Helix + MBS (Newbie attempt)

[Clarenze]

Exposure: 20.0 sec at f/16
Focal Length: 22 mm
ISO Setting: ISO 200

1. in what area is critique to be sought?
Composition, lighting, settings, focusing, and other things that I could improve.

2. what one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?
Wild colours, sharp images.

3. under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)
I just got my D90 2 days ago, relatively new to photography. Used to own a Olympus EP-2 but used once and didn't have time to take it out to use anymore. It's my first time taking landscapes and night shot, so i really had to play around with settings since its also my first time using Manual mode. Used to shoot in P mode for my previous cam, but now I want to bring this hobby to a new level by using Manual mode. PP done to this photo was adjusting S-curve in lightroom.

4. what the critique seeker personally thinks of the picture
I feel the sky is pretty dark. Not sure is it because of the time (9pm) or something else.

 

[martellkr]

feels really tight imo... might be better if you provided more space to the top?
like the colours! esp the dark sky, makes the lights stand out more.

 

[Clarenze]

feels really tight imo... might be better if you provided more space to the top?
like the colours! esp the dark sky, makes the lights stand out more.

Thank you very much!
Yeah man, now that you mentioned it does look real tight. :sweat:

Open for more comments, I want to improve. Thanks guys! :embrass:

 

[hotchoco1ate]

Very nice i feel.. I like the contrast between the helix and the MBS top thingy. Yup its slightly too tight but at least you didnt cut off the wrong parts.

Good attempt!

 

[wkteoh]

Like martellkr said, the crop is a bit too tight.

The combination of colours is nice and contrasts well with the nightsky.

Maybe because of the shape of Marina Sands or if there was an actual tilt, I feel that the picture is slightly slanted/unbalanced (i.e. I would rotate the picture by around 1 degrees CCW).

Other than that, the noise is quite noticeable.

Did you do light up the shadows by a fair amount? There is a certain dullness of colour in certain parts which seems to be from doing so.

Good job!

 

[daredevil123]

I do not like the vantage. The bridge is a good leading line but in your case, it is leading the viewer out of of the picture at the right side. Half of that building (with green? light) is also being chopped off.

Framing is also too tight. I believe you shot this at one of the platforms of the Helix. I think you can get a better vantage at the lower level of the YOG park, right beside the grandstand.
Eg:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4858033770_039dba4cbe_z.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4736085694_485a633988_z.jpg

 

[Clarenze]

I do not like the vantage. The bridge is a good leading line but in your case, it is leading the viewer out of of the picture at the right side. Half of that building (with green? light) is also being chopped off.

Framing is also too tight. I believe you shot this at one of the platforms of the Helix. I think you can get a better vantage at the lower level of the YOG park, right beside the grandstand.
Eg:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4858033770_039dba4cbe_z.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4736085694_485a633988_z.jpg

Thanks for the advise, will take note in future!

I actually did try having the green building in my shot, however the construction lights were too glaring that night so I thought it would be rather distracting to include it in the picture. And I will also take note on PP in future, I think I sharpened MBS too much till it made the picture look rather noisy.

Thanks all for the advise! Will definitely put in more effort on my next shots. :sweatsm:

 

[auden09]

you can borrow books from our libraries about techniques too ya know? yup.

 

[ovaltinemilo]

too tight(esp top and bottom) and seems tt leading line by bridge is not leading to MBS