Purple Bund
Jun, 2016Views
134
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Awards
People's Choice in Low light mastery Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Top Choice
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Shanghai, China. I was standing on a bridge that had a strategic view of the famous Waitan Bridge and the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, the Shanghai Tower, which is China's first and world's second tallest building.Time
It was 7PM, the sun had already set, giving the partially visible sky the blue hue, and allowing lights on the bridge and the buildings have just been turned on.Lighting
I wanted to capture the after-sunset glow in the sky, the beautiful building lights and the reflection of these lights on the water.Equipment
This was shot on a Canon 1100D with Tamron 10-20mm lens. I had to use a tripod.Inspiration
I love how Shanghai is filled with the contrast of the old and the new. I try to capture that in my photos by showing really old buildings against high-rises. In this photo, the three giants--Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, the Shanghai Tower-- are flanked by the Broadway Mansions on left and the Former Rowing Club and the Former Union Church on the right. Waibaidu Bridge, Shanghai's first all-steel bridge built in 1908, can also be seen in this photo. The beauty of the scene stands out even more in the later part of the day as the sun goes down and buildings are lit. On a lucky day, the skies are clear and the sunset warmly glows on the sky, the buildings and the water. On the day I took this photo, it was overcast and the clouds were low-lying--making it look like the Shanghai Tower is piercing the sky.Editing
I did a bit of adjustment on Lightroom to enhance the luminosity, balance the lights, and straighten the image.In my camera bag
I always pack my camera with the 50mm lens on it. I add the 10-20mm and a tripod on days when weather forecast is favourable so I can capture the beautiful Shanghai night lights.Feedback
What I found really useful is to be at the chosen vantage point at least 1 hour before and after sunset. This gives you time to see the transition from day to night--during which dramatic natural and artificial lighting effects can be captured.
