Controlling the scene

Sometimes a thing, a vision an idea, just cant be made to work can it?

I took an early morning stroll on Saturday at about six am, before the sun got up in the sky, I wanted to encapsulate busy places bereft of the ques and traffic. there was no light as such - flat as a pancake scenes, I consoled myself that it was good test for the new camera, flat midtones and bright skies but they were not the images that I envisaged. lack of light robs us of detail and contrast, I would like to introduce light into the areas that I saw fit but feel like I would need a whole lighting crew tagging along. Picking out the parked car at the drive the sign at the KFC and many other aspects. I dont want to go down the route of excessive PP. What do you do in these situations? I want to light whole buildings.

Here is one where I was able to control the light a bit.

Nikon F601, 20-35
Type 517 in FX55 12 mins. Still needs another minute.







But it misses the main concept of the idea.

In my own experience, the best way to guarantee a perfectly lit scene is to not have a camera with me.

I'd make a reference photo maybe using my phone. I'd make a note of where I'd need the Sun to be for the light that I want and find out what time of year etc.. to come back.

Then I'd completely forget about the above, and never return!

Clearly there is light, otherwise there would be no image. You've used words like "flat" and "contrast" which suggests to me that that is what you don't like. If the skies are grey, you can't darken them with a filter, otherwise you can. You can increase contrast by development, paper grade, application of intensifiers or reducers, or PhotoShop. Or, depending on the subject, by filters.

And if the point was to be there at that time because there were few people around, a different time of day and sun position is ruled out.

A long (maybe minutes) exposure using slow film and ND filters might lose traffic (vehicles and pedestrians).

StephenM said:

Clearly there is light, otherwise there would be no image. You've used words like "flat" and "contrast" which suggests to me that that is what you don't like. If the skies are grey, you can't darken them with a filter, otherwise you can. You can increase contrast by development, paper grade, application of intensifiers or reducers, or PhotoShop. Or, depending on the subject, by filters.

And if the point was to be there at that time because there were few people around, a different time of day and sun position is ruled out.

Click to expand...

You have it one there Stephen, I tried to stay local and the orientation precluded getting the shots that I wanted, p*** poor research. If I applied myself to the idea I could possibly tread further afield until I find somewhere suitable, as the sunrise gets earlier and earlier for a couple of weeks there is more chance of scenes being empty.

Nod said:

A long (maybe minutes) exposure using slow film and ND filters might lose traffic (vehicles and pedestrians).

Click to expand...

That's a good idea Nod, but many of the cars etc would be parked up. I saw a photo a long time ago of an escalator in a huge building where everything was empty due to that technique, I had forgotten all about that for urban type shots.