[SunChasersSG] Newbies Outing (Part 18) - Sunrise @ Merlion Park 18 Sept 2010 (Pics)

[daredevil123]

Hey Jeffrey, Here are some feedback. Sorry I missed your posts.

This #1 and #2 needs work in composition. Firstly the inclusion of the railing should be avoided. Secondly I find the structure on the right (the 'hand
or 'flower' looking building) is too near to the edge and too abruptly cut off. There is also some perspective distortion which needs to be corrected (the buildings are leaning in towards the center).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52983447@N05/5002791869/



This HDR is just not working for me. Overdone, and there is not much contrasts in the picture.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52983447@N05/5002797387/

For this merlion picture, the biggest issues are composition and angle selected. Firstly, the water is shooting out of the frame, and so for the viewer there is no continuation... better to show where the water ends. Secondly, the jet of water is cutting the top of Westin hotel (or whatever it is called now). If it is a whole bunch of buildings, it doesn't look bad. Just that it is just one building there and this happens, make it really disturbing to the viewer. Try to move around to get a different perspective. Need to pay attention to the details.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52983447@N05/5003406676/

This is not bad. Just the same problems of perspective distortion (flyer and building leaning) and try to give more room to the right side of the 3 towers.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52983447@N05/5003408264/

 

[wildcat]

Thanks wildcat for going round checking my photo. My outing for this photo at page 5 post 86 & 88. Really thanks you so much.

Ahahhaa... sorry, my bad. I think the page didn't load complete when I did a Find. OK OK.. pai seh

 

[mimik07]

Hi Jeffrey, overlooked your submission amidst the tons of homework submitted. Paiseh :sweat:

Your shots have improved since the first outing, but I still find that they lack a main focus subject. Still some distracting elements present in your shots. Here are my takes:

#1 & #2 - Understand that you my be just trying out the effects of the ND8 and GND, but no idea why you chose to include the railings in your foreground.

#3 - I am not an expert in HDR, but this one definitely looks overdone to me and very unnatural. Understand that HDR might be fun and interesting to toy with at times, but at the end of the day try to put it to good effect and mirror the outcome to the actual scene you saw when you took the shots. Alternatively you can also try digital blending for scenes with high dynamic range.

#5 - This one is the best among the lot. Just need to take note of the keystone effect. Note that the MBS is leaning inwards. I guessed you tilted your camera slightly upwards while taking the shot thus giving rise to the vertical distortion.

Just my 2 cents worth

Sorry for late submit my homework. Below is my photo. C&C is most welcome.

Er... Sorry to ask. But I really want to improve on my skill. Therefore my Q: is any comments on my photo in this outing to let me improve next time or take note. Really sorry to ask like this, but i wait few day for comment. Hope all the senior will not angry about I ask like this. :dunno: (Thanks)

 

[mimik07]

Dear all,
attached are my humble shot, C & C pls. thanks alot for all guidance =D
#2

Hi bro, pleasant surprise to see you at the outing after so long.

This one has great potential. I would have opted for a 50-50 framing though. Not much space below the reflections, thus throwing the balance slightly off.

Apart from that I think DD123 also brought up the fact that your horizons tend to tilt to the right.

 

[wildcat]

Comments in BROWN

Sorry for late submit my homework. Below is my photo. C&C is most welcome.

#1 - Trying out ND8 effect.



I'm a bit torn between liking the colours... and not. Somehow it doesn't give that smooth magenta-ish colour I normally like even though it's that colour. The building (Marina Sq) and flyer is tilted in an obvious manner. Not sure if the railings add to the pic; it might be better to move closer/higher and skip that.

I like the way the light from the MBS lotus lights up in the pic.

#2 - Trying Out GND effect.


Same pic - since you have two pics of the same, you can try to blend the exposure of two. The pictures are quite uncontrasty - you may want to play around with curves/contrast in post processing. Your link to Flickr is also locked.


#3 - Trying HDR.


A bit on the contrast again; it makes the picture looks softer than it should, and the buildings (flyer, bridge, MBS) a little washed out. Think there are halos around the lotus but I'm not sure (using work comp.. which I shouldn't even be using to make critiques coz the colour is quite bad)

#4


Nice *smile*

#5


Trying to capture the yolk so tilted the camera up? Flyer is falling but I've mentioned that earlier already. MBS a bit dark but I guess either you are doing a silhouette or didn't have a second pic to blend in the exposure. That may or may not work, but normally I will take a second pic to give me that option if I need it later during PP.

 

[Jeffrey 0ng]

Comments in BROWN

Thanks for your fast reply. This my 1st time really playing on GND ad ND8 filter. So not really gd or it. All the comment u given me I will take note. By the way, I not really good or photoshop edit, U can help on this area??? Hehe.. Last Q what is really useful for back card function in sunrise?? I talk black card is useful at firework???

 

[Jacobs]

Jeffery, you're the lucky person to have great & informative comment about your works from those seniors (such as wildcat,DD123,mimik07..etc)

Remember from my 1st post of my work here, nobody was giving me a reasonable or justify advise how to improve my picture..:cry:

 

[Jeffrey 0ng]

Hi Jeffrey, overlooked your submission amidst the tons of homework submitted. Paiseh :sweat:

Your shots have improved since the first outing, but I still find that they lack a main focus subject. Still some distracting elements present in your shots. Here are my takes:

#1 & #2 - Understand that you my be just trying out the effects of the ND8 and GND, but no idea why you chose to include the railings in your foreground.

#3 - I am not an expert in HDR, but this one definitely looks overdone to me and very unnatural. Understand that HDR might be fun and interesting to toy with at times, but at the end of the day try to put it to good effect and mirror the outcome to the actual scene you saw when you took the shots. Alternatively you can also try digital blending for scenes with high dynamic range.

#5 - This one is the best among the lot. Just need to take note of the keystone effect. Note that the MBS is leaning inwards. I guessed you tilted your camera slightly upwards while taking the shot thus giving rise to the vertical distortion.

Just my 2 cents worth

Thanks for your comment. I will force on the main subject in my next shoot. But I still a bit confused on the main subject. Is it example my main subject is MBS then I should force more on it?? Then how your choose the background and other???

 

[wildcat]

Remember from my 1st post of my work here, nobody was giving me a reasonable or justify advise how to improve my picture..:cry:

Nice pics no need to justify. The most is say "nice" :bsmilie:

I also realized I already commented on both yours and quizesilver's photos so no need already hor? :sticktong

::edit:: I also just realized this is not Bedok Reservoir outing. Haha. Okay, I post something for you...

 

[Jeffrey 0ng]

Hey Jeffrey, Here are some feedback. Sorry I missed your posts.

This #1 and #2 needs work in composition. Firstly the inclusion of the railing should be avoided. Secondly I find the structure on the right (the 'hand
or 'flower' looking building) is too near to the edge and too abruptly cut off. There is also some perspective distortion which needs to be corrected (the buildings are leaning in towards the center).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52983447@N05/5002791869/



This HDR is just not working for me. Overdone, and there is not much contrasts in the picture.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52983447@N05/5002797387/

For this merlion picture, the biggest issues are composition and angle selected. Firstly, the water is shooting out of the frame, and so for the viewer there is no continuation... better to show where the water ends. Secondly, the jet of water is cutting the top of Westin hotel (or whatever it is called now). If it is a whole bunch of buildings, it doesn't look bad. Just that it is just one building there and this happens, make it really disturbing to the viewer. Try to move around to get a different perspective. Need to pay attention to the details.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52983447@N05/5003406676/

This is not bad. Just the same problems of perspective distortion (flyer and building leaning) and try to give more room to the right side of the 3 towers.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52983447@N05/5003408264/

Really thanks to daredevil123 for feeding back on my photo. I will take note. Hope I can shoot better in my next shooting. Hehe.....

 

[wildcat]

Thanks for your fast reply. This my 1st time really playing on GND ad ND8 filter. So not really gd or it. All the comment u given me I will take note. By the way, I not really good or photoshop edit, U can help on this area??? Hehe.. Last Q what is really useful for back card function in sunrise?? I talk black card is useful at firework???

I think some "hints" were given there, e.g. curves, contrasts, etc. If you have more questions, feel free to ask! I'm also just a beginner and I learnt quite a bit from following the workflow of some of the experienced photographers here, and as such, I also post up info which I feel may be interesting/useful to others who want to follow my workflow. If you read up on the comments I posted on my own photo, you could pick up some useful tips (I hope).

 

[Jeffrey 0ng]

Jeffery, you're the lucky person to have great & informative comment about your works from those seniors (such as wildcat,DD123,mimik07..etc)

Remember from my 1st post of my work here, nobody was giving me a reasonable or justify advise how to improve my picture..:cry:

Er... Maybe your 1st post photo already very well done so no 1 comment on it. Hehe...

But for me I know my photo really short of something but can't really tell on my self. So I ask all the senior for help. (I remember you told me before don't know anything just ask don't be scare. So i do it.) hehe.. Really thanks so much to all the senior (Wildcat, DD123, mimik07, Jacobs, dingaroo and other helped me before.)

 

[Jeffrey 0ng]

I think some "hints" were given there, e.g. curves, contrasts, etc. If you have more questions, feel free to ask! I'm also just a beginner and I learnt quite a bit from following the workflow of some of the experienced photographers here, and as such, I also post up info which I feel may be interesting/useful to others who want to follow my workflow. If you read up on the comments I posted on my own photo, you could pick up some useful tips (I hope).

Sure I will go see all your photo and study for it. Thanks for your hints. By the way u say curves, contrasts, etc is it mean when taking the photo I can do something on the camera for curves and contrasts?? Or is it can do on photoshop??? Sorry for noob Q.

 

[wildcat]

Sure I will go see all your photo and study for it. Thanks for your hints. By the way u say curves, contrasts, etc is it mean when taking the photo I can do something on the camera for curves and contrasts?? Or is it can do on photoshop??? Sorry for noob Q.

Both. But I was talking more on photoshop.
However there are settings on camera. I find my D5000 can produce some really amazing off the jpeg pictures with brilliant colours... and I do set my settings on some pretty high values for my defaults :bsmilie:

PP will give more control and even if you get it wrong in camera, you may have a second chance on PC. Just don't depend on PP all the time and understand that sometimes taking a picture with PP in mind, you may use different settings than if you took a picture to be without PP.

I try to get everything correct from the camera nowadays, maybe coz too lazy PP also.. haha. End up some of my pics nowadays got more noise also (as I have to underexpose rather than get proper exposure). As noise is less of a bother to me, I just go ahead with under exposures.

 

[Smiles88]

Sure I will go see all your photo and study for it. Thanks for your hints. By the way u say curves, contrasts, etc is it mean when taking the photo I can do something on the camera for curves and contrasts?? Or is it can do on photoshop??? Sorry for noob Q.

there's a graph like thing tt you can adjust. It's a diagonal straight line. You can tweak it. Sorry for not providing more info. I only have GIMP. And I don't really know how to do PP. Only slight distortion correction:embrass:

 

[quizesilver]

Hi bro, pleasant surprise to see you at the outing after so long.

This one has great potential. I would have opted for a 50-50 framing though. Not much space below the reflections, thus throwing the balance slightly off.

Apart from that I think DD123 also brought up the fact that your horizons tend to tilt to the right.

haha ya! if not for your welcome-ness i would not have go approached u!
i cant remember if i am trying to avoid some area thus limited wide or i am already max out.

yup i shld try to give more space on the reflection.

 

[quizesilver]

Jeffery, you're the lucky person to have great & informative comment about your works from those seniors (such as wildcat,DD123,mimik07..etc)

Remember from my 1st post of my work here, nobody was giving me a reasonable or justify advise how to improve my picture..:cry:

haha ur 1st pic shld be very gd thus no much comment.

hopefully during the next shot. i get some shot worth more ppl to comment. gd or bad

 

[mimik07]

Thanks for your comment. I will force on the main subject in my next shoot. But I still a bit confused on the main subject. Is it example my main subject is MBS then I should force more on it?? Then how your choose the background and other???

That's where composition comes into play. You can make use of leading lines or isolation (just to state a couple) to bring out the subject and mood of the picture. Sometimes for landscape shots, less is more

For me, I learnt how to frame my shots mainly by reading up, observing how the seniors do it and follow. Most importantly, shoot more and learn from the C&Cs..

 

[Kevil]

Hi Kevil...
I hope that after this outing, and picking up valuable tips from the people who have guided you, you can see some improvement in your photography.
I would say you got the basics quite well.
- your horizons are pretty level
- your buildings are upright
- your exposures are quite accurate (not too dark or bright)

Next thing is to work on composition and improving sharpness.
I find most of your crops are too 'tight' around the buildings.

Hi ZerocoolAstra. Thanks for commenting! sorry for the late reply was busy with school.Yep i realise i need to improve alot more on my composition as sometimes what i have in mind doesnt quite translate onto the camera.

Sharpness in terms of the pic being OOF? I need to develope the photographic eye like u guys

 

[Kevil]

Hi Keith,

Not bad for starters. Your horizons and verticals are pretty straight and your exposure (esp for #1 and #2) are spot on.
However, I feel that the composition can be improved though. Some of the reflections are cut off and some pics felt too 'tight'. Try to give more space.

Your picture seems a bit soft too. It could be because of when you press the square filter directly to the lens, it gives vibration to your tripod, causing it to shake a bit.

Keep shooting!

Hey Adrian, thanks for taking the time to teach me ur photography knowledge Yeah when i look back at the pics on a larger format with my com, it looks kind of squashed together too tightly. And ur rite bout the filter caz i have a few pics which was either slightly blurred or theres light reflection from the filter. I will learn to improve more on it.thx!

Once again, thanks for all who attended and also to the Seniors for guiding the rest.

Apologies as I didn't get to chat with everyone. Hope maybe next outing can float around more and have my voice back. Also, I wish it was more structured, like for example how to fully use a bubble leveler, and for those considering upgrading their tripods.

Also, apologies for putting up the group photo late, as I have been spending the past 3 days in hospital with my mom. Finally have a breather.

@Kevil, for ND filters you can get from Mass Order in CS, from Henessy for $138, or ask the other members around if they have an ND 110 for sale. Since you are using a kit lens, you would need a step up ring to attach a 77mm filter to a 58mm diameter lens. But you can get that from any shop in Peninsula.

As a whole, very encouraged to see some newbies, like Kevil, able to get good pictures from the outing. About time we have to promote some members to interim Primary 2 (using Wildcat's Terminology).

Cheers all!

Hope ur mom is doing well do take care. Thanks for teaching me about ND filters and on how to take proper night shots. At least now i got the chance to use ND filters after reading about them.lol. Probably needa save up a bit for the ND Filter, student la no choice ;p
Thanks alot really for organizing this event to let newbies like me have to chance to learn from u guys!