Golden Gate redux

[Bm7b5]

Hello all,

Just introduced myself in the Common Room.

Newbie Alert


Figured I might as well jump in with both feet and get it over with.

Again, be kind to the newbie.....

[Zephyrize]

first off, welcome on board Bm7b5!

Nice first pic there
I like how you captured this beautiful night scenery by isolating the lights and attention on the bridge,
looks like it's floating in the middle of nowhere, cool

looking forward for more
see ya around

[Bm7b5]

first off, welcome on board Bm7b5!

Nice first pic there
I like how you captured this beautiful night scenery by isolating the lights and attention on the bridge,
looks like it's floating in the middle of nowhere, cool

looking forward for more
see ya around

Thank you.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Rick,

There's really not much to say to improve this; some might prefer if it were taken a little earlier (assuming an evening shot) to get more skylight, but that would spoil it for zephyrize.

It seems to be vertical, which is a good start.

You might be able to lose 10% off the RH side and get a slightly better composition, but there's not much in it.

"Good effort" I'd say,

[Bm7b5]

Hi Rick,

There's really not much to say to improve this; some might prefer if it were taken a little earlier (assuming an evening shot) to get more skylight, but that would spoil it for zephyrize.

It seems to be vertical, which is a good start.

You might be able to lose 10% off the RH side and get a slightly better composition, but there's not much in it.

"Good effort" I'd say,

Thank you.

I had the same thoughts on crop, but doing so ruined the horizontal 2/1 ratio of the bridge and made it too square, and also changed how the bridge resolved into the night, so I reverted.

I have some other shots with a lighter sky that I also like, but there is something about the contrast of the red and gold to the darker sky, as well as the reflection of the light on the water that I prefer, but that's just my peculiar taste.

Here is the next night, a little earlier in the evening.

The previous shot is close to midnight.

This one closer to 9:00.

Thank you for the feedback.

[Yan Zhang]

Bm7b5,

This is a very nice shot. It may be good if a little bit more sky was included, but not sure - it may break the right ratio as you have mentioned.

[Colin Southern]

Here's my quick "magic wand wave-over" for you ...

[Bm7b5]

I can definitely see how post processing could become a hobby in it's own right.

So far, I barely have time for shooting, organizing, and printing.

[Colin Southern]

I can definitely see how post processing could become a hobby in it's own right.

So far, I barely have time for shooting, organizing, and printing.

It's just another step to be mastered - I'm up to about 20 photoshop books - and will probably buy more! By the way, with extreme contrast shots like the bridge, shooting RAW will give you considerable advantages in what can be recovered from the shadow areas. And composition wise - as a rule - when you've got strong horizontal lines like the spans of the bridge the image generally only works if they take up 90% of the horizontal space of the image - rule of thirds doesn't quite work for this type of shot (well it does now that I've brightened the right-hand third of the sky, but without that it would look best cropped out).

Hope this helps

[Bm7b5]

Thx for the feedback, I still have a lot to learn.

In fact, that was the first shoot with my brand new camera, and my first night shot ever.

I shot some film back in the 80's, but never at night.

Gotta love this digital stuff.

[Colin Southern]

You're very welcome.

Low-light photography is an art in itself - with time of day being quite critical (to get the right balance between natural and artificial lighiting). If you're "dedicated to he core" then setup on a tripod and just take a shot every few minutes as the sun sets - and keep an eye on your exposures

[Bill44]

Re night shots, I read something the other day about a small window of opportunity for night shots. It seems that 15 minutes after sunset there is a 10 minute "Window" where the exposure for the sky matches the exposure for the landscape.
I haven't put this to the test yet as night shots are not my bag at the moment. Might be worth experimenting with.

[Bm7b5]

You're very welcome.

Low-light photography is an art in itself - with time of day being quite critical (to get the right balance between natural and artificial lighiting). If you're "dedicated to he core" then setup on a tripod and just take a shot every few minutes as the sun sets - and keep an eye on your exposures

I spent two nights in SF, one at each end of the bridge. One night at about 9pm and the other at midnight. Just me and my tripod. Wife was a doll and read in the car.

I played with apertures for different DOF, and exposures up to about 4 minutes as I recall.

I enjoy night shooting alot.

[Bm7b5]

Re night shots, I read something the other day about a small window of opportunity for night shots. It seems that 15 minutes after sunset there is a 10 minute "Window" where the exposure for the sky matches the exposure for the landscape.
I haven't put this to the test yet as night shots are not my bag at the moment. Might be worth experimenting with.

If you happen to run across that again, I would love the source. Always like reading about photography. Thx.

[Roxy]

Congratulations on the work here with the Golden Gate. Each of this images is as good as the best I might achieve (except, of course, for the helpful improvements always forthcoming in CIC).
I'm sure many of us have interesting or exciting opportunities for "night shots".
My concern is (regrettably) not photographic but one of security. The only way I might consider hanging about for an hour or so at night with expensive gear would be in very public places.. unlikely to be appropriate for tripods etc, or in a quieter environment with a couple of the younger, stronger or more daunting of my friends!

Ain't that a shame? Roxy

[Bm7b5]

Congratulations on the work here with the Golden Gate. Each of this images is as good as the best I might achieve (except, of course, for the helpful improvements always forthcoming in CIC).
I'm sure many of us have interesting or exciting opportunities for "night shots".
My concern is (regrettably) not photographic but one of security. The only way I might consider hanging about for an hour or so at night with expensive gear would be in very public places.. unlikely to be appropriate for tripods etc, or in a quieter environment with a couple of the younger, stronger or more daunting of my friends!

Ain't that a shame? Roxy

Yeah, that is a shame. I'm pretty careful but there are still places I wouldn't set up.

[CNelson]

Great shots and welcome to the forum. I'm fairly new here myself. I would say you are really going to enjoy where photography takes you. You obviously have an eye for it.

We are practically neighbors, fancy meeting you over here (digitally speaking).

Chuck

[Colin Southern]

Re night shots, I read something the other day about a small window of opportunity for night shots. It seems that 15 minutes after sunset there is a 10 minute "Window" where the exposure for the sky matches the exposure for the landscape.

It can extend to 1/2 hour or more - depending on time of year and distance from the equator. Often - with long exposures - the camera still picks of stuff that's worthwhile long after human vision has "packed up and gone home for the day" - so I tend to keep shooting until it's obvious that it's a waste of time (once exposures get past several minutes with no filters).

[Bm7b5]

Great shots and welcome to the forum. I'm fairly new here myself. I would say you are really going to enjoy where photography takes you. You obviously have an eye for it.

We are practically neighbors, fancy meeting you over here (digitally speaking).

Chuck

Thank you Chuck. I am loving it so far.

Where are you in CA ? I am outside Fresno.

I see clues for Yreka and Castro Valley ?

Very nice site btw, I like !!

[CNelson]

Thank you Chuck. I am loving it so far.

Where are you in CA ? I am outside Fresno.

I see clues for Yreka and Castro Valley ?

Very nice site btw, I like !!

I grew up in Siskiyou County (my book is about that) but I live in Castro Valley. When the family ranch sold my wife and I bought an investment home in Siskiyou County so we come and go from there too. We are displaced country folk. We also travel to Modesto once a week to help out our daughter and grandcritters. Fresno is a short drive from some beautiful country.

I'll be looking for your image posts - I like your work.

Chuck