First go at some Night Photography

[Sir SR]

Hi wise people

this is a genre of photography I'd never even considered until recently - just been on a camping trip and it was suggested to me that it would be criminal to not take some pictures of the stars.

I should have read more about it before I went, as having had one go, I would have liked to have done more (with more knowledge!).

Really found it hard to compose, focus and work out exposures! And naturally no phone signal!! Was Torn between the width of the 16-35 f4 and the speed of the 28-75 f2.8........wished I still had the 14 f2.8.

Anyway, a first go - please be gentle, but some pointers are gratefully received (along with honest crit as usual!)

Thanks for looking

The Stars above our Tent by Sir SR, on Flickr

Shaheed

 

[Buck]

Hi Shaheed

Hope you had a good break?

For me, your first attempt is good. Nice composition - almost Top Gear!

Have you done much post processing? There looks to be a halo above the car?

Also, the back of the car is very dark and would have benefitted from some light painting or trying to lift the exposure in PP?

Minor point but I would clone out the light just below the horizon just above and to the left of the front of the car

What were your EXIF settings? I can't see anything on Flickr? You are just starting to see the stars blurring due to rotation so a higher ISO / Wider aperture may have helped?

Catch up soon

 

[Phil Young]

Very good image Shaheed.

Upon first inspection, I thought the same as Adrian regarding the darkness of the car (I can see that's not a halo, it's the cloud) but then I looked again and I quite like that you can see what it is without it being a distraction. This image is not about the car, it's about going somewhere and seeing the view - which the image portrays perfectly.

The image is very good by any standards, let alone a first attempt!

The only thing I would do is separate the image a bit more from the border. Possibly with a bit (more?) embossing and/or white corner frames or similar.

Well done.

 

[Sir SR]

Cheers guys.

I found it hard to compose in general due to the darkness. This was taken with the 28-75 f2.8. ISO was somewhere between 1500 and 3200 from memory.

I did use a low power torch on the front of the car but wanted the direction of leading the eye towards the "view" so left it off the back of the car (also wasn't sure how it would reflect off the blacked out windows)

I like this night photography lark and would love a fast wide lens - ?samyang!!

Thanks for the honest crit!

S

 

[Red9R]

I really like the look of this, I would be more than happy to have taken it, I don't know enough to give crit as I have just started thinking about night photography myself..