Low Light Shot

[Warren]

I took this a few days ago in a place that pretty much lit by the candles you see here, and I really thought this came out good, what do you all think? This may belong in another part of the site, not really nature or landscape???

[PopsPhotos]

I really like that one. It makes me want to reach out and light that short candle in the foreground. Were I a bartender, that would be my Christmas card.

Pops

[Katy Noelle]

I'm all for still life! This one is warm and rustic and interesting! The lighting and shadows are really super but, did you use a tripod? (Apologies, if you did! )

[Donald]

Warren

That's a very, very nice one. The only thing - I'm staring at it wondering if it would look even better with a bit of perspective correction, to get the edges of both lamp-boxes (left and right) running on a true vertical as opposed to sloping out towards the edge of the frame. Might be worth trying and then doing a comparison.

Excellent management of the light.

[carregwen]

Warren

Good subject for a still-life (I've decided I need to do more like this)

Several things though...

• The perspective, as Donald pointed out, could do with some correction. See my edit below.
• The WB looks too warm to me. I see you used manual - perhaps it needs to be a little cooler? I cooled it in the edit, although I might have gone too far.
• The image could take some more sharpening. I know it's a shot that meant to have a 'soft warm look' but there are also a lot of straight hard edges.
• The candle-light is good, but you could try taking two shots on a tripod. The first as you have, the second just to expose for the flames. Then blend the two shots together.

[Donald]

The perspective, as Donald pointed out, could do with some correction. See my edit below.

Yep, that's what I was thinking about

The WB looks too warm to me. I see you used manual - perhaps it needs to be a little cooler? I cooled it in the edit, although I might have gone too far.

Maybe Warren's orginal is a bit warm , but I think Rob's does go too far the other way- for my taste.

[carregwen]

Maybe Warren's orginal is a bit warm , but I think Rob's does go too far the other way- for my taste.

Yes, but you're looking at it through Utopian's sunglasses!

[Donald]

Yes, but you're looking at it through Utopian's sunglasses!

But I'm colour-blind, so it doesn't matter!

[Warren]

I believe I used a wooden beam for steadiness, no tripod....

I dont quite understand the perspective thing, I have looked at both Don's and my picture, I dont see a difference in the perspective, could you point it out to me please

Someone mentioned taking the two shots and blending...I have said it before, I am not a good post processor, so most of my shots are socc, maybe if I knew more what I should be doing I could plan ahead more, not sure.

[Donald]

I dont quite understand the perspective thing, I have looked at both Don's and my picture, I dont see a difference in the perspective, could you point it out to me please

Warren

If you look at the lamp holder at left hand side. You can see that in Rob's version it is not leaning inwards as it does in your version. If you then look closely at other vertical lines (including that candle in its holder near the centre), you'll see that, again in Rob's version, those that were not running truly vertical in your version, now are.

Someone mentioned taking the two shots and blending...I have said it before, I am not a good post processor, so most of my shots are socc, maybe if I knew more what I should be doing I could plan ahead more, not sure.

This is all about how far you want to take your learning in relation to post processing. What Rob is talking about is:

• Taking two photographs at different exposures (you need a tripod to make sure you get an exact copy, just at a different exposure
• When post processing you have your first image as the background layer, then you copy the second image and put it in as new layer above the first one
• Then you put a layer mask on the second one, so hiding it from view
• Then you take a paintbrush from the pp tool box and paint white onto the second layer (just those bits that you want to show through (e.g. the candle flame)

And, hey presto, you have blended two photographs to make one image. Sounds complicated at first, but it's very easy once you've done it a couple of times.

[Warren]

Hey Donald thanks alot. I guess I was not that observant, but when you point it out, its really noticable. As for the second part, I really need a better tripod. I have an old one that was for a video camera, and it does not have the ability to take horizontal and vertical and its a pain to put on and off because it does not have detachable base. The tripod I am hoping to get as a Chirstmas present so that I will use a tripod more often, right now, I guess I am just lazy.

But thanks again for taking the time to explain, putting the pics side by side was a BIG help