Newbie here... critique pls

[mchew]

Hi there,

Newbie here... Although I've been browsing ClubSnap for sometime now, I haven't post nor comment on anything as my experience in photography is quite limited and I was really impressed with the quality of works here! I've been using PNS digital camera for a few years but mainly to take snapshots of interesting subjects as reference image for my art (I'm a part-time watercolourist )

Anyway, my friend bought a Canon 400D dslr a couple of weeks ago and we tried out some night shots around Singapore River. Below are two of the shots we took with tripod. Your critiques and comments are very much appreciated.


Tree #1
F-Stop 5.6
Shutter Speed 8 sec
ISO 400

Tree #2
F-Stop 5.6
Shutter Speed 4 sec
ISO 400

 

[mchew]

No comments at all???

 

[Stoned]

The colours look really artificial and weird. I don't really agree with the composition as well but the main thing that irks me about this image is the totally weird colours. It almost looks like it's been painted rather than photographed.

 

[zac08]

Using light painting?

a torchlight to shine at the trees??

 

[mchew]

Hi Stoned & zac08, thanks for your comments.

The colours might looked weird as there was a huge spotlight shone on the trees (those located outside the Asian Civilization Museum, opposite Fullerton Hotel)... We used a tripod and adjust the camera to point almost vertically towards the sky to shoot the tree as it is, no photoshopping done on the image except for adding borders and text.

 

[goldbird]

I believe what Stoned is trying to say is the nightsky doesnt look like night at all. I like the sharpness but the composition needs to be tweaked considerably.

 

[JaPhotos]

nice attempt.
but i think you take the shoot abit too late in the evening. or maybe is just that day not so good (too cloudy)? A good time will be somewhere ard 715-730pm if you are in town (singapore). that will give you a more bluish sky while the greens of the tree will be nicely lighted by the spot lights.

just my pov.

 

[zac08]

Try using a lower ISO, smaller aperture like f11 or so.. and drop the EV.. it'll darken the edges of the trees and it may produce a better effect.