Night Pier

[flyb0y]

30 sec exp at f/8 with ND8 grad filter. C&C appreciated. Thanks for looking guys. :)

http://www.lemmonsphotography.com/potn/pier.jpg

[sjobraid]

I new to photographing but love looing onthe CC thread, as I learn lots! I really like this shot, great reflection of hte lights on the water. Where did you take it?
Sjobraid

[flyb0y]

Just south of Daytona Beach, Fl. Town is actually called South Daytona. Thanks for the compliment. :)

[Robert_Lay]

Good exposure and good composition.
A figure at about 1/3rd in from the left and walking to the right would make it great!

[SWPhotoImaging]

I like it a lot. I like th elighting, teh exposure, the postion of the pier in the shot with a nice stretch of sand and water between me and the pier, etc.
For me, having someone walking across that sand would be an entirely different picture, and would have less appeal to me.

[Tee Why]

Overall it's a nice shot. Nice effect by the ND on the water smoothening it out.
Only potential prob is the bisecting of the shot with the horizon. Generally, it's a good idea to either focus more on the ground or the sky but not bisect it.

[JFK]

Overall it's a nice shot. Nice effect by the ND on the water smoothening it out.
Only potential prob is the bisecting of the shot with the horizon. Generally, it's a good idea to either focus more on the ground or the sky but not bisect it.


I dont understand. For my education do you mean the rule of thirds?
Thanks,
John

[Robert_Lay]

I dont understand. For my education do you mean the rule of thirds?
Thanks,
John
Glad you asked ;)
Tutorial on Composition:
http://www.zaffora.com/W9DMK/ElementsGoodComposition.htm
or the downloadable PDF version:
http://www.zaffora.com/W9DMK/ElementsGoodComposition.pdf

[flyb0y]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the comments alot.

Bob - If I would have had somebody walk in the frame they would have been in and out and successfully ghosted through my image. (30 Sec exposure) I got lucky enough to not have a single other person on the beach...of course it was almost pitch black on a Sunday night. ;)

[Robert_Lay]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the comments alot.

Bob - If I would have had somebody walk in the frame they would have been in and out and successfully ghosted through my image. (30 Sec exposure) I got lucky enough to not have a single other person on the beach...of course it was almost pitch black on a Sunday night. ;)

You are 100% correct - both aesthetically and technically - that would not have been what I had in mind, at all.;)

[TooManyHobbies]

Great shot with the clarity of the peir mixed with the smokey water and reflections.

[flyb0y]

Thanks Jeff :)

[In2Photos]

I like it very much, but I could be biased as I am a fan of pier pictures at night/sunset/sunrise. ;) It appears that you were further away from the pier than I usually am which adds more foreground to the shot. I like a little more water in the scene. Here are two of mine for comparison.

HDR Pier (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=67467&d=1143772520)
Sunrise Pier (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=46973&d=1136053182)

[flyb0y]

Mike, I like those shots alot. I plan on going out SUPER early so I can try my hand at the same pier with the sunrise. I also thought about getting closer to the water to get a little bit more of it in the frame. But, I was using a mini tripod that sits only about 12 inches off the ground. We all know what happens when anything less than a 1 series gets covered in ocean water. ;)

[Titus213]

I like it. Color is wonderful.

[calicokat]

Wonderful shot, great exposure

[In2Photos]

Mike, I like those shots alot. I plan on going out SUPER early so I can try my hand at the same pier with the sunrise. I also thought about getting closer to the water to get a little bit more of it in the frame. But, I was using a mini tripod that sits only about 12 inches off the ground. We all know what happens when anything less than a 1 series gets covered in ocean water. ;)

Haha, yup. Have fun.

[J.COLOMBO]

I LOVE THE COLORS

[Radtech1]

This is so close to a perfect shot you can taste it.

As Grand Master Robert alluded to, the shot wants something. The idea of a person walking is good, but as you pointed out, impossible with the technique you used.

From my chair, as a viewer, I think the pier wants to be anchored to terra firma. As it is now, it looks wonderful, but feels unbalanced. Was there anything (a McDonals, etc) that was preventing you from showing the right hand end of the pier? The end where it connects with the ground. If there was no reason to not include it, I think you should have.

Also, as is, it feels rotated. I checked and to level the ocean you would need to rotate it about ½° counterclockwise. The problem is this, with the converging diagonals (the shoreline and the pier) you actually need to go 1° MORE clockwise to get it to feel right.

But color, light everything else is great.

8 (would be a 9.5 if it were anchored)

Rad

[Mike Reynolds]

Great photo I'd sign that also! Though I live in the left coast I instantly recognised that pier from a past trip to Daytona.

[flyb0y]

This is so close to a perfect shot you can taste it.

As Grand Master Robert alluded to, the shot wants something. The idea of a person walking is good, but as you pointed out, impossible with the technique you used.

From my chair, as a viewer, I think the pier wants to be anchored to terra firma. As it is now, it looks wonderful, but feels unbalanced. Was there anything (a McDonals, etc) that was preventing you from showing the right hand end of the pier? The end where it connects with the ground. If there was no reason to not include it, I think you should have.

Also, as is, it feels rotated. I checked and to level the ocean you would need to rotate it about ½° counterclockwise. The problem is this, with the converging diagonals (the shoreline and the pier) you actually need to go 1° MORE clockwise to get it to feel right.

But color, light everything else is great.

8 (would be a 9.5 if it were anchored)

Rad

This is some awsome advice Rad. I appreciate it alot. :D
The only thing preventing me from including more of the pier to the right was the condos behind it. However, if I got closer and farther back I could have shot it all but at less of an angle without including the condos.
I never noticed the image needing roated slightly until you mentioned it. To tell the truth I still dont see it but I will rotate it slightly to see what it looks like.

Thanks again Rad