Severn Bridge at Night

[RobinL]

This is my first ever night shot and although I entered it in one of the mini comps and won, I feel as though it could of been better and is lacking in something.
Is the near underside of the bridge too dark? Could I of made it lighter without blowing out the lights on the bridge.
Any critique, tips or advice would be most welcome.
I have uploaded a 800 x 530 version. Is this enough for critique or do you need a larger picture?

[Colin Southern]

Hi Robin,

I'll go first ...

PUSH THINGS - Be BRUTAL.

- Push the clarity to give it some contrast

- Push the vibrance to give it some colour

- Push the sharpening to give it some detail

- Mercilessly crop off areas that don't contribute to the image

- PRESENT it like fine food on a restaurant plate - don't just "plonk it down" like slops on an army tray.

Hope this helps!

[RobinL]

Well Colin, what can I say but "WOW".
Push things and be brutal is the first time I've heard this for processing, but I've got to admit it has worked. This is what I had in mind when I took the shot, but I was unsure about the cropping of it and using the sliders in Lightroom too much.
If you don't mind me asking. how do you do the border with the writing on it. Do you need photoshop?
Once again, many thanks for the feedback and it is very much appreciated.

Robin

[Brownbear]

Hi Robin,

I was going to comment WOW, on your original image, which is amazing but indeed Colin's edits make it extra WOW!

[Colin Southern]

No worries Robin.

Here's an "out there" example of what I mean ... take a look at this (with sound) ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfF1Fzx8tmA

What's the point of having a car like that and cruising around in 2nd gear at 3000 RPM? What's the point of having "Ferrari FXX processing tools if you're afraid to move the sliders"?

Same with processing. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying to OVER process, but it does take practice to identify what's lacking and knowing how to fix it. When I first saw your image I thought "nice capture", but "it hasn't been evolved much from that point".

So my suggestion is to just move the sliders and see what happens -- if you don't like what you see then move them back again! Learn how they interact. In your case I knew that panoramic images look better - especially with such great leading lines - so I started by cropping to make it more panoramic (tried a few crops) - I pushed the clarity to try to bring it to life a bit more - pushed the vibrance to make it more punchy - opened in Photoshop - stretched it to make it even more panoramic and then sharpened it to enhance the detail (250 @ 0.3 off memory) - then presented it.

The border is pretty easy - in essence it's just a canvas size change - the first 100 pixels all around and the 2nd an additional 50 pixels to the bottom - and then add the works with a text layer (Sanvito Pro & a script font).

Not sure if this can be done in LR or not - frankly I can't stand the program (I use ACR / Bridge /Photoshop as part of the Photoshop CC suite).

[Colin Southern]

PS: I might add that at full resolution, an image like that would not be out of place printed large (few feet wide), framed and hung. I doubt that if I'd have turned up with $20,000 worth of camera, lenses, and accessories that I'd have got an exposure that was any better to work with.

[dje]

Hi Robin

That's a very impressive image - well done. I also think you've got the exposure just right, which allows relatively minor adjustment as desired in pp.

Colin's idea of cropping top and bottom works well I think, for the reasons he stated. Not sure I would have stretched it, but that's just a matter of personal taste.

You asked should you have posted it bigger. Well it looks fine to evaluate as it is but it would look even better if you had posted at say 1600 wide.

Dave

[RobinL]

Thanks Christina. Yes Colins processing was exactly the finished photo that I had in mind, hence the reason for posting it here and hoping for feedback.
What I wasn't expecting was a processed picture and done very quick.

[RobinL]

Thanks Dave, it just goes to show what that extra knowledge can do to an ok photo. I think I'll have to go back into Lightroom and start from scratch with it using all of the advice supplied.
I may have to look at getting photoshop for adding the borders unless anyone know if it can be done in Lightroom or any other way without the purchase of Photoshop££££££.

Robin

[Colin Southern]

I may have to look at getting photoshop for adding the borders unless anyone know if it can be done in Lightroom or any other way without the purchase of Photoshop££££££.

That's an easy one - just sign up for their Creative Cloud subscription - only a small monthly fee to have access to ALL their programs - or an even smaller monthly fee to have access to a single app like Photoshop.

I think they have a Photoshop / Lightroom bundle available soon / now too.

it just goes to show what that extra knowledge can do to an ok photo.

It's not so much the case of it "just being an OK photo" as it is being a photo that's no better and no worse than all of us take - it's just that the capture of the image is only the first 1/2 of a 2 part process; these days folks just need to improve the 2nd part of their skill set.

[FlyingSquirrel]

Much has been said already, but I feel like there is an elephant in the room; at least in my eyes, the photo is very crooked. Properly straightening the horizon would improve the photo immensely.

[dubaiphil]

Much has been said already, but I feel like there is an elephant in the room; at least in my eyes, the photo is very crooked. Properly straightening the horizon would improve the photo immensely.

+1, before any clarity, sharpening, vibrance etc.

[Colin Southern]

Much has been said already, but I feel like there is an elephant in the room; at least in my eyes, the photo is very crooked. Properly straightening the horizon would improve the photo immensely.

I can't see any horizon in the photo. There's an illusion of an horizon with the water rising up in the frame at the bottom, but that's just an illusion as water rises up the frame the further away it is if the camera is any distance above ground level.

[Stagecoach]

Robin,

Impressive image, I like both the original and Colin's version.

1.5 degrees rotation to the right solves the tilt most noticeable from the two vertical centre supports.

Grahame

Edited : 1.5 degrees also corrects the two horizontal pillar support mounds at the left bottom.

[Dave Humphries]

Regarding levelness comments.

Personally, in this shot I would expect to see the main bridge towers vertical (I assume they are in reality?), but they're not in this image, so I'd agree a bit of clockwise rotation may be needed, that said, one should be wary; only do this if the lens corrections have been applied (in LR) and also if any perspective correction needed has been done (they may tilt inwards because camera was looking up a bit) - the lamp posts on left appear mainly vertical, but perhaps they should have been leaning in a bit too (at least until perspective correction was applied) - a tricky one, I admit.

One tip, which could be used on this image, is to ensure that the reflections from the red tower head aircraft warning light are directly below the light source, since this is a much greater distance (than height of bridge alone), it should allow more accurate adjustment - be that rotation and/or perspective.

Ideally of course, this should be tackled by ensuring the camera was level when taking the shot - but hindsight is a wonderful thing and I'm guilty of this (and far worse omissions) myself

Cheers,

[Colin Southern]

Here ya go - all fixed ...

[RobinL]

I have taken everyone's comments on board and have included my latest attempt.
I'm not sure there was an elephant in the room, but maybe a small dog that went un-noticed ... I did find a small amount of horizon hidden in the dark between the pillars on the left which I have levelled the photo to, which was near enough to Grahame's recommended amount.

[Colin Southern]

I have taken everyone's comments on board and have included my latest attempt.
I'm not sure there was an elephant in the room, but maybe a small dog that went un-noticed ... I did find a small amount of horizon hidden in the dark between the pillars on the left which I have levelled the photo to, which was near enough to Grahame's recommended amount.

Pretty good, just needs some output sharpening and the writing lined up properly

[batmura]

I have taken everyone's comments on board and have included my latest attempt.
I'm not sure there was an elephant in the room, but maybe a small dog that went un-noticed ... I did find a small amount of horizon hidden in the dark between the pillars on the left which I have levelled the photo to, which was near enough to Grahame's recommended amount.

Did you add the border using Lightroom? If so, can you tell me how? Great, great photo!

[Digital]

Robin, borders can be added in LR under the Print Module.


Bruce