When evening lights up the water
When evening lights up the water
When evening lights up the water
Read less
Read less
Jan, 2015Views
192
Likes
Awards
Legendary Award
Summer 2020
Top Ranks
Top 20 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 30 rank
Top 30 rank
Top 30 rank
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this picture near the Ferry Building in the Embarcadero neighborhood of San Francisco. It's a great location to visit at any time of the year and there's a lot to do for everyone. The bridge that you see is the magnificent Bay Bridge that connects the city to Eastern part of the Bay. If you are ever in the area, do make time for the picturesque walk from the Cupid's Span to Fisherman's Wharf. It's an easy walk all along the water with many interesting photo opportunities.Time
I took this picture on one of those long days when daylight savings was in effect. It was about 7:30 PM in the evening and it was neither too dark nor too bright. I believe that's one of the best times of the day to take capture some great pictures.Lighting
I was very careful to ensure that I don't end up over exposing this picture but still manage to capture the reflection of the lights on the bridge and those from shipyard the other side of the bridge. There wasn't much lighting around except for a few street lights that were not very strong therefore I could easily go up to 15" shutter speed. I should also mention the presence of those unfinished pillars, they formed the perfect subject to focus on.Equipment
I upgraded my gear sometime back but when I took this picture, I used to have a Nikon D3100 and the very basic 18-55mm kit lens. It was pretty much when I was starting to move out of the auto mode and learn more about using the aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual modes. I did use a tripod for my entire shoot that evening.Inspiration
This is one of my best works till this date. It was the first time that I was learning to take long exposure shots using the shutter priority mode. I remember taking many pictures that evening with varying shutter speeds and exposure values. This one turned out to be the best. I believe that amidst the usual hustle-bustle of the super busy, modern cities there are sights that hold you back from the stressful and unending chain of thoughts and emotions. Such moments of admiration help us witness the feeling of joy without having to do anything special. I wanted to showcase that how you can experience happiness and be inspired by the beauty of things that you see every dayEditing
Most long exposure pictures require some post-processing. Especially if you end up with areas that are over-exposed. In the case of this picture, I had to lower the exposure at a few points, which were near the lights from the shipyard across the bay. Also, I used the graduated filter tool and the spot removal tool to clean up the blue sky.In my camera bag
As an intermediate who is still learning the traits of the game, I do not carry high-end gear. I rather take with me just the basic stuff that helps me capture what I want. The fist thing, of course, is my Nikon D7100, which is a great DLSR for someone like me who is an amateur but needs access to advanced controls. I have really come to loving taking pictures with it. The second thing that I never forget are the two lenses, 18mm-200mm, and the 35mm prime. They both make a great combination that covers most of my basic shooting needs. Though, I am seriously considering adding a wide-angle lens to my quiver soon. A few other things that always come handy are my lens cleaner pen, extra battery pack, and a CPL filter.Feedback
Here's some advice based on my experience: 1. It should be known but I would still reiterate that always carry a tripod when you are going to capture long exposure shots, shots showing a reflection or anything in very low light conditions. 2. After you take a long exposure picture, see it using the view that highlights the over-exposed areas in your picture. It's ok to have a few spots that are a bit overexposed as you can always take care of that while post-processing. But under-exposure is something you should always avoid. 3. If you are planning to take many long exposure pictures, then do remember to turn off the Long Exposure NR option off. It will definitely save you a lot of battery life. 4. I mostly use the live view when using a tripod.
