure at f8. This one below was 13 sec at f5.6... Amazing what the extra exposure length does to the sky.


City of London by imagesliveon, on Flickr

Obviously the focal distance is different..

Ill try the earlier visit.

Kind regards

[davidc]

I think I prefer the original, but like both - something about night city shots appeals to me. Definitely highlights how much light pollution is kicked out though....

[davidc]

Checked the exif on your first image and it was shot at 47mm. That somewhat surprises me, I'd have assumed to get the whole of canary wharf in you'd have needed a much wider angle. I was going to go for some similar shots and only take the 10-22 but I guess that'd be a BAD idea!

I need that 24-105, such a nice lens!

[Simon Clarkson]

It is a great lens! The 17-40 is nice too! VERY sharp..

Id highly recommend a place in Hackbridge which blows Jessops and Calumets prices out the water!!

Regards