The Exchange Place - NYC

[EDGE1]

Hi All,

I've just returned from the most amazing photographic playground, also known as New York city and I need some advice. Below is a picture taken from the aforementioned Exchange Place, which is one of the best vantage points to view the NYC skyline and my first ever long exposure shot. I'm trying to get the best out of this picture, but I'm a bit stuck on how to crop it correctly with the rule of 3rds in mind. Where should the shore line be? How much sky should I have in the picture etc. Additional comments are most welcome (Especially on Camera setup).



Thanks in advance,
Rob

p.s. Picture quality reduced significantly during jpeg compression for post. If anyone has a better suggestion and/or would like to see it at higher quality please let me know.

Camera setup: Shutter Speed 110sec, F/22, Focal Length = 15mm, ISO = 100, (additional equip: Tripod, Remote switch)

[Donald]

Rob

I saved a copy of your image and tried various options on it with a rule-of-thirds grid.

You cannot get the shore line onto the lower horizontal third and avoid cutting into the reflection in teh middle.

So, given the importance, I think of retaining the whole of the reflections (i.e. not cropping them), then you have to go with the shore nearer the halfway line. And I think that's fine. It is not ON the halfway line.

My only question (and I don't suggest and answer), is whether it need to be as wide as it is. The main interest is in the centre. Do we need everything that's at the sides? A 5:4 crop is an option. But it would be very much a matter of personal preference.

[dje]

Hi Rob

How about a crop something like this. I note Donald was concerned about chopping off some of the water reflections but having tried it I'm not sure that this matters.

A couple of other comments

Whilst it's quite a striking shot, I think it would have been even better if it had been taken not long after sunset when it was dark enough for the lights to stand out but when there was still enough residual daylight to get a nice deep blue to the sky and a bit more defintion of the buildings.

If you post your image using a link to a site such as Flickr or PBase (rather than Tinypic) , you should be able to display a less compressed version of your image. I use PBase which costs $25 a year and I think you would have to use a paid account with Flickr to get the unlimted file sizes. Just don't make the file too big or it will be too slow to download to this site. I typically use a resized image 1500 pixels wide with comprssion quality set to give a file size of about 300-400KB.

Oh and don't forget to sharpen the resized image.

Cheers Dave

PS. This image has been posted using Tinypic. It also has been sharpened.

[jeeperman]

I do normally like to keep a full reflection although in this case, I think the crop below would be my choice if it were mine to make. I did not sharpen it but feel it does benefit from it as Dave has shown.

[EDGE1]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the help. I can't decide right now which one of these to go for. All suggestions are nice.

Dave: I didn't have access to the internet so I could find out how to take these types of pictures until after I had returned. All of the tips I'd read, however, had mentioned to take this type of shot at dusk, just as you suggest. Although I agree it would be stunning, I also believe that breaking away from the norm once in a while is not a bad thing. I really like this shot as it is, but next time I'll be sure to fall in line

Thanks again.
Rob

[FrankMi]

Hi Rob, I feel that the reflection looks best if it isn't cut in half. What if you reduce the height of just the reflection? Something like this perhaps?

[EDGE1]

Frank: I like it! Let me see what it looks like in High-Res first, but it's promising.

Thanks!

[EDGE1]

Finished product or more work required? It's quite easy to get carried away and go too far. I think it looks good.

[Donald]

I would say finished product. Like you say, you could work on this forever and drive yourself nuts.

Sit back, congratulate yourself on having made a superb image and start showing it off to family and friends, etc.

[EDGE1]

Sit back, congratulate yourself on having made a superb image and start showing it off to family and friends, etc.

Donald: thanks very much, I'll do just that. The thing I love the most about this picture, is the fact that it's limited edition. What I mean by that is; The new World Trade Centre (or whatever it's called now) is under construction, thereby altering this skyline view forever. Memories.

Rob

[FrankMi]

I think it looks good.

Looks ready for competition to me! Nice job, Rob.