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Lucien_Wood
Light My Way
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Light My Way



behind the lens badge
cameraCanon EOS 50D

settings Aperture f/5.6 ISO 1600 Shutter 1/5 Focal Length 17/1 

upload_dateDec, 2015

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1058

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Awards

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ClaritaBethCanlasMiller EloIm Proj11 OrvilleSpence awholebrookofjewels madsarnholtz NancyFlemingPhotography +13
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Mozmoz mjbranscome Quigley Athena_B mika80 anissa_aus firesign +8
Absolute Masterpiece
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Outstanding Creativity
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MjBain
Magnificent Capture
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All Star
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Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken after an evening out at a pub (bar) with friends in the Waterloo area of London.

Time

This is my favourite night time photo which I took after closing time while leaving a pub. It was around 11.45pm, stepping out into the street and being greeted with a typical wet London night back in May 2014.

Lighting

I wanted to capture the atmosphere of London at night, using only the artificial light from the street lamps.

Equipment

I used a Canon EOS 50D, with a Canon Ultrasonic 17-85mm lens. No flash or other equipment was used.

Inspiration

The silent atmosphere of the street inspired me to take this photo. As it had recently stopped raining the wet reflective look of the pavement stood out which added to this typical damp wet atmosphere you find during the nighttime in London.

Editing

I try to make the most minimal of changes in post-processing, to keep the photo as natural as possible. I found that having this photo in black and white brought out the best in the shot, I improved the clarity and the shadows and contrast slightly.

In my camera bag

At this time I had recently purchased a second hand Canon EOS 50D after my Panasonic DMC-FZ38 was stolen. So the Canon and the 17-85mm lens was the only bit of equipment I carried on me at the time this photo was taken. Since then I have included a Canon 200mm lens, tripod and cable shutter control to my bag which I carry nearly everywhere I go.

Feedback

Patience is the important thing in night shots I find especially when you don't have a tripod at hand. Using the natural light in this case the artificial light of the street lamps to focus on first so if your using an auto setting the lens exposure time is just short enough to capture enough light and detail without risking camera shake. At the time I was still learning how best to use my camera in getting the best results and I'm still learning to be honest! Don't be afraid to experiment and explore the many functions that modern cameras offer. Just be prepared for some disappointments, after taken a photo, what looks great on the camera screen can look very different when downloaded and seen on a large screen. If your patient you will for sure produce something to feel proud of, making all the effort worth while!

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