"Sword Lake" in Hanoi


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burningacid

Senior Member
May 24, 2003
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Buangkok
Hi,

this is my first posting in Critic Corner and I would like to get some comments on my photo which was taken at "Sword Lake" in Hanoi (I cannot remember the name in Vietnamese anymore ;p).

Basically, I took some time to actually make this shot because I cannot correctly get the exposure as well as the shutter speed. I wanted to make the water look more smooth but once I lower the speed, the picture would be overexpose.

Thus, in order for me to take better shots for scene like this in future, I would like to hear advises and tips on:

1) Exposure ( I think the sky is too bright?)
2) Composition

the settings for this shot was:

ISO 800, Shutter 1/6"

Thanks!

dsc_0914_watermarked.sized.jpg
 

To use a slower shutter speed and not to get the picture over-expose, you can use a smaller aperture (I.E f8 and above) to compensate for it.

Remember the yin and yang of shutter speed and Aperture settings.

Hope it helps! :D
 

ISO800 is too high, since you want a long shutter speed. (hand held?)
Compose or crop to rule of thirds.
The foreground can do with some more interest (shore line, railing, etc)... maybe
 

Basically, I took some time to actually make this shot because I cannot correctly get the exposure as well as the shutter speed. I wanted to make the water look more smooth but once I lower the speed, the picture would be overexpose.

Thus, in order for me to take better shots for scene like this in future, I would like to hear advises and tips on:

1) Exposure ( I think the sky is too bright?)
2) Composition

the settings for this shot was:

ISO 800, Shutter 1/6"

assuming you have a tripod, since this *is* a night shot;

1) you want to smooth the water, a LONGER shutter speed is required.
2) you have THREE TOOLS to play with exposure - shutter speed, aperture, and iso

how to play with the tools - google is your best friend. clubsnap search is your best friend.

this link here may help; if you prefer text format, an adaptation of what is represented there in a post i made here.

why is the sky too bright?

your photograph is tilted - correct it post process.

do you not find the subject here - i.e. the brightest thing in the picture too centrally placed?

do you think the space at the bottom works? how about a horizontal frame?

i wasn't there, i don't know what the scene looks like; so the questions. as time goes by you will be asking yourself these questions when you are there, rather than after you are gone.
 

Hi!

This is a very Challenging Scene. You were there quite late. So the sky was gone and what lighted up the sky was the street light at the back. I was there late too and I lost the sky.

Never the less.. I don't think you are using a Tripod... or you really need to read up on night photography....

ISO 800 at 1/6... I reckoned the picture is taken at about 7~8pm...

Silky Effect....

It would help if you have Tripod and set at ISO 100~200, f11 ~f16, 1 minute Exposure. ND 1 Filter. A black piece of paper would help. What is presented here is that we want the sky to have some colour and also we observe that the Subject is very brightly lited. Use the black card to 'cover' the subject for about 30 secs before allowing the 'whole' picture to come into exposure. This should even out or rather 'compensate' and give you and evenly exposed picture...

Your picture has 'hot spots' which suggest slightly overexposed areas. Never the less this is a VERY Challenging Scenario.

I did not have a black card/ paper that day.. was there at think 10pm... Last night in Hanoi.. this was all that I could get...

http://nghofei.multiply.com/photos/photo/26/42

This other one was the next morning.... Find some foliage to framed it a little...

http://nghofei.multiply.com/photos/album/26/Vietnam_Travel_-_Hanoi#67

Yup. Night Photography is not easy. Takes loads of practice and understanding of exposure. :-}

Cheers!
 

assuming you have a tripod, since this *is* a night shot;

1) you want to smooth the water, a LONGER shutter speed is required.
2) you have THREE TOOLS to play with exposure - shutter speed, aperture, and iso

how to play with the tools - google is your best friend. clubsnap search is your best friend.

this link here may help; if you prefer text format, an adaptation of what is represented there in a post i made here.

why is the sky too bright?

your photograph is tilted - correct it post process.

do you not find the subject here - i.e. the brightest thing in the picture too centrally placed?

do you think the space at the bottom works? how about a horizontal frame?

i wasn't there, i don't know what the scene looks like; so the questions. as time goes by you will be asking yourself these questions when you are there, rather than after you are gone.


Thanks for the advise and links! I didn't realised that my photo was tilted...

I purposely cropped my photo so my subject is in the center because I wanted to show the reflections from the lights too but I guess the silky effect was not there so it's not nice. But nonetheless, I will practise more~ thanks!
 

Hi!

This is a very Challenging Scene. You were there quite late. So the sky was gone and what lighted up the sky was the street light at the back. I was there late too and I lost the sky.

Never the less.. I don't think you are using a Tripod... or you really need to read up on night photography....

ISO 800 at 1/6... I reckoned the picture is taken at about 7~8pm...

Silky Effect....

It would help if you have Tripod and set at ISO 100~200, f11 ~f16, 1 minute Exposure. ND 1 Filter. A black piece of paper would help. What is presented here is that we want the sky to have some colour and also we observe that the Subject is very brightly lited. Use the black card to 'cover' the subject for about 30 secs before allowing the 'whole' picture to come into exposure. This should even out or rather 'compensate' and give you and evenly exposed picture...

Your picture has 'hot spots' which suggest slightly overexposed areas. Never the less this is a VERY Challenging Scenario.

I did not have a black card/ paper that day.. was there at think 10pm... Last night in Hanoi.. this was all that I could get...

http://nghofei.multiply.com/photos/photo/26/42

This other one was the next morning.... Find some foliage to framed it a little...

http://nghofei.multiply.com/photos/album/26/Vietnam_Travel_-_Hanoi#67

Yup. Night Photography is not easy. Takes loads of practice and understanding of exposure. :-}

Cheers!

Hi! You were right! I was there about 8pm and I didn't really planned to be there to take photographs actually, just happen to pass by. And I didn't have a tripod but I did use the stone bench actually.

I definately like your photo than mine.. haha. Thanks for the tips on night photography too!
 

I feel that the 'lake' occupied the picture too much, as someone said above, observed rule of third...
 

With all that mentioned seeing the angle and the lens you using even if u get tripod, down ISO, down aperture and increase shutter speed the shot will still look plain and of no interest. DOn't bother to take it anyway. go to higher ground to get the shot at an differnt angle. if you have a uwa lens is better, else shoot at wide.
 

With all that mentioned seeing the angle and the lens you using even if u get tripod, down ISO, down aperture and increase shutter speed the shot will still look plain and of no interest. DOn't bother to take it anyway. go to higher ground to get the shot at an differnt angle. if you have a uwa lens is better, else shoot at wide.

UWA... Need to dive.... It is like a little Isle with only 1 path in. And the gate is usually Locked...its fenced up..National Treasure....:bigeyes::bsmilie:

Cheers!
 

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