albyn
FollowFlorence, Italy
Florence, Italy
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Awards
Fall Award 2020
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Top Choice
All Star
Superior Skill
Magnificent Capture
Virtuoso
OverTheMoon
June 23, 2015
I came for a little pick-me-up and you did not disappoint! Truly lovely work, as usual....;-)
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was shot two years ago along the Arno River in Florence, Italy. I think it is a pretty common subject, but lots of good photographers do cool things with common subjects.Time
I am guessing it was mid-afternoon, as my wife and I love walking in European cities. We both poke around looking for restaurants. While she shops, I take pictures.Lighting
As regards to lighting, the sun was behind me. But the key was looking at the water and seeing the clarity of reflection.Equipment
Two years ago I was using just a Nikon P600 with its 60x zoom. To me, it is an ideal camera for easy carry and quality of shots.Inspiration
The beauty of the buildings, the balancing presence of the bridge, and the reflection in the water. All would fill the frame.Editing
Post-processing gives the picture its depth of color (hopefully without overdoing it). It improves the quality of photos taken with just about any camera. My trick here was to make a digital copy and then layer the two copies with an HDR processor. I refined the picture with Photoshop Elements 13. I cropped above and below to remove unnecessary sky and water and bring the buildings closer to us.In my camera bag
Now, two years later, I use a Nikon D7100 with an extra Nikkor 55-300mm telescopic lens. Often I still bring along the Nikon P600 for close quarters and a lighter carry. Also, it is sometimes quicker. To be honest, I rarely use my tripod. For bracketing HDR pics, I hold the camera steady and use the D7100 automatic multiple picture feature. The tripod is still best, and I have started to use it more.Feedback
Keep in mind that post-processing can fix errors and blemishes. So take the shot. When taking the shot, think about location of the light source and composition of the picture. Make it interesting. Fill the frame. Take risks. For example, shoot that strip of land in the horizon, then crop out the waste and create an exciting panorama. Also, you never know what the picture will look like until you see it on the computer screen. I am relying more and more on taking multiple shots of something, knowing that the processor will fix slight wiggles. If it does not fix the wiggle, I throw out the picture. Keep the good ones.