My first light trails...sorry

Steelo

Steelo

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Martin
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Sorry for posting, as i'm sure everyone has seen them all before, but it's something that fascinates me, so thought i'd give it a go as seen as I now have a decent camera...

Rather pleased with my first efforts too, but feel free to rip them apart :D

#1

Light trails 1 by steelo26581, on Flickr

#2

Light trails 2 by steelo26581, on Flickr
 
hey! I like number 2 best, as unfortunately the headlights are too bright and have no detail in number 1. also, i like the fact its not very busy so there is more story there with the fewer lines! :) good job!
 
First off don't apologise for posting, if people don't want to look they don't have to.

The oncoming trafic have burnt out with the white lights so you could try a shorter exposure or a smaller F stop. There's no exif info with the pics so I don't know what your settings were. You have caught the sky nicely before it gets to dark and you can always try again. That is if you agree with my opinion, if you think they're right then they're right. Its all a mater of opinion after all.
 
There is potential there that is for sure, what were your settings, I have checked flickr but you have no EXIF info posted could you post the settings that you used, you may like to check out the guide that I have recently posted see my signature, and let me know what you think of the guide.

Matt
MWHCVT
 
Big Andy said:
First off don't apologise for posting, if people don't want to look they don't have to.

The oncoming trafic have burnt out with the white lights so you could try a shorter exposure or a smaller F stop. There's no exif info with the pics so I don't know what your settings were. You have caught the sky nicely before it gets to dark and you can always try again. That is if you agree with my opinion, if you think they're right then they're right. Its all a mater of opinion after all.
Click to expand...


Thanks Andy :)

Shot #1

20mm
f/3.5
30secs
ISO100

Shot #2

20mm
f/3.5
20secs
ISO100

I did read somewhere about the best aperture to use, but after a full day in the Lakes, i'd managed to forget by the time it got dark. I shall try again with a smaller F stop next time?
 
You have used a setting of f3.5 this will give a shallow depth of field and allow a lot of light to the sensor. Try the same settings but at f11 and see what you get then try other f stops shutter times etc. It's all a learning curve and great when you get a real corker.
 
Thanks for taking the time to look guys :)

Matt, your guide is great, I actually just read it before I posted my shots, I love the idea of the plane light trails!! Great capture.

See above post for EXIF data.

Thanks for the advice Andy.
 
look good to me Martin, well done (y) as said shorter exposure, theres to much oncoming head lights, like how the sky has some colour, think you should clone out the grey sign, I did a quick edit, with the big file it would be easier

5283419565_40688c97fd_z.jpg

Dave
 
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Cris, give it a go mate, i've loved these for a long time, so being able to get out and do it, it's great lol!

Dave, thanks, it does indeed look better, whilst i'm not the best with the clone tool, I shall give it a go on the full size image. As silly as it sounds, I never even noticed the sign until I got home and seen it in the pics, I was on a very dark secluded motorway bridge :)
 
Steelo said:
Cris, give it a go mate, i've loved these for a long time, so being able to get out and do it, it's great lol!

Dave, thanks, it does indeed look better, whilst i'm not the best with the clone tool, I shall give it a go on the full size image. As silly as it sounds, I never even noticed the sign until I got home and seen it in the pics, I was on a very dark secluded motorway bridge :)
Click to expand...

I know that feeling all to well, I have have spend a lot of time on dark secluded motorway bridges, and the first time that I went out it was not until I was home that I noticed the matix sign and post that was in my image, so promptly when back the following night and re-shot the image

Where was this taken, I can recommend a number of locations in my area that are great for light trails ;) remember that google earth and google street view can be your friend I often check out locations on there prior to visiting them it also enables be to figure out how to get to some bridges that I may have passed under when out driving and then thinking that would be a good location. I like to take my bother-in-law with me as he is a fellow enthusiast and even though it is always very noisy its nice to have the company and conversation.

Cheers for the feedback on the guide, if it helps one person I will consider the time writing it well spent.

Matt
MWHCVT
 
Steelo said:
This was taken on a bridge above the M6 between Carlisle and Gretna...it's very quiet, and dark, which I thought may be better for taking these shots, rather than the ones further down at Carlisle.

You'd think i'd have noticed the sign, considering i've driven by there thousands of times.

Link to location :)

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&l...=SlFabNS4KQQWu_KPy0RXjQ&cbp=12,351.84,,0,4.02
Click to expand...

Quiet and dark are the main to things that I look out for in any long exposure location, also no street lights for me is a big thing normally also so for me this location would tick all three boxes on my list, a little play with focal length and/or position on the bridge can remove the matix sign from frame, or this can be done if PP if you are so inclined.

It is possible to make light pollution a feature of the overall image.

My first ever light trails were done over the M6 so oddly it is a little dear to my heart I must revisit it one day though mine were right at the other end between J1 and J2

Matt
MWHCVT
 
MWHCVT said:
Quiet and dark are the main to things that I look out for in any long exposure location, also no street lights for me is a big thing normally also so for me this location would tick all three boxes on my list, a little play with focal length and/or position on the bridge can remove the matix sign from frame, or this can be done if PP if you are so inclined.

It is possible to make light pollution a feature of the overall image.

My first ever light trails were done over the M6 so oddly it is a little dear to my heart I must revisit it one day though mine were right at the other end between J1 and J2

Matt
MWHCVT
Click to expand...

The M6 is quite handy for me as i'm only 4 miles away, so there shall be plenty more efforts I think.

Here's another one from the same location, but set up over the northbound carriageway, rather than central...

20mm
f/6.4
10secs
ISO100


Light trails 3 by steelo26581, on Flickr
 
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Probably in the minority on this one but I quite like the bright whites,reminds me of white hot molten metal
.....and the less,red hot opposite ;)
 
To be honest I would keep at it at the same location... Keep the sky from the 1st with the trails from the second , But try for less trails imho.

" This will be a pot luck shot but one day it will come that the light is right and you get the trail that you want.

I have tried these a couple of times but living in the outback trails are few and far between......:naughty:


MD(y)
 
Steelo said:
The M6 is quite handy for me as i'm only 4 miles away, so there shall be plenty more efforts I think.

Here's another one from the same location, but set up over the northbound carriageway, rather than central...

20mm
f/6.4
10secs
ISO100
Click to expand...

Nice position and good settings, I am lucky with my location I have M1, M6, M42, M45 and M69 all nice and close plus other great locations. I seem to find that for motorways the magic exposure time is 90 seconds, this is mainly because personally I like to avoid obvious ends of light trials. I should add that I have taken over 200 light trails over the last 12 months or so, not bad I think considering a 3 month spell in intensive care :( all this talk of light trails is making me want to go and do some tomorrow night :naughty:

It is nice to have a little bit of alternative interest in the photo I think, I was very lucky recently to capture a few blues and twos, I will post a link not the photo ;) don't want to be a hi-jacker lol http://www.flickr.com/photos/mwhcvt/5212974370/

Have added you on flickr.

Matt
MWHCVT
 
Steelo said:
Matt, now you're just showing off....I will be out there for hours now trying to capture the blues and twos lol!!

Something to aim for!
Click to expand...

My bad, but I guarantee that you will enjoy every time that you are out, which sounds a bit odd when you think about it, you are standing on a motorway bridge or in my case at the end of a runway also, Though I have to confess that with the airport ones I actually set the camera up then run the remote into the car and sit in there to take the photos and just get out occasionally to check the photo's. I am working on a remote screen idea at the moment ;)

Matt
MWHCVT
 
Contrast between reds and whites makes this a difficult shot to achieve. Sure you can -and probably should - narrow the aperture to take the strength out of the oncoming trails but it'll also weaken the tail lights.

IME the best way of getting the right shot is practice and patience. Wait for the right combination of traffic - lots going away from you, not much coming towards you. Either that or exposure blending, but I understand the desire to shoot it in camera.

Location's a goodun and you timed it well with the sky. You'll need to get there a bit earlier to use tighter aperture. Also remember you don't have to shoot for 30sec - 15 might do it with the right vehicles.
 
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