Observing the Empire State

[JohnSmith1990]

Hi All,

Took this one today off the 14th street pier in Hoboken, NJ.

This is from my first attempt at capturing the skyline with my new Sigma lens. The wide angle allowed for a unique composition, however, I think my ISO may have been a little high (I was battling with some bad gusts of wind shaking my equipment so I opted for the slower shutter speed).

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the end result. I got my first DSLR a little over a month so I'd love any feedback or constructive criticism.

Thanks!

D7000 with a Sigma 10-20mm (f/22, .3, 2000ISO, 10mm)

[Donald]

Aaron

Good on you for going out there and getting the 'different' shot. That skyline has been photographed so much that making an image that is 'new' is, I think, incredibly difficult. You have managed to do that.

I think the idea is great. I also think that the one big challenge is, however, that safety/hand rail. If it was more delicate and not such a big, chunky thing (which it has to be for safety reasons) it could maybe work. But it really takes over the image.

I don't know if you would be able to get slightly above the viewer and point the camera downwards so that you had the viewer towards the bottom of the frame and then the city above it and, in doing so, exclude that railing.

It's one I'd be keen to work on, because I think you have the makings of a very good image there. It just needs the right composition.

And congrats on the 10-22. It really does open up a whole lot of other options, doesn't it?

[JohnSmith1990]

Donald,

Thank you for the feedback.

Agreed on the hand rail, I will head back out there and see if I can get the composition elevated above that. I'll post the results here.

The 10mm certainly does open up a whole new world of composition opportunities - very happy with with that purchase!

Cheers

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Aaron,

I agree the handrail is quite 'bold' and I hate to disagree with my learned colleague (especially since I have no personal experience below 18mm), but I would be wary of angling such an UWA (10mm) lens downwards to achieve this, I fear it may cause all manner of problems with diverging verticals and barrel distortions. I would shoot with such a lens horizontal at all times (unless for dramatic effect) and crop as necessary to compose (I do this at 18mm on a D5000).


My thought looking at this was you'd done well to keep the horizon pretty level, although there is some evidence of converging verticals (so it may have been pointing up a bit anyway), but I think PP correction now isn't possible without spoiling the cloud composition.

It does look like whatever noise reduction you did on the main scene got 'missed out' on the water visible below the handrail though.


At the risk of appearing too negative, if mine I would be tempted to clone over the 'scratch grafitti' on the binocular viewer and handrail, even if limited to just removing any readable letter characters - although you may wish to include it as part of NYC culture.

I have fond memories of NYC (and USA), having visited back in '77.

Hi Donald, I know you have experience shooting with your 11-16mm, so if my advice to Aaron is incorrect/mis-informed, please do say so, I'd like to learn too.

Aaron, I hope that helps, oh and welcome to the CiC forums from ...

[Donald]

Hi Donald, I know you have experience shooting with your 11-16mm, so if my advice to Aaron is incorrect/mis-informed, please do say so, I'd like to learn too.

Just got to live out onto the edge now and again, Dave!

You're absolutely right. What I suggested would result in significant distortion, some of which could be corrected during processing. But I suppose I was following my comment about that skyline having been the subject of millions of pictures and the search for a different angle. But, it may be pushing too far.

[JohnSmith1990]

Dave and Donald,

Thank you for your thoughts. I'm heading to Arizona tomorrow for a long weekend but will get back down to the pier and re-compose this shot early next week.

I'll post the results for feedback once I have them

Cheers.