London skyline - aerial view
An aerial view of London city
An aerial view of London city
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Jul, 2016Views
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Awards
Winner in Cities From Above Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
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Behind The Lens
Location
I happened to visit the UK for a pleasure trip during the summer this year. This particular photo was taken in London while I was taking a bird eye's view of the city from atop the famous "London eye"Time
The sun was just setting by the time I reached the top of the London Eye. Luckily, it happened to be a clean, colorful day with some light rain earlier during the day and some pretty scenic cloud formation.Lighting
The photo was captured in natural light (obviously) at the time of sunset. The buildings were mainly backlit, but there was sufficient light circulating amongst the clouds to create an almost 'front lit' appearance.Equipment
For this photo, I used Pentax K50 with smc DA 18-55mm lens.Inspiration
The views of the city skyline were amazing from atop the London Eye. There was a very limited time there, and I wanted to capture a cityscape worth the ticket money! :D The glass of the cabin and the raindrops outside complicated it, but I found a sweetspot to place ny camera and start shooting with minimal distortion.Editing
Postprocessing was done to improve the dynamic range (while keeping the photo realistic) and to remove the insignificant artifacts created by the raindrops on the cabin glass. Finally, some sharpening was applied on selected points to create a more "3D" look.In my camera bag
I normally carry Pentax K3 with Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 lens. My secondary cameras include Pentax K50 and Nikon P510. Other lenses I own include smc DA 18-55 mm WR and smc DA 50mm f/1.8 I also own a number of continuous video LED flashlights from the Chinese brand NEEWER (which I find more useful for photos rather than videos); and two flashlights, one from Pentax and one from Yongnou; which I use indoors with umbrellas.Feedback
The most important thing to consider is the time of the day! Cityscapes are best captured at sunset/late evening. The dramatic lighting makes the photo very impressive! A little later, the city lights also start appearing while there is still some color to the sky; that particular time is the best. The next most important thing to consider is the vantage point. A suitable vantage point is crucial. Be at a good enough height to capture the buildings at a good angle. Too high and too narrow an angle will not bring out the "3D" eye popping effect. Finally, post processing should be reasonable. I notice people overdoing it and ruining an otherwise great shot. Keep it real guys! Also, add some "structure" by selective sharpening of shadows and highlights; rather than applying sharpness to the image as a whole.
