Lights

[Bobobird]

Taken tonigh about 11'ish. Possibly better earlier with more cars on the road.

As always, all comments, advice, critique etc appreciated.

1.


2.


3. A try at different post-processing.

[Donald]

For my taste, the colour is pushed too much in #1 and #2, but I respect the effect and impact that the images make and I think you have done what you set out to do, well. The only thing I'm not so sure about is the top of that walkway over at the bottom tight on #2. I think it's dragging attention away from the roadway and the buildings that it leads us into.

##3 is much more suited to my taste. I think it's got mood and atmosphere and tells us a much more powerful story about night-time in the city.

[Bobobird]

Thanks Donald - excellent c&c.

Hong Kong at night is generally a very bright city at nights especially in the business and entertainment areas.

I did check a lot of Flickr/Picasa car trail pic to see what sort of effect most people did and came up with 1 & 2 based on that. For 3 it was a decision I made to go the other way from the "norm".

Should I reprocess 1 and 2 to something like 3?

[Donald]

Should I reprocess 1 and 2 to something like 3?

Bobo

I think there will be many people who will prefer #1 and #2 to #3. My comments reflected my own personal tastes. And as I said, I think they are good examples of their type. It's just that they are not my type.

But it would also be interesting to see what they looked like if you did process them differently.

[arith]

It is really hard; I'm just thinking how I would like it to be. The last one is the closest, but more with slightest movement and an increase in shadow brightness, that would look like daylight if you didn't know it was night.

[Bobobird]

Redos of 1 and 2.

May have been trying to show too much in 1 - both the trails and city outline. The crop hopefully retains the main element and still shows off the city lights.

Source file of 2 is way too bright to effectively tune down without starting to loose details in the building lights. Maybe can be done but way beyond my pp skills.

1a.


2a.

[Donald]

Bobo

You've turned the numbers around, so that what was #1 in the first post is now #2a in this post and vice-versa, which makes it impossible to talk about #1 and #2 and be clear about which we are meaning.

But, if we take the the first image in the post immediately above - for my taste that is a far,far better image. But you must make the image that was in your head at the time you captured the photograph. In a sense, my view is irrelevant. I like the atmosphere it now conveys.

I'm not sure that the re-work of the other image has improved it.

[rpcrowe]

Actually, I like the images that show the individual streams of lights from fewer cars.

Your original #1 and #2 images are my favorite because they show some detail in the surrounding areas...

[Bobobird]

Sorry, messed up the numbering. Now fixed.

Thanks Steve, Donald and Richard.

Original 1 and 2 is one facing east and the other west so wanted to keep them about the same in post. #3 was a 1 sec exposure and does not quite represent the actual lighting conditions. 1 and 2 are closer though 1 has been brightened up a tad to get them closer together. #2 is a true representation of the lighting - yes it is that bright.

Glad each has its merits. I do intend to do a reshoot which will of course encompass the tips/lessons learned here.

That is my main problem with landscapes - just cannot determine the best way to show off a scene and what sort of mood to put it into. Perhaps knowing these places like the back of my hand has something to do with that.