What's new
By:
Filters
ClioSport.net

Register a free account today to become a member!
Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

A few snaps from London



W

Wick

Hi All,

Despite living a mere 20 mins away I rarely venture into central, but yesterday I headed in with my (very tolerant of my photo habits) girlfriend for some food, and managed to snap a few on the way. Armed mainly with the kit lens and a gorilla pod my 50mm barely came out of the bag.

The results are below, would love a bit of critique from the photo guru's out there (inspired on a few by the photo meet in London a few weeks back). Composition and technical feedback in particular would be appreciated.

1.
6827329346_2b2dcfc2d2_z.jpg

River 01 by Sam_Wick, on Flickr

2.
6973443215_fc2614b32e_z.jpg

River 02 by Sam_Wick, on Flickr

3.
6973437857_3d5b76017c_z.jpg

Embankment Trail by Sam_Wick, on Flickr

4.
6827314912_55232a6ae4_z.jpg

Shaftesbury Av 01 by Sam_Wick, on Flickr

5.
6973457417_f895210a66_z.jpg

Suit by Sam_Wick, on Flickr

6.
6973457085_5a5ece640b_z.jpg

Greedy Gull by Sam_Wick, on Flickr

7.
6827339374_a9b8f1d20e_z.jpg

Formation Flight by Sam_Wick, on Flickr

8.
6973451189_ea6b8381b7_z.jpg

HoP 01 by Sam_Wick, on Flickr

9.
6827338996_263a7f3506_z.jpg

London Eye 01 by Sam_Wick, on Flickr



Most of the photos haven't had any editing so to speak. 3 have been cropped, the others have just had white balance, saturation and sharpening (that I think I've overdone a bit) and converted to Jpeg. One thing I have noticed is the edges of my landscape aren't sharp. Is this an aperture issue?

If nothing else, hope you enjoyed.
 
TheEvilGiraffe

TheEvilGiraffe

South East - Essex
ClioSport Area Rep
Tripod would be better.. I havent use my gorilla pod for ages. Not sure it'll hold my 7D up anyway... :eek:

Failing that, 2second timer would be an advantage.

Anyway, good effort !
 
DanFreemanPhoto

DanFreemanPhoto

  R26
Sack the gorilla pod, a lot of the photos look pretty blurred because of it.

The main thing I would criticise is the composition of many of the photos. For example, In 1, 2 and 9, I would avoid putting one of the main focuses of the photo slap bang in the middle. Remember the rule of thirds, you don't have to do it every time...in some cases ignoring it works better.

In 3 for example, you could have positioned the road a third of the way into the photo, and it would lead the eye into the distance of the frame. Look up 'leading lines', that's a good thing to know regarding composition.

I'll do some more C+C after Top Gear :)
 
Brazo

Brazo

Hi Sam

I was in London yesterday with the Mrs and did some shots too so heres my feedback from a first person perspective. I like shots 1 and 2, its an interesting angle of the london eye. but as Dan says the composition needs work, the horizon is dead in the middle as is the eye. Your shot was taken at 8.35, Sunset was about 6.10pm yesterday and from about 6.30pm there was a nice purple glow in the sky until about 8pm ish. This looks nicer to me than a muddy brown sky, indeed twilight mixed with artifical lighting = win as far as i'm concerned.

Comments reference blurriness have been said. I shoot with a £25 manfrotto table top tripod and it would support a sherman tank lol! Its tiny and very stable.

Watch the highlights, for example the clock face of big ben is completly blown. When doing night photography I often shoot the same scene 2 stops less and then either perform a mini HDR in PP or simply cut and paste the properly exposed highlights onto my normally exposed image.

Boat trails.... hmm I have caught a lot of these but my current thinking is they look a little odd and disturb the river so you get a cleaner long exposure without them.

I like shots 5 and 6 but the rest don't particularly do much for me.

that said I have just looked back on my first night photography photos in London and I would no longer post them:eek:

PS were shots 1 and 2 taken from waterloo bridge?
 
T

Tonys

Im off up there tomorrow day time.
Any recommendations of where to go and what lenses to take?
Was thinking just a 50mm 1.4 to try justify keeping it. May throw in the 18-200mm too as i seem to take it everywhere.
 
Brazo

Brazo

Thames path mate, start at Westminster bridge and follow it to tower bridge. Take the 18-200, sell the 50 it's such an odd focal length for crop sensors.
 
T

Tonys

Ill give that a go, opposite direction tho as ill come in close to Tower bridge.

Love the speed of the 50mm tho, just need to find a use for it.
 
W

Wick

DanFreemanPhoto said:
Sack the gorilla pod, a lot of the photos look pretty blurred because of it.

The main thing I would criticise is the composition of many of the photos. For example, In 1, 2 and 9, I would avoid putting one of the main focuses of the photo slap bang in the middle. Remember the rule of thirds, you don't have to do it every time...in some cases ignoring it works better.

In 3 for example, you could have positioned the road a third of the way into the photo, and it would lead the eye into the distance of the frame. Look up 'leading lines', that's a good thing to know regarding composition.

I'll do some more C+C after Top Gear :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Dan. All very useful, I might try for a re-edit with my horizons to see if I can liven them up a bit.

Gorilla pod needs to go. Ideal for travelling though, the GF wouldn't have been to happy with me dragging a huge pod with me so somewhere in the middle would be quite a nice move.

Thanks for the leading lines tip, something to read up on :) Looking at 3 now I can see exactly what you mean. I'm not very disciplined when I'm out shooting and tend to find a spot I like and snap away. I can't help but think on the crop frame, a nice quality 10-22 would make life easier for me.
 
TheEvilGiraffe

TheEvilGiraffe

South East - Essex
ClioSport Area Rep
Gorilla would be OK for daytime shots with a normal size camera. Stick a big lens on an SLR and you're in trouble. I wouldn't entertain it for night shots.. don't bin it !
 
W

Wick

Thanks Brazo :D Very constructive.

Brazo said:
Hi Sam

I was in London yesterday with the Mrs and did some shots too so heres my feedback from a first person perspective. I like shots 1 and 2, its an interesting angle of the london eye. but as Dan says the composition needs work, the horizon is dead in the middle as is the eye. Your shot was taken at 8.35, Sunset was about 6.10pm yesterday and from about 6.30pm there was a nice purple glow in the sky until about 8pm ish. This looks nicer to me than a muddy brown sky, indeed twilight mixed with artifical lighting = win as far as i'm concerned.
Click to expand...

Indeed. Timing wasn't on my side as I went for dinner but this isn't something I'd normally consider! Was a nice evening last night, loads of 'togs out. Littered with people on the southbank shooting the skaters and landscapes.

Brazo said:
Comments reference blurriness have been said. I shoot with a £25 manfrotto table top tripod and it would support a sherman tank lol! Its tiny and very stable.

Watch the highlights, for example the clock face of big ben is completly blown. When doing night photography I often shoot the same scene 2 stops less and then either perform a mini HDR in PP or simply cut and paste the properly exposed highlights onto my normally exposed image.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip. This is something that I was having real difficulty with! Clock faces gone, streetlights overpowering the frame, white buildings overexposed.

Brazo said:
Boat trails.... hmm I have caught a lot of these but my current thinking is they look a little odd and disturb the river so you get a cleaner long exposure without them.

I like shots 5 and 6 but the rest don't particularly do much for me.

that said I have just looked back on my first night photography photos in London and I would no longer post them:eek:

PS were shots 1 and 2 taken from waterloo bridge?
Click to expand...

Couldn't decide if I liked the boats or not either! They seem to add to the photos in some ways, but they also make the water look very busy.

1 and 2 are indeed from waterloo bridge. Again, arriving there was more luck than judgement but when I arrived the light being cast on the thames from the eye was pretty perfect for a snap.

These are my first night landscapes, I have shot cars once or twice before in a carpark, but other than that it's a whole new learning curve. One thing I have noticed is that it is much harder to judge scenes when the lights are constantly changing or the light sources around you are all of varying intensity, rather than just indoor fluro strip lights for example.
 
Last edited:
W

Wick

Tonys said:
Im off up there tomorrow day time.
Any recommendations of where to go and what lenses to take?
Was thinking just a 50mm 1.4 to try justify keeping it. May throw in the 18-200mm too as i seem to take it everywhere.
Click to expand...

Avoid the tate modern unless your "arty". I just didn't get it lol! No flash photos either and my camera at iso 800-1600 is just grainy.

Lens-wise it depends what you want to shoot.

Definitely take a wide angle if you have it and want landscapes. I barely used my 50mm but that said, if you want to do some more intricate street stuff then something that shoots at 1.4 could make for some very interesting shots.

I'd recommend the southbank area for street performers. Find a few interesting or unusual subjects as during the day I found myself snapping aimlessly like a tourist. Night time inspired me a bit :)
 
W

Wick

Tonys said:
Ill give that a go, opposite direction tho as ill come in close to Tower bridge.

Love the speed of the 50mm tho, just need to find a use for it.
Click to expand...

I love my 50mm for portrait or event stuff but you really have to move around as it is an awkward prime length! Tower bridge is a brilliant place to shoot. The one place I wish I had visited yesterday as well.
 
DanFreemanPhoto

DanFreemanPhoto

  R26
Composition is such a simple thing, but a lot trickier to nail than most realise. I'm still guilty of just 'taking a photo', only to realise when I get home how poorly composed it is.

I trying to get into the habit of spending 5-10 seconds for every photo JUST to think about the composition. Might not sound like much, but it's a lot more than I usually spend!
 
W

Wick

TheEvilGiraffe said:
Gorilla would be OK for daytime shots with a normal size camera. Stick a big lens on an SLR and you're in trouble. I wouldn't entertain it for night shots.. don't bin it !
Click to expand...


Cheers TEG, I'll hang onto it for holidays! Yet to use it during the day. My kit is tiny atm, weighs no more than about 800g.

Thank you everyone so far for taking the time to share your C+C's, it's much appreciated.
 
T

Tonys

The touristy areas it is then. May try to get out to Regents Canal / primrose hill too.
The 50mm has to come as i want to keep it but have no real need for it (or haven't found one yet), already have a 30mm and a 35mm (that needs to go too!)

Composition is tricky, its far too easy to shoot everything very central.
 
Cup_Phil

Cup_Phil

TheEvilGiraffe said:
Tripod would be better.. I havent use my gorilla pod for ages. Not sure it'll hold my 7D up anyway... :eek:

Failing that, 2second timer would be an advantage.

Anyway, good effort !
Click to expand...

Sorry but disagree with that completely

I took my Gorilla Pod to London a few years back with my Canon 7D and 17-40mm f4L (heavy lens!!)
It works brilliantly and fits in a very small camera bag with my camera.

It won't hold a 7d up if you attach it horizontally to a lamppost or something like that - but as a mobile mini tripod it was fantastic. I wrapped it around gates and fences and set it up on bridges.

All taken with my 7d and Gorilla Pod

5301935456_31dd86dcb0_b.jpg

London at Night by Phil_Barker, on Flickr

5301336377_b04f327d64_b.jpg

London Eye by Phil_Barker, on Flickr

5301340127_34bd023d85_b.jpg

Lights are blinding by Phil_Barker, on Flickr

5301337465_707ccc8afc_b.jpg

London at Night by Phil_Barker, on Flickr

:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Jason_E
Few snaps from DC12.
Replies
17
Views
3K
VeinAST
V


Top