Night CityScape at Marina Bay

[TimothyT]

Hi, i'm new to clubsnap, chanced upon this and i thought it's a good place for me to improve my editing and photography skills. I'm also new to photography (just got serious about it 2 months ago), so i'm not exactly very sure about what needs to be improved and sorry if my description is vague, but i'll definitely learn through feedbacks

1. In which area is critique or feedback to be given?

Please critique the overall edits.

2. What were you hoping to achieve with this image?

I was hoping to capture a good city scape view.


3. Under what circumstance was the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)

Took this around midnight. Set up a tripod and shot this with my old Sony NEX 5R at, ISO200, 16mm, f/3.5, 3.2secs

4. Thread-starter's personal thoughts about the image.
I'm actually quite satisfied with this picture edit, but i'm sure there are some more things i can work on to improve the picture. Or maybe i have overdone this picture. Will definitely appreciate all your feedbacks!

thanks!

 

[catchlights]

 

[catchlights]

welcome to ClubSNAP.

help you to insert the image.

 

[v0857]

Hi Timothy, you've just started on your first post hence can't attach a photo yet. What you can do is to provide the link to your pic for members to view/feedback/critique.

update: aaa, l didn't see a photo when l look n comment...please ignore my comments then

 

[TimothyT]

Thank you Catchlight for helping me with the insertion of picture!

Now... fire me with critics haha :hung:

 

[catchlights]

Thank you Catchlight for helping me with the insertion of picture!

Now... fire me with critics haha :hung:

Best time to shoot scene like this, aka night cityscape, is during dusk hour, a 20mins window after sunset, aka magic hour.

 

[thoongeng]

Welcome to Clubsnap

Looks like a pretty good start. Generally well processed considering the big dynamic range (difference in brigthness between the brightest and darkest parts of the scene).

Composition wise I would leave a bit more space to the right of Marina Bay Sands, now the right side looks a bit tight
Also as mod catchlights adviced, shooting during blue hour you can get a nicer blue sky background, and the difference in the bright and dark parts are less so you can get better out-of-camera shots and need not post-process that much
Depending on how particular you are, you might want to level your camera for the photograph, as now the buildings looks leaning inwards, or you can correct the verticals during post processing.

Post-processing wise looks like you reduced the highlights a bit too much, now they look grey and a bit unnatural
White balance wise it depends on personal preference and how accurate you want it to be, now looks a bit too blue / cool to me.

Overall still a good shot, I'm just nitpicking hehe... thanks for sharing

 

[catchlights]

Anyway, you can practice shooting cityscape night scene in your estate, just go up a high rise HDB flat corridor with a decent view, shoot during the magic hour as often as you could. You will see a lot improvement on your photos very soon.

 

[TimothyT]

@thoongeng hey there, many thanks for the feedback! Will try to control my highlights in editing
@catchlights thanks for the advice! Will take note about the shooting timings! I just found out quite a lot of people shoot such landscape during those timings that you've mentioned. Will try to practice on that!

 

[Nikonzen]

As has been said work on balancing the elements in your composition. Think of a fulcrum point and if you put that giant building on one side you need a group of smaller objects or an equally sized object on the other side to get an equilibrium in the composition. Rule of thirds may help and other composition strategies. It takes some work to figure it out but practice often and it will come to you. You are basically retraining your observational skills aka 'learning to see the image' in 2D format.

A quick study of the concept of negative space would probably help tremendously as well.

 

[bbear]

One suggestions to chip in beside those that been addressed. Since you have the luxury of time and already set it up on the tripod, why not try to close down the aperture and goes with a longer exposure time.

As for my personal liking, I would probably bump up the clarity slightly and also increase the temperature slightly.

 

[TimothyT]

Thanks Nikonzen for the feedback! Will take note on using the rules and the 'balancing' tip! Will try it next time! May i know what do you mean about concept of negative space?

 

[TimothyT]

One suggestions to chip in beside those that been addressed. Since you have the luxury of time and already set it up on the tripod, why not try to close down the aperture and goes with a longer exposure time.

As for my personal liking, I would probably bump up the clarity slightly and also increase the temperature slightly.

Yes! I only thought of that when i was editing *facepalm*. Cool, will try it!

 

[DSolZ]

i think this picture can benefit from some vertical perspective correction.

 

[DSolZ]

also maybe use a higher aperture F number .. to achieve better sharpness and longer exposure time to smooth water bit more?

 

[Nikonzen]

Negative space

 

[ALFREDC]

Another photo of the same thing. Nothing to comment here.

 

[TimothyT]

Thanks Nikonzen, it was really useful!

Thanks for commenting Alfredc!

 

[nitewalk]

Best time to shoot scene like this, aka night cityscape, is during dusk hour, a 20mins window after sunset, aka magic hour.

I do shoot some cityscape images way after that but need to work on the WB/tint. Maybe not the best time though. Haha.