Edinburgh later...

I like both of these, the hint of the moon shining through on both adds to the images. Impressive at 100 ISO too, what sort of exposure time were you using?
 
The castle was about 8s at f8 it was very well lit and the hub was 30s at f5.6 to try and get some detail in the unlit spire whilst hoping the flood lit section wouldn't blow out.
 
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Whilst I don't think much of interestingness as a metric for determining the worth of an image I'm starting to think I should have entered this one to the poty it seems to have hit Explore.


St Giles Edinburgh at night by steveo_mcg, on Flickr
 
I know nothing about shooting on or processing film but i love the castle and st giles images
 
West Bow (Victoria Street) for me. Made far too many wobbly walks up that hill from the Grassmarket in my youth.
 
Oh yes...I also think the shot of St Giles is stunning, and am rather drawn to Victoria Street.
You must have been there in the early hours to find it so deserted.
 
dinners said:
West Bow (Victoria Street) for me. Made far too many wobbly walks up that hill from the Grassmarket in my youth.
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Hehe, me too.

trevorbray said:
Oh yes...I also think the shot of St Giles is stunning, and am rather drawn to Victoria Street.
You must have been there in the early hours to find it so deserted.
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Cheers Trevor. I shot these on a very cold Tuesday night last month, all the tourists have gone home for a few months and the natives are huddling in front of their lump of coal. Even still I spent a lot of time covering the lens when cars were approaching or people were going to get too close.
 
Very lovely pictures which are making me homesick. I need to get back to Edinburgh again soon!
 
All told this is a cracking set, Steven. I particularly like the Victoria St steps, but they're all very nice.
 
ChrisR said:
All told this is a cracking set, Steven. I particularly like the Victoria St steps, but they're all very nice.
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Thanks Chris, I wasn't so sure about the steps but having spent a while framing I decided just to take it any way.
 
All excellent Steve, hard to pick out one that isn't a cracker but the St Giles shot is top, top work.

Andy
 
Both really excellent shots, Steven. Your alleyway is a much better shot than mine... the only things keeping it from perfection are the can or paper container on the ground, and the iris-shaped flare round the light. But the light on the cobbles is wonderful. West Register House has come out really well, too.
 
ChrisR said:
Both really excellent shots, Steven. Your alleyway is a much better shot than mine... the only things keeping it from perfection are the can or paper container on the ground, and the iris-shaped flare round the light. But the light on the cobbles is wonderful. West Register House has come out really well, too.
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Thanks Chris. I wasn't sure about the litter, I thought maybe it added a little sign of occupation to the street; but the flare is annoying. This 50mm really isn't suited to the shooting I'm doing at the moment and I don't know if another copy would be better or if its just a feature of the (relatively) very wide angle, Its quite a dear lens and I'm disinclined to find out. My 65mm isn't coated and flares worse and my next step is a 127mm which is absolutely fantastic for shooting into a light source but is far to long for city streets.
 
Finally got another couple of rolls developed and scanned so just working through my editing backlog. I think once I've used up the film in the back I'll be about done with this, I'm running out of ideas and my keeper rate has dropped off a cliff as I try things which aren't really working. On the other hand I've got a few which haven't really worked with the RB but might with the 54 and the extra movements.

Any way this one at the top of Cockburn street managed to look like it was taken during a 60's sci-fi movie after a lot of pp I managed to get one straight edge...

Cockburn Street Night by steveo_mcg, on Flickr

And two from everyone's favourite pedestrian thoroughfare.
Upper Bow at Night by steveo_mcg, on Flickr

Upper Bow Steps Night by steveo_mcg, on Flickr
 
I know it's not strictly a critique thread, and I know this might just be my personal taste, but . . . I think they're almost all a bit a bright. My brain is fighting against the fact that, even though I know they're all taken in the night-time, the buildings look almost daylit. You've got the "edit my photos" tag set, so I took the liberty, if you don't mind. Just a very quick job - brought down a stop of exposure, the blacks a little more, the whites up a bit, a bit of a contrast boost, and now it looks more like night. I've lost a bit of shadow detail, but that's totally dodge/burnable.

(Of course, if this is purely a matter of taste, and you were aiming for the look you achieved, then you can safely ignore me :D )

View attachment 34811
 
Cheers Keith, I'm still unsure which I prefer and I've been given it some thought. I know what you mean though, they are a bit bright for what the mind expects and they're already dialled back a bit in Lr.

But the areas under the lamps are quite bright on the ground.

If I'm not careful I'm going to degenerate into a realism vs perception metaphysical internal conversation... :)


abdoujaparov said:
I know it's not strictly a critique thread, and I know this might just be my personal taste, but . . . I think they're almost all a bit a bright. My brain is fighting against the fact that, even though I know they're all taken in the night-time, the buildings look almost daylit. You've got the "edit my photos" tag set, so I took the liberty, if you don't mind. Just a very quick job - brought down a stop of exposure, the blacks a little more, the whites up a bit, a bit of a contrast boost, and now it looks more like night. I've lost a bit of shadow detail, but that's totally dodge/burnable.

(Of course, if this is purely a matter of taste, and you were aiming for the look you achieved, then you can safely ignore me :D )

View attachment 34811
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I think in a lot of these the contrast between the lit buildings and the dark sky is wonderful. In the Upper Bow Steps one (the last one) Keith has shown I think that a darker mood does work, and sorts out that rather light area towards the top of the left hand building, but as a result he's lost most of the interest in the right hand building further back. On balance I'd prefer yours with just a bit of local darkening on that left hand wall.
 
Probably the last ones for this project, partly because its not getting really dark till after I'd rather be in bed and partly bcause I'm almost completely out of ideas. I'll post these up and start thinking about what I want to do with the set as a whole, I'm thinking a small photobook only for my own interest really.

Night at Haymarket Station by Steven, on Flickr

Leamington Lift Bridge Evening by Steven, on Flickr

Morningside Parish Church by Steven, on Flickr

Candlemaker row by Steven, on Flickr
 
Couple more outwidth the city centre

This is Cameron Toll supermarket (Savacentre for the older amongst us) it has a red bad running round a bit like night rider that I've been wondering how to photograph for years.

Savacentre by Steven, on Flickr

Cameron Toll Night by Steven, on Flickr

And this is a weird workshop building constructed into the rail overbridge in Corstorphine (Pinkhill)

Pinkhill by Steven, on Flickr
 
Like these, Steven, specially the Leamington Lift Bridge, which looks much cooler at night!
 
ChrisR said:
Like these, Steven, specially the Leamington Lift Bridge, which looks much cooler at night!
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Cheers Chris, sorry missed this one. Yeah I've tried to photograph it during the day but they've never really come off.
 
steveo_mcg said:
Yeah I've seen some of his stuff on facebook. Some of it is very good though I kind of avoided it so I didn't end up in his tripood holes.
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Understandable!
He tends to use a Fuji X100S now, not as in your face as an RB67 :)

My wife and I went to the Dept of Anatomy at Edinburgh University for a talk by him on Friday evening. Very enjoyable.
A very interesting building with some great exhibits. Burns' skull, elephant skeletons.
Access, free, is last Saturday of the month, I think.

Other possibilities are the gate house of Heriots, and the inside of the quadrangle of the school with the statue of George Heriot. You just have to ask the school janitors if you can go in. They're a friendly bunch, but they may have to ask permission.
Edinburgh University Old College, access off the Bridges opposite Blackwells. Again, you may have to ask permission of the janitors in the South side of the building. This also gives access to the Playfair Library- I can arrange access for you, just ask :)
 
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kendo1 said:
Understandable!
He tends to use a Fuji X100S now, not as in your face as an RB67 :)

My wife and I went to the Dept of Anatomy at Edinburgh University for a talk by him on Friday evening. Very enjoyable.
A very interesting building with some great exhibits. Burns' skull, elephant skeletons.
Access, free, is last Saturday of the month, I think.

Other possibilities are the gate house of Heriots, and the inside of the quadrangle of the school with the statue of George Heriot. You just have to ask the school janitors if you can go in. They're a friendly bunch, but they may have to ask permission.
Edinburgh University Old College, access off the Bridges opposite Blackwells. Again, you may have to ask permission of the janitors in the South side of the building. This also gives access to the Playfair Library- I can arrange access for you, just ask :)
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I seen he was running a workshop too, maybe should have signed up. Not sure what he'd have thought about me turning up with the RB!
That might be worth a mooch. Have you been to the fire service museum? Thats quite good for a wander with the camera.


I've admired Heriot's from the road and tried to work out an angle from the pavement, never had the nerve to ask for a look around. Never thought about the Old College building, it is lovely.

I think I'll take you up on that, not sure when I'm pretty snowed for the next wee while.
 
I've been to the fire station a few times when the kids were younger, just along from their school.
My kids went to Heriots so access was never a problem, especially if you kept in with the Jannies.
We dropped off a case of beer every year for them :) (17 years worth!)
Access is easier after school, from about 4.00 or during the holidays, but as long as it is obvious what you are doing, and why, the janitors are helpful.
The gatehouse itself is a work of art. The main building, the oldest part, every window is different- apart from two- out of the 230 or so.
Heriots history
Architectural details and where to find them are in the left hand links on the page, half way down under 'our history'.
Lauriston Castle, down at the Forth is worth a visit.
I take it you've been in Greyfriars Graveyard?
 
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