if i own raffles place...

[rocfreaks]

I was walking around city hall the other day, and somehow, i find that the clouds are really really great... But sadly, i went back home and find that the picture turned out not up to expectations. So i tried the dodge and burn trick and came out with this...

If i own raffles place, i would put up more lightings around the building.. just like the buildings found in Hongkong or Tokyo.... With great clouds as background and great lights may come in handy.

With this photo, i want to express myself on how mundane life would be.

Feel free to comment on the clouds, the buildings. Anything under the sun.... I don't really like the picture as its abit too soft and blur...

Hope people comment on this picture.. Thanks.

[rocfreaks]

anyone care to comment?

[foxtwo]

Frankly you should close this thread, go out shoot & post a better photo. The image doesn't imply mundane life at all. Sometimes images are bound for the bin regardless of the context it was took. Learn to let go. Noone should have to try so hard to make a photograph work.

[rocfreaks]

if that what u think.. i think so actually.. but i just want to know where do i go wrong... at least when i go out there again, i won't be doing the same mistake again..



firing all your comments. i don't mind.

[s2s1]

Your sky is too dark for me. You can try different timing there, e.g. 5~7pm. Besides that, go to shoot there in the weekdays evening, more office light will still on due to OT. Of course not recently because many holiday and some are "forced" leave.

Other than that, you can read some article on how to create HDR picture, it may help you to get what you want.

[Yapster]

Originally Posted by rocfreaks If i own raffles place, i would put up more lightings around the building.. just like the buildings found in Hongkong or Tokyo.... With this photo, i want to express myself on how mundane life would be.

Personally, i don't feel photos of landscape can bring out how mundane life could be.

Even if more lightings are added around the city, it will only make it "look" vibrant.
Take a look at the people walking in our city area, window shopping, go movies, eat out etc.
Most people in Hong Kong and Tokyo may be doing the same thing.

But is it mundane? I doubt so.

The term "mundane" is too subjective.

I would suggest you do a series of shot of a person's or group of people rountine lifestyle and bring out the "mundane" idea in it.

But i feel, it won't be easy.

[foxtwo]

Eh, the mistake? What is your main subject? Firstly you said the clouds attracted you, but when you found out at home the picture failed you did PS to save it. Then you say want to portray mundane life...

We can give all sorts of advice on techniques to capture clouds or buildings but what is the primary reason for taking a shot? We can't tell you that. Know why you shoot and stick to it. On occasion when the composition works, a secondary reason can supplant the primary, but that is not something we should aim for. We'll just get lazy if we keep thinking 'I can still save it by changing subjects'. Surely you've read about it enough in here, PS is to enhance. When the burn & dodge failed, your decision should be to go straight to on how to shoot clouds better, not to find an excuse on a failed photo.

[ziiz01]

Hello there,
I'm not a pro and can never be. My journey in learning anything can never end.
If I'm in your position,I'll never shoot that even if the cloud is awesome.
Why?I don't have a tripod as simple as that unless you don't mind to have blurry images.
Not me never! There's always a next time.
Do you have a tripod with you at that time?

You can get some ideas online (pics) on what's the ideal time and composition.
There's so many to look at specially in Flickr or "google" away.
You have to correct the vertical perspective of that buildings also.

I'll be uploading a similar shot at my Flickr in day or two.
You can stop by and have a look if you want to.

Happy Holidays

[rocfreaks]

Originally Posted by s2s1 Your sky is too dark for me. You can try different timing there, e.g. 5~7pm. Besides that, go to shoot there in the weekdays evening, more office light will still on due to OT. Of course not recently because many holiday and some are "forced" leave. Other than that, you can read some article on how to create HDR picture, it may help you to get what you want.

maybe i should try the HDR method also. Thanks bro!

Originally Posted by Yapster Personally, i don't feel photos of landscape can bring out how mundane life could be. Even if more lightings are added around the city, it will only make it "look" vibrant. Take a look at the people walking in our city area, window shopping, go movies, eat out etc. Most people in Hong Kong and Tokyo may be doing the same thing. But is it mundane? I doubt so. The term "mundane" is too subjective. I would suggest you do a series of shot of a person's or group of people rountine lifestyle and bring out the "mundane" idea in it. But i feel, it won't be easy.

This is how i felt about that picture... the fact is everytime when i sit down at the very same place, i will feel the tiredness, the everyday-doing-walking-sitting-looking-at the-same thing... u know what i'm trying to say? that's mundane for me.

Originally Posted by ziiz01 Hello there, I'm not a pro and can never be. My journey in learning anything can never end. If I'm in your position,I'll never shoot that even if the cloud is awesome. Why?I don't have a tripod as simple as that unless you don't mind to have blurry images. Not me never! There's always a next time. Do you have a tripod with you at that time? You can get some ideas online (pics) on what's the ideal time and composition. There's so many to look at specially in Flickr or "google" away. You have to correct the vertical perspective of that buildings also. I'll be uploading a similar shot at my Flickr in day or two. You can stop by and have a look if you want to. Happy Holidays

Bro, if you walk around city hall everyday everytime, how do you feel? It's mundane. Normal. nothing new. For the past 3 years, that scene somehow or rather is the same... nothing new... Thats why i was suggesting to put more lights.. haha! oh wait, i heard the govt want to bring in more lights right? so i'm waiting for that.

and yes. bro.. with the title 'if i own raffles place', if i really really do own raffles place, i don't mind having that kind of great night clouds for a change.. But i know i failed miserably to bring out the great colours and composition of the clouds.

guys more criticism please! With these, i can actually learn from mistakes and hence, make the picture better and able to relate of my thinkings.

[rocfreaks]

Originally Posted by foxtwo Eh, the mistake? What is your main subject? Firstly you said the clouds attracted you, but when you found out at home the picture failed you did PS to save it. Then you say want to portray mundane life... We can give all sorts of advice on techniques to capture clouds or buildings but what is the primary reason for taking a shot? We can't tell you that. Know why you shoot and stick to it. On occasion when the composition works, a secondary reason can supplant the primary, but that is not something we should aim for. We'll just get lazy if we keep thinking 'I can still save it by changing subjects'. Surely you've read about it enough in here, PS is to enhance. When the burn & dodge failed, your decision should be to go straight to on how to shoot clouds better, not to find an excuse on a failed photo.

thanks for the comment bro.

hey bro. i have an idea! why don't you do the same shot, with your great skills, try to picture raffles city as a mundane city?

Everyone can learn a thing or two from you...

looking forward to see your masterpiece bro!

[edesign]

Originally Posted by rocfreaks thanks for the comment bro. hey bro. i have an idea! why don't you do the same shot, with your great skills, try to picture raffles city as a mundane city? Everyone can learn a thing or two from you... looking forward to see your masterpiece bro!

i think you can/ will never learn with this attitude.

[rocfreaks]

Originally Posted by edesign i think you can/ will never learn with this attitude.

???

i just want to know how its really done la..

no offence bro.

[rocfreaks]

bro foxtwo,

if the previous post was abit rude or it irritated you, i'm sorry.

[Kit]

Feeling mundane and capturing the feel can be very different and challenging. Skyscrapers, by nature are very dynamic, vibrant and lively so you've got to get creative to use them to portray the feel which essentially, is a negative one.

At times, you may need additional elements to help you achieve what you want. Add humans, animals, etc if you think they can enhance your photos. Or you can make use of the available ambient lighting.

Look at this photo...... the man's expression reveals boredom, dissatisfaction, etc (up to you to imagine).....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkitec...7600146024164/

Use of overcast gloomy lighting to inject a negative feeling to the scene which would otherwise be vibrant and dynamic.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkitec...7600146024164/

There are lot of ways, keep on exploring.

Since this photo does not successfully portray your intentions, I will not comment on it.

[rocfreaks]

Originally Posted by Kit Feeling mundane and capturing the feel can be very different and challenging. Skyscrapers, by nature are very dynamic, vibrant and lively so you've got to get creative to use them to portray the feel which essentially, is a negative one. At times, you may need additional elements to help you achieve what you want. Add humans, animals, etc if you think they can enhance your photos. Or you can make use of the available ambient lighting. Look at this photo...... the man's expression reveals boredom, dissatisfaction, etc (up to you to imagine)..... http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkitec...7600146024164/ Use of overcast gloomy lighting to inject a negative feeling to the scene which would otherwise be vibrant and dynamic. http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkitec...7600146024164/ There are lot of ways, keep on exploring. Since this photo does not successfully portray your intentions, I will not comment on it.

thank you so much bro! really really appreciate it... now i slowly understand..

[skeletonman]

Shoot and shoot until u know your camera well and post processing skill improved.

[cheguthamrin]

Originally Posted by rocfreaks thank you so much bro! really really appreciate it... now i slowly understand..

IF there's one tip I;d like to share, learn and make own comparison with the 1001 other similar posts in here, or in flickr, or elsewhere. You're giving me the impression that you're trying to "save" the picture with your PS, then your replies to every critic said. That attitude wont lead you anywhere, while we just cant point a finger anymore.

You've mentioned that Raffles Place has been the same over the 3 years or so. What you show us here is the UOB building which actually hides the busier activities behind it. There are buildings torn down for the new ones coming up, there's constant buzz of activities and construction around the Lau Pa Sat area... something I wouldnt call mundane.

Thats my 2 cents.

[amosfoo]

like that of a picture taken off a camera phone.

[calebk]

Right. You went into this scene unprepared, shot an underexposed image, then try and rescue it. After that you try and pass off some other story on the mundane, and blame the scene for not being lit up enough. Sounds like you're pinning the blame on the scene when it is really about being unprepared.

The story and intent for the photo seemed to have come after the execution and the post-process of the image, and I would say that is a very disappointing way to go about it. My personal take is that one should usually have a preconceptualised idea at the time of shooting, or perhaps the time immediately after the shot, not back home, PP-ing it and trying to rescue it.