Christmas morning in London

[nandbytes]

Every year I take a drive down to central London on Christmas morning to grab some shots. been doing it for 5 years now (missed a year in between).

This year I visited Carnaby street and Trafalgar square area.

All shot with Sony 24-105G apart from Trafalgar square with Christmas tree which was shot with Laowa 10-18mm

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

 

[Bobsyeruncle]

#5 is my favourite.

 

[holty]

very nice indeed
not like the crap we have up here in Edinburgh

 

[DekHog]

Yeah, good pics and lovely decorations. You think Edinburgh is bad, you should see the very obvious lack of effort in Dundee; it's pathetic, and actually embarrassing, but I'm sure if they upped their Xmas game it would give them an excuse to close another library or something....

 

[Clot on the Landscape]

Brilliant set, very nice

 

[twist]

Nice set

 

[nandbytes]

Thank you all for looking and compliments

very nice indeed
not like the crap we have up here in Edinburgh

Yeah, good pics and lovely decorations. You think Edinburgh is bad, you should see the very obvious lack of effort in Dundee; it's pathetic, and actually embarrassing, but I'm sure if they upped their Xmas game it would give them an excuse to close another library or something....

Having lived in Aberdeen, Liverpool and York, the decorations there was not too bad (Liverpool being the worst) but not on the level on London. I think in London a lot of it sponsored by businesses to boost tourism and thus sales in these places. Whereas in other places the money for it comes out of the councils pocket so its not as grand.

 

[TGphoto]

Some nice shots here mate

 

[SFTPhotography]

For me two really pops out. The processing is really good. With one the ground is a little dark - the way the lighting has worked is much more favourable in the second shot and the whole thing without anyone in it works tremendously well.

Re 3 and4 and to a lesser extent 5 - I'd advise revisiting the processing. In curves or levels you can bring out the mid tone value - thats what I would do here. If you increase the exposure you'll blow out the details in the christmas tree lights - which I suspect dictated your metering and exposure strategy. In curves the common theory is you should draw an S curve as it increases contrast - but scenes like this rarely need more contrast added but the details pulled out a bit more. Try loading levels - select the mid point on the curve (the 0.5 value) and assign it a value of say 0.45 and see what you think.

With shot's 6 and 7 I'd also be looking at the rgb curves - there's a lot of topaz hues in the buildings and that's easily corrected by bringing in the blue curves 0 point in a bit.

Shot 8 - overall colour balance is fine - but again lift out the mid tones a little more

 

[Mintchocs]

Lovely set of photos, do use use a tripod or just handhold?

 

[nandbytes]

For me two really pops out. The processing is really good. With one the ground is a little dark - the way the lighting has worked is much more favourable in the second shot and the whole thing without anyone in it works tremendously well.

Re 3 and4 and to a lesser extent 5 - I'd advise revisiting the processing. In curves or levels you can bring out the mid tone value - thats what I would do here. If you increase the exposure you'll blow out the details in the christmas tree lights - which I suspect dictated your metering and exposure strategy. In curves the common theory is you should draw an S curve as it increases contrast - but scenes like this rarely need more contrast added but the details pulled out a bit more. Try loading levels - select the mid point on the curve (the 0.5 value) and assign it a value of say 0.45 and see what you think.

With shot's 6 and 7 I'd also be looking at the rgb curves - there's a lot of topaz hues in the buildings and that's easily corrected by bringing in the blue curves 0 point in a bit.

Shot 8 - overall colour balance is fine - but again lift out the mid tones a little more

thank you for the feedback. I have re-worked them
6 & 7 were just tinted out of the camera. I did notice it but left it as it is but I think fixing it does make it look better.

#3-redone

#4-redone

#5-redone

#6-redone

#7-redone

#8-redone

 

[nandbytes]

Lovely set of photos, do use use a tripod or just handhold?

These were handheld, but I am not against using a tripod if and when necessary. I did take my tripod with me on this occasion too, just didn't need to use it.
I have used tripod in the past, last Christmas morning for example

 

[Mintchocs]

The starburst look great.

 

[SFTPhotography]

The redone images are a lot better - I'd still relook at 6 and 7 as the colour balance ism't quite there - the sky isn't quite right. Maybe a little less correction might do the trick. The others are now bob on though

 

[LongLensPhotography]

3-5 look a lot better. They still need a tiny bit of perspective distortion corrected (leaning upwards).

6 and 7 I have to say are rather worse with now a very strong cyan cast. They were pretty much OK before.

thank you for the feedback. I have re-worked them
6 & 7 were just tinted out of the camera. I did notice it but left it as it is but I think fixing it does make it look better.

#3-redone

#4-redone

#5-redone

#6-redone

#7-redone

#8-redone

 

[nandbytes]

thank you both for sticking with the feedback

So correcting distortions slightly:

6&7 - So the originals was basically uncorrected straight out of the camera which is actually closer what it really looked like albeit less natural.

So now I have processed them both differently

Worked with colour balance

Just less tint correcting applied as suggested above (basically stuck in between the two)

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Not quite there yet with distortion. This is the peril of shooting without tripod and geared head - it seems it's quicker that way but then it slows you down in post twice as much.
First of all let's get them level, and by that I mean pick some feature in the centre like the tower and its reflection or the tall column and make it dead straight. Then adjust edges till perfectly vertical.
You can easily convince yourself by for example moving any window over the centre of christmas tree and the top with it's reflection should be both there.

I do this sort of thing for work a lot so I'm particularly sensitive to any distortion.

thank you both for sticking with the feedback

So correcting distortions slightly:

6&7 - So the originals was basically uncorrected straight out of the camera which is actually closer what it really looked like albeit less natural.

So now I have processed them both differently

Worked with colour balance

Just less tint correcting applied as suggested above (basically stuck in between the two)