Sunset @ Changi Beach


theshooter

New Member
Nov 3, 2008
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Singapore
Hi snappers,

I have been shooting as a hobbyist but would like to bring myself to the next level. However, to do that, i realise i need third party opinions and critiques.

So here i am posting the shots i took at Changi Beach.

1. in what area is critique to be sought?
Composition, exposures and any other areas that can improve my work

2. what one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?
To bring about the serenity of dusk

3. under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)
It was just a casual shoot to try out landscapes and try to see if i can get the results of the "seniors" who have posted here

4. what the critique seeker personally thinks of the pictures
I think the pictures are okay but nothing that can "awe" someone when they see it. Hope with your critiques, i am able to improve.
_____________________________

1. The beautiful sun
4742133785_5acfd0cff8_b.jpg


Thank you all for your time to help me improve!

Regards,
theshooter
 

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looks like the start of a glorious sunset .... can see glimpses of red peeping out of those clouds !!

i think there's alot of empty space in the foreground

Any more continued attempts as the sun gets lower until its out of sight?

Be patient with sunsets.... you got to keep metering and shooting as the sun comes down

:thumbsup:
 

Watch your horizon, it's tilted. Otherwise the horizon police (like myself) will come and shoot you. :p
 

Yup, Horizon tilted. If possible, go lower or find a angle where the Musk doesn't 'poke through' the land across. A cleaner silhouette is much preferred. :-}

Good attempt!
 

looks like the start of a glorious sunset .... can see glimpses of red peeping out of those clouds !!

i think there's alot of empty space in the foreground

Any more continued attempts as the sun gets lower until its out of sight?

Be patient with sunsets.... you got to keep metering and shooting as the sun comes down

:thumbsup:

thanks for your comment ed! hmm. what do you mean keep metering as the sun comes down?

Watch your horizon, it's tilted. Otherwise the horizon police (like myself) will come and shoot you. :p

oh shucks now that you mentioned. thanks slyanius!!!

Yup, Horizon tilted. If possible, go lower or find a angle where the Musk doesn't 'poke through' the land across. A cleaner silhouette is much preferred. :-}

Good attempt!

thanks andrew! what do you mean by "the musk doesn't poke through the land across" and how to acheive a cleaner silhouette?

thanks all for your critiques!
 

This photo reminds me of a postcard. The composition is really well-balanced. Exposure is spot-on. I'm impressed.
May I know the aperture, shutter speed ISO and the focal length?
Thanks. Hope to see more of your photos!
 

Sorry.. my bad. I mean MAST of the Boat. If we are critical, we would noticed that there are smaller boats, a big boats and a pier of so sort in the picture. A little too many things. I have problem finding 1 single subject Unless theat is not the intent.

A cleaner silhouette... the land is very dark on the right of the picture. The Mast of the little boats and some little boats are like lost in the 'darkness'.

The land on the left of the picture is further. They are not dark, but look more like soft shadows. So I can clearly see the pier and the larger boat.

My guess is that a telephoto lens is used and the land is compressed into the picture making it look closer to the boat and us. This compression merged 2 'silhouettes' together. That is the right hand side of course.

Sometimes under standing the effects of lengths and aperture of lens can dramatically help to remove or retain wanted/ unwanted stuffs in the picture. Cheers!
 

Watch your horizon, it's tilted. Otherwise the horizon police (like myself) will come and shoot you. :p

Yup, Horizon tilted. If possible, go lower or find a angle where the Musk doesn't 'poke through' the land across. A cleaner silhouette is much preferred. :-}

Good attempt!
Horizon is not tilted, check the vertical lines.
 

thanks for your comment ed! hmm. what do you mean keep metering as the sun comes down? .....................

the light is changing rapidly when sun going down, so you need to keep adjust the exposure setting, and shoot till sun goes below the horizon.
 

Horizon is not tilted, check the vertical lines.

It is tilted! I measured... on my screen.. the left is 3cm and the right is 3.2cm!Hahahahhaa ;p

I think this is a case of lens distortion where vertical lines are straight where the horizontal lines are burrowed.

Picture is either 'nor straightened' or the right side is cropped out. :-}

When come to Horizon... people very strict one. :nono: kekekkeke
 

It is tilted! I measured... on my screen.. the left is 3cm and the right is 3.2cm!Hahahahhaa ;p
I think this is a case of lens distortion where vertical lines are straight where the horizontal lines are burrowed.
If catchlights says that the horizon is straight then you can rely on that :)
Beside this: the horizon is formed by the land here, given a very uneven reference. Right hand it's Pulau Ubin and the shore line / vegetation which is also curved, left hands we have the buildings which are further away than the island. What is your reference then? The upper edge of the buildings or the waterline below?
 

It is tilted! I measured... on my screen.. the left is 3cm and the right is 3.2cm!Hahahahhaa ;p

I think this is a case of lens distortion where vertical lines are straight where the horizontal lines are burrowed.

Picture is either 'nor straightened' or the right side is cropped out. :-}

When come to Horizon... people very strict one. :nono: kekekkeke
it only mean the distance of the far ends of both sides are not the same.
 

Horizon is not tilted, check the vertical lines.

Still, I can get the feeling of being off-centered. Should this not be corrected for a more balanced feeling? Any average viewer would not check the verticals to determine horizon tilt.
 

btw the horizon in this photo is form by an island, not just plain water and sky.

actually i did pping and i think catchlights is correct. i based my vertical lines on the water line and not the top of the islands and the unevenness, as pointed out by catchlights, is due to the different distance of the islands on the right and the buildings on the left.

nonetheless, how can i improve on this since this caused concern in some pple? and is my composition correct? and the colours, is it "correct"?

my intention to put all the boats in the picture is to give a peaceful scene with the boats idling in the sea in the midst of the sunset. wonder if you guys feel it?
 

the light is changing rapidly when sun going down, so you need to keep adjust the exposure setting, and shoot till sun goes below the horizon.

hi catchlights, thanks for the explanation but i do not really understand how to achieve this in perspective.

when i do landscape shots, i always use the largest f number, followed by exposures ranging from 10 sec to 30 sec.

how do i keep adjusting the exposure settings when the lights are rapidly changing when the sun is going down? do you have any examples?

thanks in advance!
 

As the light changes, e.g., from bright to dark, you need to keep on increasing the exposure to get a similarly exposed image.

During sunrises and sunsets, that change occurs very rapidly, and you need to be able to keep up with the rapid change in light levels.

Technically, changes in exposure can be achieved in many ways - by changing ISO, changing aperture, changing shutter speeds or altering EV compensation values or any combination thereof.

For landscapes, photographers are usually concerned with maximum depth of field and sharpness. Using the largest or smallest aperture available in a lens is not what is usually recommended. Find the 'sweet spot' in your lens, usually 2 to 3 stops from maximum and try that.
 

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actually i did pping and i think catchlights is correct. i based my vertical lines on the water line and not the top of the islands and the unevenness, as pointed out by catchlights, is due to the different distance of the islands on the right and the buildings on the left.

nonetheless, how can i improve on this since this caused concern in some pple? and is my composition correct? and the colours, is it "correct"?

my intention to put all the boats in the picture is to give a peaceful scene with the boats idling in the sea in the midst of the sunset. wonder if you guys feel it?

Find an angle where you face only the boats and the open sea. As I read, one great landscape photogapher David Norton said 'I arrive early and only take out my camera if I can visualise the photograph that I will be taking.'

It may look like a scene we remember from a postcard, a magazine or a novel. Make comparison, what makes that a better photo. What are the elements present and what is not. That, I hope will help.

:)
 

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hi dream merchant and andrew ng, thanks for your comprehensive insights to helping me achieve better results. i will try all that out and post further pics.

what is the sweet spot for a 24-105 may i ask? how to know if its the sweet spot? cos i cant really tell the difference..