Manhattan Terrace Night Shot - Redux

[JTL]

I atempted this shot a couple a weeks ago and it was a miserable failure. I posted it and got wonderful advice from Bluedog, Kornhauser, Sarah (speaklightly), Norm and George (tell me, where else can you get this much great advice?). After a bunch more failures (which I wouldn't dare post) I finally got one that is "acceptable". Things that I changed...a shorter exposure, shooting a little earlier in the evening when there was more light and getting rid of the tele converter and just cropping instead (what are 7MP for anyway, duh?). I did run this one through Noise Ninja because for some reason, the sky seemed a little blocthy in the original. Critiques most certainly welcome. Thanks! :)

From my terrace, 57th St. looking North
Canon SD500, tripod, ISO 50, f/3.5, 1 sec., fl 12.5 mm
http://JTL.smugmug.com/photos/20274239-L.jpg

[Geoff Chandler]

Sometimes certain pictures can be hard to get - but you seem to have won through Ok with this one - I didn't read all the advice - but a I know they would have all given you good tips. Well done then, I love night shots. I have one planned but haven't found a suitable window of time. If I take it and it's as good as I hope I'll post it soon. Take a peek at my Vegas night shots on the link below...
Geoff

[Bluedog]

Very good and a lot more natural looking. I wonder what the same image bracketed +1/3 ~ +1/2 exposure would look like?

[JTL]

Sometimes certain pictures can be hard to get - but you seem to have won through Ok with this one - I didn't read all the advice - but a I know they would have all given you good tips. Well done then, I love night shots. I have one planned but haven't found a suitable window of time. If I take it and it's as good as I hope I'll post it soon. Take a peek at my Vegas night shots on the link below...
GeoffHey, Geoff- Those are razor sharp and great color saturation (well taken, also)! Which camera did you use?

[Geoff Chandler]

Funny you say razor sharp! The night shots were all on the KM A-200
mostly at 100 ASA using the Anti-shake which is a great help - even though I have a steady hand. I say funny as some say the A-200 is soft, but it's a matter of getting to know and understand it's many small tweaks to get the best...Oh - many night shots I take I end up Under exposing to re-create the natural darkness of the night. Thanks for the feedback.
Geoff

[JTL]

Very good and a lot more natural looking. I wonder what the same image bracketed +1/3 ~ +1/2 exposure would look like?
Hey Bluedog!

Just what I need...homework! :D Between you and Beth, I have enough projects to last me through next month! :D Seriously, a very good suggestion. I barely got this shot in. I was eating dinner, noticed that the light was good and the building was lit, ran out with tripod and camera in hand and only got off about 5 shots before the sky was too dark. I really have to plan it out to get it "right". Trouble is I'm usually never home at the right time! But at the next opportunity, I will try your suggestion and post the series as small images so the difference can be examined...

Thanks again! :)

[aparmley]

JTL-

Love the photo. Looks great. Backyard view? LOL :D


Geoff -- I enjoyed those Vegas shots! Nice job

[Bluedog]

Hey Bluedog!

Just what I need...homework!

Another reason I'm only shooting in RAW now but still that is an excellent photo.

Geoff I hope my coming up trek to Vegas results in nite shots that good. I'm bring along a compact Sunpack tripod for at least one night of trying to capture some high quality photos.

[D70FAN]

Another reason I'm only shooting in RAW now but still that is an excellent photo.

Geoff I hope my coming up trek to Vegas results in nite shots that good. I'm bring along a compact Sunpack tripod for at least one night of trying to capture some high quality photos.

I just use the (naughty) magazine racks and a minipod... ;) No real need for a regular tripod on The Strip.

Here are some from a long walk down LV blvd.

All Shot with a Nikon CP990. Long exposures using a mini tripod on magazine racks (and one handheld).

[Bluedog]

Nice shots George. I only plan on using the compact tripod in certain areas I already know from a previous visit so not to be a hindrance. Thank goodness of the high ISO image quality of the XT so handheld shouldn't be out of the question either. I got some pretty decent Vega night shots using an Olympus D-520 but nothing fantastic.

[SamuraiJack]

Very nice. I always like seeing other peoples SD500 shots. The only thing I would correct is the perspective on this picture. Heres my attempt at it.

Wes

[JTL]

Very nice. I always like seeing other peoples SD500 shots. The only thing I would correct is the perspective on this picture. Heres my attempt at it.

WesWow! Much better! Thanks!

I use Paint Shop and I SUCK at using the perspective correction! I can never get it right...I get mad and give up...

Patience is not one of my strong points... :D

[Geoff Chandler]

Another reason I'm only shooting in RAW now but still that is an excellent photo.

Geoff I hope my coming up trek to Vegas results in nite shots that good. I'm bring along a compact Sunpack tripod for at least one night of trying to capture some high quality photos.
BluedogPlease Please show us some of your shots when you get back.!! & George, I kept my ASA down and steadied the camera where possible - although, for eg, several of them were plain hand held shots at slow shutter speeds with a bit(or a lot) of zoom IS is a boon!! I have a steady hand though. Blue dog Judging the exposure is something you may need to experiment with even take a shot and instantly delete it, take it again on another setting - some of the darker shots need to be under exposed.

[D70FAN]

Nice shots George. I only plan on using the compact tripod in certain areas I already know from a previous visit so not to be a hindrance. Thank goodness of the high ISO image quality of the XT so handheld shouldn't be out of the question either. I got some pretty decent Vega night shots using an Olympus D-520 but nothing fantastic.

Yup, you can really go crazy with the XT.

The extra ISO range would have been nice but I didn't have the D70 yet, and I haven't been back to Vegas since Jan. 04', even though it's now only about 4 hours away by car. Hmmm. Maybe next weekend. ;)