shahbazmajeed
FollowViews
13187
Likes
Awards
Lucky 3 Award
Contest Finalist in Tall Structures Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Modern Tall Buildings Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Long Exposure In The City Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Modern Architecture Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in City Views Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Towering Buildings Photo Contest
Featured
Contest Finalist in Modern Cities Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Love it
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Genius
Jaw Dropping
Top Ranks
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken from the top of The Address Hotel, Downtown Dubai a number of years ago now. Sadly, the building was the one where the fire broke out last year so is currently closed but is expected to reopen early next year.Time
I was ready to take photos from just before sunset to capture the best light but this was my favourite of the evening as once the sun went down and the city started to light up, it was something else. Once the fountain started it was just a matter of selecting the appropriate shutter speed to capture the fountain and the city/building lights.Lighting
It wouldn't have been the same without there still being some light in the sky and the city lights. I have ones where it is black as they were taken well after sunset and they don't have the same impact as one just after dusk with the evening lights coming on.Equipment
This image was taken on a Canon 5D Mk II with a 17-40 Lens and even at 17mm it was just wide enough to capture the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Fountain and the Dubai in the frame. You only really appreciate the size of the Burj Khalifa in person! Exposure was 2.5 seconds at f/8 and ISO 400. The image was taken on a tripod with a remote release.Inspiration
We had booked into this hotel for our stay due to its location to the Dubai Mall and we actually had a pretty amazing view from our balcony but it was from a much lower viewpoint. One day, I just happened to mention to the hotel staff that the view must be even better from the higher floors and before I knew it I had access to take pictures from this unique perspective.Editing
Minor adjustments to the exposure and contrast applied via curves layers. It was taken in July so a very hazy time of the year!In my camera bag
I used to shoot with the Canon 5D then the 5D Mk II before moving on to the Canon 1DX and various L series lenses which were fantastic pieces of kit. Since the start of the year I am now shooting exclusively with Phase One Medium Format.Feedback
The key for these kind of images is to be there from before sunset and stay well after - the range of images you can get as the light changes is very different and the selection of images from this evening vary so much you wouldn't necessarily know that they were taken a short period of time apart. The other key thing is to bracket your exposures (unless your camera can capture a very large dynamic range) so that you can recover details in the shadows or highlights if required later on. Sharpness and detail in the image will always help cityscape images as it small details always makes a difference and that is why the vast majority of my work, from landscapes to cityscapes are all taken with a tripod and so I am always happy to pay for extra baggage to take my tripod on my travels.