sarahtaroza

Chinese Lanterns

Fiery glow of the Chinese New Year celebrations

Fiery glow of the Chinese New Year celebrations
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Mar, 2015

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256

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+12

Awards

Legendary Award

Lucky 3 Award

Superb Composition

Outstanding Creativity

Top Choice

Absolute Masterpiece

Peer Award

Magnificent Capture

Top Ranks

Top 30 rank

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Behind The Lens

Location

I took this photo in Melbourne's CBD, during the celebration of Chinese New Year.

Time

The glow of Chinese lanterns was amplified by the fading evening light.

Lighting

Capturing the contrast between the flame-lit and dark colours of the leaves provided inspiration for this photo. Additionally, a candle-lit atmosphere was conveniently made possible through the background of flame heaters outside restaurants, and spotlights from a festival opera performance.

Equipment

The only device used was my iPhone 5's camera, I don't even recall making use of its flash. This may sound basic, but it is capable of some reasonable results when opportunities are approached with a clear vision or goal in mind. Camera: * 8MP * f2.2 aperture * True-tone LED flash * Back-side illuminated sensor * Hybrid infared sensor * Exposure control * Autofocus * Tap to focus * 5-element lens https://support.apple.com/kb/sp685?locale=en_AU

Inspiration

On the night the photo was taken, I was celebrating a romantic anniversary, which falls on on Valentine's Day. This date unexpectedly coincided with (slightly) early Chinese New Year celebrations! I wanted a souvineer to remember the occasion by, and, partly due to financial constraints, I decided a photo was the best option.

Editing

I am most comfortable with a naturalistic approach, which avoids post-processing. In this case, none was necessary.

In my camera bag

I do not own a professional camera (yet!). However, I enjoy the highly portable design of my iPhone, so I do not see my lack of equipment as a major hindrance.

Feedback

Due to a lack of experience, I cannot give specific advice for night photography, other than; ensure you are close enough to create the desired lighting l effect, and remember that the background still plays a crucial role in completing the photo. However, as I am highly spontaneous in my approach, I advise others to look for opportunities everywhere. When something stands out, let its most prominent artistic element (form, line, colour, space, texture) be your inspiration. For me, in this picture, it was the contrast of colour between the dark and flame-lit leaves, and also the line formation of the mesmerising, seemingly infinite row of lanterns. Also, try to convey the subject of the photo in honesty, while framing it using the basic rule of thirds. Once you find the desired lighting and colour for your photo, try different angles and magnifications. This can seem meaningless, but sometimes a different perspective is all that is needed to create a 'wow' factor.

See more amazing photos, follow sarahtaroza

sarahtaroza

sarahtaroza

Chinese Lanterns

Fiery glow of the Chinese New Year celebrations

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow sarahtaroza

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