Light & Reflection: Night Photography (need criticism)

[snikhil208]

Pls criticize my work and give advice...I need to know necessary post processing techniques for these shots & tips to improve. Thanks

camera Sony HX10V , Flash not used, Focal length 4.28mm, Exposure 0.125s (1/8), f/3.3, ISO 3200, Metering matrix, P Mode


camera Sony HX10V , Flash not used, Focal length 4.28mm, Exposure 0.125s (1/8), f/3.3, ISO 2500, Metering central weight, P Mode


camera Sony HX10V , Flash not used, Focal length 9.14mm, Exposure 0.167s (1/6), f/4, ISO 3200, Metering central weight , P Mode


camera Sony HX10V , Flash not used, Focal length 4.28 mm, Exposure 0.00625s (1/160), f/3.3, ISO 100, Metering matrix , Manuel Mode

[Donald]

I think it would be helpful if you provided fellow members with some information about your intent and the shooting information. This will help people give you feedback that is more helpful.

What is it you wanted to achieve in making these pictures? What is the EXIF (shutter, aperture, ISO, lens, etc) information?

[Shadowman]

Also, where in the image were you focusing. P & S tend to choose closest subject sometimes. And when you say P mode are you referring to Portrait mode?

[dubaiphil]

Well you are dealing with a massive dynamic range here. There is a massive difference between the bright buildings and dark water and shadows. Your eyes and brain can make out far more shadow 'data' and highlight 'data' at once - your camera sensor cannot. Not just your camera, but all cameras. So you need to do some work to account for this.

Plus it looks as if you are hand holding the camera. Shooting at ISO3200 is going to degrade your picture quality.

It's best to try to get the camera on timer mode and place on a wall or beanbag, or better still a tripod, to steady it. Then you'll need to get out of automatic modes and see if you can manually select the lowest ISO possible and go for an aperture of around f8.

Still you will end up with an image of extreme dynamic range, but the image quality will be better.

Further down the road you might like (if you are able to, with your camera) to bracket you images. So rather than the camera shoots a single image at a 10 second shutter speed (for example), you take a series of shots at 20 seconds, 10 seconds, 5 seconds, 2.5 seconds and 1 1/3 seconds. Then you will be able to blend the images together using software (try googling "free HDR software") and the final image will appear more as your eye has seen it. It's important that the camera is very steady and preferably on a tripod for this as your series of shots needs to be taken from the exact same position to blend accurately.

[snikhil208]

Also, where in the image were you focusing. P & S tend to choose closest subject sometimes. And when you say P mode are you referring to Portrait mode?

No it is program mode john

[snikhil208]

Well you are dealing with a massive dynamic range here. There is a massive difference between the bright buildings and dark water and shadows. Your eyes and brain can make out far more shadow 'data' and highlight 'data' at once - your camera sensor cannot. Not just your camera, but all cameras. So you need to do some work to account for this.

Plus it looks as if you are hand holding the camera. Shooting at ISO3200 is going to degrade your picture quality.

It's best to try to get the camera on timer mode and place on a wall or beanbag, or better still a tripod, to steady it. Then you'll need to get out of automatic modes and see if you can manually select the lowest ISO possible and go for an aperture of around f8.

Still you will end up with an image of extreme dynamic range, but the image quality will be better.

Further down the road you might like (if you are able to, with your camera) to bracket you images. So rather than the camera shoots a single image at a 10 second shutter speed (for example), you take a series of shots at 20 seconds, 10 seconds, 5 seconds, 2.5 seconds and 1 1/3 seconds. Then you will be able to blend the images together using software (try googling "free HDR software") and the final image will appear more as your eye has seen it. It's important that the camera is very steady and preferably on a tripod for this as your series of shots needs to be taken from the exact same position to blend accurately.

Thank u for ur advice Phil Page