Montreal - Critique Please!

[maple]

Hello everyone! This is my first post at Critique Corner as I just got my new G1 and have been experimenting with its many functions. I must admit that I have yet to seive through the entire "pilot's handbook"!

This is a shot taken of the Montreal skyline at dusk. I cannot remember the details, but I guess this was one that was shot at 4.5 seconds. I threw out the one at 8 seconds... I know absolutely nothing about camera technical stuff like these so I just took many pictures at different modes.

This is a non-doctored image converted directly from RAW mode to JPEG format. It has only been shrunk to fit the screen. I tried posting TIFFs but they didn't turn up.

Please send in ALL comments. And I would truly appreciate brickbats more than bouquets! We're all here to learn! Thanks!! :)


http://www.geocities.com/john36teen/CRW_0146_Forum.jpg

[mpkirby]

Wow. Pretty cool.

1) Love the blue sky thing. I always think that's a neat effect.

2) Did you use a tripod? I can't tell whether or not its blurry, or blooming with some of the lights.

3) Notice the V - shaped darkness at the bottom, and then the city spreads out above. That is pretty cool. Its a neat effect, rather then just showing off the full city. You have the feeling of the city of montreal starting with the single round building in the center, and spreading from there.

Try some similar shots with a busy street, with cars blurred, and the "serene" city spreading out below. Perhaps city reflected on water would be neat as well. (particularly if you can get one of those "mist rising" things going on with the water).

4) I think there are reflections going in against the glass you are shooting out of. Any chance of an open air shot? Or darkening the room? Perhaps a hood up against the class (like your jacket or something), so you lower the reflections (of course if you are in one of those rotating restaurant things, you will look a little silly :-)

Mike

[maple]

Thanks for the response, mpkirby! I really wanted to know how you pros feel about my best attempt at a reasonable night shot! ;)

Yes the sky was a gorgeous blue that evening. I will be going back soon to catch other colour variants.

I used a tripod, ISO 400, 4.5 seconds and RAW mode. Next time I will try 6 seconds at ISO 50 to see how it goes.

Actually, this is an open air shot. The "reflection" you saw was perhaps the swinging branches. It's indeed a difficult shot because there are strong sources of light coming from behind me, plus the persistant wind moves the branches a lot. Surely a 4.5 seconds shot will capture such movements. And I cannot turn off the lights either! Sigh. :)

Your comments were highly encouraging. Thank you! By the way, do you guys write down the picture specifications after each shot, or is there a method of retrieving the information (eg. ISO speed, save mode, aperture, etc) as I download the pictures?

Thanks!!!

[mpkirby]

> By the way, do you guys write down the picture specifications after each shot, or is
> there a method of retrieving the information (eg. ISO speed, save mode, aperture, etc)
> as I download the pictures?



That is all the EXIF information. Its available in zoombrowser. Select an image, hit the show attributes button (at the bottom of the screen), and then camera settings in the middle of the window.

Mike