LA Sunset Pic - what should I have done?

[mchristsen]

Hi all!

I took this picture the other night as I was leaving work. I was in quite a hurry, so it was a pull-out-the-camera-and-shoot shot, so I did not check all my settings.

http://socaloz.net/images/CRW_6749_800_600.jpg

Picture settings:
Tv: 0.5 Sec
Av: 5.6
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 200mm (28-200 F/3.5-5.6 USM) (I know no the best lense)
Metering: Pattern
I had the camera resting on a surface, so I could afford the long exposure time.

When I opened up the pic in PS, the pic was all washed out. Now I took the pic as RAW using the Adobe color space. My monitor (Xerox XG-70D) has the correct ICC profile and I have setup my desktop color space to Adobe 1998.

Can you guys comment on the image. Just an amateur trying to learn!

First question : What technically did I do wrong with the pic? Should I have used a higher ISO? Or is the noise just a function of the camera and low light? I know that the histogram is pushed to the left, with the Red channel spiking to the right - but that is expected, based on the content of the image.

Second Question to all the Windows PS gurus : Do I have my system set up right for PS? Like I said, correct ICC profile for the monitor, color space for the desktop is Adobe 1998 (nVidia Video Card) and PS is set to use Adobe 1998 color space. When I look at the pic on my second monitor with the standard Windows color space, it looks like I expected it to.


Here is a 800x600 PSD file of the original (PS/CS) if you want to take a look (http://socaloz.net/images/CRW_6749_800_600.psd)

BTW: I have been reading these forums for quite a while and I have learned quite a bit from you guys. Thanks - I always enjoy coming over here.

Also I forgot to mention that the image has not been post processed. The raw image remained "As Shot" and no level or color adjustment was done in PS.

Michael

[Radtech1]

I think it is an excellent catch. BUT, the problem is that there is too much that is not contributing to the shot. If it were mine, I would rotate it clockwise .25 degrees and it like this:

http://home.ripway.com/2004-2/78486/CRW_6749_800_600.jpg

PS, where was it taken from?

PS again, the more I look at it, it needs to be perspective corrected, bring the top in just a wee bit.

Rad

[Belmondo]

As a former Angelino, I can honestly say the old homestead never looked so good. I agree that you should get rid of the foreground clutter. It's a very nice photo.l

[mchristsen]

Thanks alot for your comments

It was taken from the Parking structure on Gower acros from Paramount Pictures (thats where I work, the studio, not the parking structure, hehe).

The suggested cropping makes sense.

Mike

[sparker1]

The crop really makes it. It's a rare photo that can't be improved by judicious cropping.

[im2postal]

Take one at least two stops over, and combine it with one of correct exposure in photoshop to get bottom, and top looking well together. That along with the aforementioned crop would be great.

Robbie