Various landscape photos

[Kit]

A series of The Pinnacle@Duxton, taken with 50mm (75mm with 1.5x crop factor). Not the ideal lens to take landscape photos but forced myself not to change lens.

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#4

#5

#6

#7

Some thoughts about using a 50mm "forcefully".....

I've never thought or believed that limiting oneself to a certain lens can be beneficial. Rather, getting to know the equipment you have and knowing how to use them to meet you objectives is more essential in the development of photo taking-skills. I don't think Jaime Oilver only uses olive oil in his cooking......

It would be good if you can make excellent photos with a 50mm but it does not necessarily means you are a lesser photographer if you can't "make it" with a 50mm or with any other lenses for the matter. If a 50mm cannot meet your objectives then its not working out, simple as that. You can try but ultimately, you do have to come to terms with that and start looking for something else which will work.

To the photos.....

In these instances, did you recognise the potential of a 50mm? It appears that you seemed a little "lost" in this situation. typically, we use a longer lens to isolate details in architectural photography. The purpose of this isolation is to emphasize on e.g. a particular construction detail, a repetitive pattern, textures, design features etc. These are usually kept to as simple and straight forward as possible so that the intended proposition doesn't get diluted by unnecessary stray elements e.g. that stray tree branch creeping in from the left in the 1st photo.

You will also need to identify a design that will work with the lens you are using. In the photos above, I'm not really seeing a proposition or design intent. Not much attention was paid to the details. The photos appeared disorganised and overly cluttered. In essence, there are potentials for a 50mm lens here but I don't think you've explored it well enough to reap benefits from it.

You could have done better with another lens you have, I'm can't tell for sure but my point being, you don't really have to limit yourself to one lens especially when you have other options. But if you insist to treat it as a "challenge", then I'd say you were not using the lens to your advantage.

 

[wildcat]

OK, thanks for the guidance. I do think I didn't catch as much as I should with the 50mm (and prob why I never took it out for another such shoot) but after reading on what it could achieve, I might try it again, to try to use it for isolation (rather than using it like any other UWA or normal zoom).

 

[wildcat]

Some UWA angle photos from the dark

#43

#44

#45

#46

 

[wildcat]

#47

#48

 

[soulFLY]

#41

Yes, I really love the nice subtle tones here...

Good job on the LE but need extra note on the color casting...cheers and looking forward for more..

Try not to point ur composition towards the sun as it is hard to control the exposure and the highlights will be blown and the image will become soft...

I will normally work on LE when the sun is at midday or behind me during workout...hope it helps..

 

[wildcat]

Yes, I really love the nice subtle tones here...

Good job on the LE but need extra note on the color casting...cheers and looking forward for more..

Thanks! Actually I took this together with r00ki3 who's a great admirer of your minimalistic style.

Sorry, I don't understand "LE" and what should I do with the color casting to improve the pix?

 

[wildcat]

There was another pix which I took which has less background. I added a lot of warmth to the photos as they were taken near noon with bright sun

#49

 

[soulFLY]

Thanks! Actually I took this together with r00ki3 who's a great admirer of your minimalistic style.

Sorry, I don't understand "LE" and what should I do with the color casting to improve the pix?

You are too kind.

LE = Long Exposure

Which ND are u using?

Recently I'd carried out a small study between Hoya ND400 and B+W ND110 to see any difference, but study are put on halt due to other commitments. Here below a preliminary study based on these 2 filter which done in the late afternoon:

1. Hoya ND400 - give a blue color cast; cooler tones
2. B+W ND110 - give a magenta color cast; warmer tones

However, these color casting can be easily fixed in individual Color Saturation or Color Balance.

Cheers!

 

[wildcat]

ND110. Okay, maybe I overdid it on the warmth factor during post-processing :bsmilie: which I actually did intentionally (coz the sky was too boring and bland) :embrass:

Yeap, sorta trying out and still a lot to learn about all this LE stuff. Will consult you again when I get to being a minimalist.

 

[wildcat]

Silly things we do but learn along the way not to repeat again...
using a 50mm prime lens shooting at max open aperture for 30secs, auto focus preset on Merlion :bsmilie:

There is an obvious nice sunset coming from the right side of the picture reflected in the photo... in this, I wanted to capture both Merlion and Fullerton in the same pix, but very hard to make the Merlion stand out.

#50

 

[Numnumball]

There was another pix which I took which has less background. I added a lot of warmth to the photos as they were taken near noon with bright sun

#49

Nice shot bro.. i love this one :thumbsup:

 

[wildcat]

Nice shot bro.. i love this one :thumbsup:

heh thanks!

#51 - CBD skylines

 

[wildcat]

You are too kind.

LE = Long Exposure

Which ND are u using?

Recently I'd carried out a small study between Hoya ND400 and B+W ND110 to see any difference, but study are put on halt due to other commitments. Here below a preliminary study based on these 2 filter which done in the late afternoon:

1. Hoya ND400 - give a blue color cast; cooler tones
2. B+W ND110 - give a magenta color cast; warmer tones

However, these color casting can be easily fixed in individual Color Saturation or Color Balance.

Cheers!

I think I know what you mean by the colour cast already. Thanks for the hint!

#52A - WB unchanged - default auto setting

#52B - WB turned cooler using LR

 

[wildcat]

Talk about being at the right time, right place. The deep sun colour was around for more than 10mins, giving me plenty of time to setup, shoot and re-shoot... until drizzle a bit, then have to take cover. After that come out shoot again but dark already.

#53A - 1/25sec @f13

#53B - with ND filter, 76secs @f11

 

[wildcat]

Another silly setting for landscape (opened aperture to max f1.4)... but what the heck. I paid for the lens :bsmilie:

#54

 

[r00ki3]

Talk about being at the right time, right place. The deep sun colour was around for more than 10mins, giving me plenty of time to setup, shoot and re-shoot... until drizzle a bit, then have to take cover. After that come out shoot again but dark already.

#53B - with ND filter, 76secs @f11

wow..looks much2 better here..:thumbsup:
just maybe you could walk further up a bit take the shot so that the steps/riverbank is not in the frame?..or you could go down the steps a bit more hehehe...just for that burning orange sky yes?

 

[wildcat]

wow..looks much2 better here..:thumbsup:
just maybe you could walk further up a bit take the shot so that the steps/riverbank is not in the frame?..or you could go down the steps a bit more hehehe...just for that burning orange sky yes?

Haven't reached neither naimeh's stage of walking into water yet, nor your stage :bsmilie: maybe another two months if I wanna change camera :sweat:

Pulling your leg, bro.

 

[wildcat]

A choice of two scenes of "drama"-ticism.

#55A

#55B - I prefer this

 

[Taurean]

Some UWA angle photos from the dark

#44
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_-S-BI2qG23Y/S8Dkn1nuETI/AAAAAAAAHKU/814Ci2P3N8E/s800/DSC_0253_pt.jpg


#46
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_-S-BI2qG23Y/S8DlKbkvyOI/AAAAAAAAHKk/PgnlbqKRgYk/s800/DSC_0255.jpg

#44 - Felt that the "Dark water" spoil the photo. The sunset looks pleasing but other than that, felt that the photo lack of subject. Same applies for #46.

 

[Taurean]

Talk about being at the right time, right place. The deep sun colour was around for more than 10mins, giving me plenty of time to setup, shoot and re-shoot... until drizzle a bit, then have to take cover. After that come out shoot again but dark already.

#53A - 1/25sec @f13
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_-S-BI2qG23Y/S8en0vN-UAI/AAAAAAAAHwM/B4eNSh5bW-M/s800/DSC_0921.jpg

#53B - with ND filter, 76secs @f11
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_-S-BI2qG23Y/S8en1Di2k8I/AAAAAAAAHwU/rP6I1SWyDHk/s800/DSC_0926.jpg

Felt that the inclusion of the river bank doesn't quite work for me, it is leading out of the frame. Maybe you could have given some space on the left.