Civil War Era Train Depot - Night Shot - First REAL try

[kd5izq]

Ok gang, here goes, this was mine and my wife's first night out with the DRebel to just go take some photos. We had a blast and I keep getting more and more hungry to make the shots better. These pictures are rather large, so I'll do 'em in 2 different posts. Please let me know what you think.
This shot was, well apparently had to be, done in A-DEP mode, the focus light would always flash if I didn't. Other than that, it was as follows before conversion. Also, for some reason there were several TIF files that Photoshop wouldn't let me save as .jpg unless I "saved the for web" and the ones that it did, it would only do so after I did an Auto Adjust on Color, Contrast and Color, so I'm sorry to say this is not just a .jpg of the RAW file but those autos are the only things that have been done.
File Name
CRW_0394.CRW
Camera Model Name
Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL
Shooting Date/Time
6/17/2004 10:02:19 PM
Shooting Mode
A-DEP
Tv( Shutter Speed )
15
Av( Aperture Value )
3.5
Metering Mode
Evaluative
Exposure Compensation
0
ISO Speed
100
Lens
18.0 - 55.0 mm
Focal Length
22.0 mm
Image Size
3072x2048
Image Quality
RAW
Flash
Off
White Balance
Auto
AF Mode
Manual Focus
Parameters
Contrast +1
Sharpness +1
Color saturation +1
Color tone Normal
Color Space
sRGB

http://www.divearkansas.com/Depot.jpg

[Radtech1]

Your shot takes too long to download. Please shrink it so it comes up faster. If you are using PS or PSE2, select "Save for Web" and choose 25% as the image size and make sure that "Constrain Porportions" is checked.

Rad

[kd5izq]

should be better now

[Meerkat17]

This image needs the perspective altering if you don't know how to do that and if you are using PS (photoshop) then check here http://www.ephotozine.com/techniques/viewtechnique.cfm?recid=220

Other than that its seems to be nicely composed with the crossing leading the eye into the picture.


David

[kd5izq]

To make sure I understand the perspective altering, I'm guessing that your saying it should be altered slightly to the left so as to somewhat "level" the shot?
Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

[Meerkat17]

What I mean is:
When you take a shot at such a wide angle it causes the perspective of the building to alter - (parallax error is the technical term) ie wide at the bottom, narrow at the top at both sides.

This can be adjusted using the technique I posted.

I took the liberty of doing it to your image to illustrate, it could still do with a little more as I did this in a few seconds.
http://www.btinternet.com/~David.Lewins/g5/images/depot_altered.jpg

[kd5izq]

Wow! David that makes such a difference!!! If you don't mind let me ask you a question. When shooting a RAW shot, is there anyway to make changes like that to the RAW shot, or do you make it to the TIF?

[Meerkat17]

I use Photoshop 7 - if you are using PSCS there's a possibility that you may be able to do it when you transfer the raw file in but I can't say for sure.

I do it as a tif after I've converted using Breezebrowser

David

[kd5izq]

I'm using PS7 as well and Canon's Image Viewer to convert the file.

[rick barclay]

Nice first shot. That was done with the kit lens?

[kd5izq]

Yes sir. If you've ever seen the movie The Blue and the Grey that was shot on the same street they used for most of their old timey main street shots and I believe that depot was used as well. It may have been in Bilouxi Blues as well (I know the train bridge I posted was in that one.)

[kd5izq]

Ok David, FINALLY, got home from work (couldn't wait to try the perspective project as you suggested and demonstrated) and here's what I came up with. Please let me know what you think. Believe it or not, it's actually quite difficult for me because I can't draw a straight line, much less see one :oops:

http://www.divearkansas.com/depot2.jpg

[PhotosGuy]

You said "Night Shot- first try".
On your next try, don't wait for night. Shoot while there's still a (very) little light in the sky. I think you'll like the effect. :wink:

[Meerkat17]

Well done, its a good try but its still slightly flared.

Look at the flagpole at the left and the lamp posts to the right, let your eye follow the flagpole and the edge of the photo and you will see that it leans to the right.

Like anything in PS it takes a while and lots of practice to get things right.

As for straight drawing lines: I'm an artist and I can't draw a straight line freehand either! Photoshop has rulers and a grid that help you see these things and aid you in adjusting errors.

David

[kd5izq]

David,
Thanks for suggestion and words of encouragment, they are appreciated more than you could know.

Photosguy,
I'll give that a try, thanks for the suggestion.