Please critique my first nightscape

[Nexu]

Background-I had a Nikon L5 point and shoot that had a bunch of scene modes but my Nikon died recently (dropped too many times) so I went out and got a Canon A570 IS. I went out to shoot some nightscape shots and played around with the settings including the night scene mode, the shutter priority mode and full manual mode (mainly adjusting iso, shutter speed and aperature). I took a bunch of pics and this one was probably the best.


Given the pic, what settings do you think could've used some further tweaking to perhaps make the pic a little better? For what it's worth, I had the camera sitting on a large metal box (a permanent part of the terrain) and using the timer since I don't have a tripod. Settings: ISO 80, shutter 1 sec, F2.6, focal length 6mm.

I know it's not a great version of the photo but I still think you can get a feel for what captured and what could be improved. I'm pretty proud of it but I'd love to learn some more tips too.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b260/IamNexu/IMG_0131b.jpg

[toriaj]

I think it's a great shot. Good exposure, good sharpness. The one thing you might want to do differently is the composition. Often it helps to have the main point of interest away from the center of the frame. Here, I'd move that tallest tower off to one side or the other.

If you're interested in more "special effects" in your night shot, you can try a small aperture (f/16 -22 or so) to give you a "starry" effect in the lights. You can also use a longer exposure to give you an almost-daylight effect just from the ambient light, moon, and stars. Looks great, have fun!!

[TheWengler]

I've never used an A570 but assuming it's settings are close to the S3 you'll be limited to a 15" shutter speed and f/8. I would stop down to f/8 to give you the starry effect like Tori said. Keep the ISO as low as you can. Also, you might want to shut IS off if you're camera is being stabilized by something else.

If you shoot just a little bit after sunset, before the sky is black then you can get some decent color in the sky within your shutter speed limits. Here are a couple examples, both taken with the S3...power plant (http://picasaweb.google.com/lswenger/CityscapesAndArchitecture/photo#5160454285367981234), Paris (http://picasaweb.google.com/lswenger/CityscapesAndArchitecture/photo#5160454611785496082).

[Bynx]

Next time, since you are taking a few shots anyway, just create an HDR of the scene. Im sure it would look spectacular.

[Beowulff]

Nice composition (I don't mind the "triangular" effect of the tallest building being dead centre), lovely 'atmospheric' colours, exposure just right, well thought out cropping.

Will look forward to seeing some more of your night stuff.

Cheers :)

[Nexu]

I'm sorry but I don't know about HDR. Is that a setting in the camera or strictly after camera processing? I don't know if my camera has it or the photo software from Nikon or Canon (that I have), have that feature??

[Rhys]

I think that's a really nice photo.

[talkingdog]

I'm sorry but I don't know about HDR. Is that a setting in the camera or strictly after camera processing? I don't know if my camera has it or the photo software from Nikon or Canon (that I have), have that feature??

HDR is high dynamic range it is type of pp

[TheWengler]

With HDR you take several images (at least 3), all with the same aperture but changing the shutter speeds. So you might over expose one by 1 stop, under expose 1 stop and correctly expose the last one. Then you blend them in pp. Using a tripod will help to keep the framing the same.

[Bynx]

For the over exposure and underexposure go about 3 fstops between. Put the pics together in Photomatix Pro and the output is usually pretty outstanding. Any problems getting Photomatix just PM me.

[D Thompson]

Any problems getting Photomatix just PM me.
Shouldn't be a problem at all since it is available for demo and full purchase version from http://www.hdrsoft.com/.

[Bynx]

Shouldn't be a problem at all since it is available for demo and full purchase version from http://www.hdrsoft.com/.

I can get it for you for MUCH cheaper than you can get it anywhere else.