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Low Light/night shots

R

rocketman

Guest
These are just for fun, not really a serious effort as I didn't go into any great lengths to set up or spend a great deal of time on them, just playin around with 18-50 lens

The first were taken last night while playing pool and then some from this morning on the way in, pre-dawn, trying out my new grorilla-pod that I picked up on the way out yesterday evening.

The pool shots were all taken hand held, no VR and just available light I did some very basic corrections to lighting, using the auto correction feature of the editing program that came with my Sony CyberShot. I was bracketing the shots at +.7 EV. 2 frames per release and Got a nice 4 picture sequence of my friend shooting and one nice shot of a ball right after impact from the que ball.

pool-1.jpg


pool-2.jpg


pool-3.jpg


pool-4.jpg


pool-5.jpg


Then this AM around 5:30 stopped in Clifton, a tiny historic town I pass thru on the way to work and used the gorilla pod slipped over the car window. Bracketing +/- 1.0 EV, 3 frames per sequence.

These are the best of the lot, though the first one seems a tad too bright

store-1.jpg


The next one the window looks a bit out-of-focus thru the sign outside and in the window look sharper than the objects in the window, odd since the sign are at different distances.

store-2.jpg


The next two are the store front first one unmodified, the second one I played with lighting a bit to bring out the black(dark) areas

store%203-nmod.jpg


store-3-mod.jpg



And two more of the store front

Frist one right from the camera

DSC_4321.jpg


Second one I upped the shadows and reduced highlights

DSC_4321(1).jpg


RM
 
These are nice series, RM.

For my money, I like the first pool shot the best. Although he hasn't shot yet, he's also not looking at the camera, a more natural pose, I think.

pool-1.jpg


You're right about this next shot. Focus is definitely an issue. At first I thought the camera had simply focused through the window, but in looking at it enlarged, I can't find a point of focus anywhere. The "Good Hot Food" sign appears to be as out of focus as the rest. I think the stark blank and white contrast gives the illusion of sharpness. Interesting. . . .

store-2.jpg


This is my favorite shot of the shop. Nice. Wet streets, just like in the movies, are very photogenic.

store-3-mod.jpg


Nice stuff. Thanks for the views.
 
These are just for fun, not really a serious effort as I didn't go into any great lengths to set up or spend a great deal of time on them, just playin around with 18-50 lens

Then this AM around 5:30 stopped in Clifton, a tiny historic town I pass thru on the way to work and used the gorilla pod slipped over the car window. Bracketing +/- 1.0 EV, 3 frames per sequence.

The next two are the store front first one unmodified, the second one I played with lighting a bit to bring out the black(dark) areas

store%203-nmod.jpg


store-3-mod.jpg



And two more of the store front

Frist one right from the camera

DSC_4321.jpg


Second one I upped the shadows and reduced highlights

DSC_4321(1).jpg


RM

Rocketman, I like the first exposure the best. The shadows look natural and there seems to be good contrast throughout the shot. The bottom three images do not look as natural to my eye because of the shifts in contrast in the darker tones. This is a nice subject and probably worth exploring a bit further creatively (I realize this was an on the way to work opportunity). It would be interesting to see how this shot would be rendered using a graduated neutral density filter to balance the exposure of the storefront facade with the sign on the roof (and roof). It would also be interesting to see this scene with the earliest of morning light--it looks like a colorful storefront. Thanks for sharing. :thumb
 
Rocketman, I like the first exposure the best. The shadows look natural and there seems to be good contrast throughout the shot. The bottom three images do not look as natural to my eye because of the shifts in contrast in the darker tones. This is a nice subject and probably worth exploring a bit further creatively (I realize this was an on the way to work opportunity). It would be interesting to see how this shot would be rendered using a graduated neutral density filter to balance the exposure of the storefront facade with the sign on the roof (and roof). It would also be interesting to see this scene with the earliest of morning light--it looks like a colorful storefront. Thanks for sharing. :thumb

tanks! I do have a graduated filter, good idea. I also want to do some better close-ups of the window with the glass jars in it. there is also an old Texico gas sign next to the store, the town dates bact to the 1800's and has some nice old houses.
Actually the thrid is also unmodified, just zoomed in a bit closer from the same location, could be that is was the one in the series of three at +1 EV. I did two series, the second one being at a higher zoom, I'd have to double check the files, since it was a quicky post. I pass thru it every day since the route thru it makes for a much nicer commute. Several of my recent series are taken along the 2-lanes roads thru that area.

RM
 
I was playing with the low light issue this weekend at Lisa's birthday party.

For the most part, I left the camera on the tripod and shut the flash off.
I like the resulting motion in the shots; it's indicitive of the energy of the group.

Exposure: 0.6 sec (3/5) Aperture: f/4

2224732712_5af57eb6e1.jpg


Exposure: 0.25 sec (1/4) Aperture: f/2.8

2223941607_58a84a2366_o.jpg
 
more from Old Town Alexandria VA


bar.jpg


http://roadrunes.com/photo-challange/images/boat-2-1.jpg[/im]

[img]http://roadrunes.com/photo-challange/images/gazebo.jpg

King-street-2.jpg


man-lamp-2.jpg


and one more self-portrait (and NO its not a cowboy hat!!!:D ) this is one that the folded image in the free association thread is based on

lamppost-1.jpg


RM
 
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For these last couple, I was using a very short tripod and running the Nikon on full auto. Exposures were running 20 or 25 seconds, I think.
 
Some wonderful low light images here! I'm really enjoying them.....challenges me to push the boundaries and try something different for a change. :)

I've got a few low light shots.....does a photo of Mars taken with a Canon D60 thru a friend's telescope count? ;)

One of my other serious interests is amateur astronomy. This was one of my first attempts at astrophotography, taken during a Mars close approach in August 2003. My friend had an incredible Astro-Physics 8 inch apo refractor and big AP high precision GOTO mount. I had the necessary adapter to attach the D60 and we gave it a go.

I haven't gotten much better at it since then, but the results which some folks are getting with the latest generation of DSLRs is pretty amazing. There's an excellent Yahoo Group on DSLR Astrophotography, if you're interested in seeing some of their work.

To tell you the truth however, I prefer simply looking at of the wonders of the night sky thru a telescope or binoculars with my own two eyes, rather than taking photographs of them. Here's one situation in which photography just doesn't do it for me.

Gary Benson
Eagle River, Alaska
 

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just after sunset on Indpendence Pass, CO ( 10 second exposure)

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another Indy Pass pict taken at about 300am one morning.... had to rest the camera on the guardrail right along the shear cliff drop... bit of a black abyss everywhere

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Somewhere in middle of nowhere NW Kansas on a dirty iron butt ride... had to lay on the road to set the camera still enough to get the pict...Sunrise (430am)
Kansas4am.jpg
 
Strolling Through Budapest with a P&S

Taken with my old Canon S70 and no tripod ('cause I'm a dummy).
 

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Second Shot From Budapest

No tripod, used the curb then cropped it out.
 

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Dave,

Every now and then I get elitist about folks who click away in the hopes of getting lucky. But shoot - you do it so often, and get conistently great results, that you're the one "machine gun" photographer that makes me accept the technique as valid.
 
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