A kid in a candy store (or should I say night shooting in the city)

[Seb]

Hello all,

Having lived in Montreal forever I cannot say that I have shoot my city quite oftenly. I went for it 2 years ago when I introduced myself to the hobby and I have tought about various concepts since then but I never went for it. So last night I grabbed my D70 and headed downtown in the Old Montreal. As the name suggest this part of the city was the first to be develloped centuries ago. Nowaday this magnificient area feature an unique blend of genuine building from the 17th and 18th century and contemporary architecture. Fine restaurants and art galeries are everywhere. The place is especially remarkable at night due to its lightning. I was hyper as a kid in an candy store lol.

Here are my favorite shots from last night. As usual, comments are welcome.

1) The circus school: F/10 8s ISO 200 46mm
2) The viaduct: F/9 5s ISO 200 31mm
3) City houses: F/10 3sec ISO 200 31mm (+9 lightning, + 28 contrast in Photoshop)
(notice the major flare in the center of the frame on the house, I am wondering if my lense is flawed...)
4) City houses #2: F/10 13sec ISO 200 31mm

[gahspidy]

Hey Seb,
I sure do know about that Kid in the /candy store feeling you speak of. I like all of these, but here is my break down. The first one, the Circus school I would have liked to see the top of the peak roof. For me at least, i feel somewhat cheated that it is cut off and not for me to view the building in whole. I also would have like to see some more foreground in there as well, like a bit of the street that the school is on. Maybe a 35mm lens would have done that.
The second one, the viaduct, I like alot because of the colors against the night. I also really like the drain pipe in the upper right part of the frame. It is very clear and i like the shadows that go along with it. If anything, i might just want to see that structure on the left bg cropped out, but overall i like it.
Third, this one is my favorite out of the four.The City houses. I like your framing of the shot, the composition, exposure. I get the feeling of a lonely , desolate area of this street at this hour, and the blue peak steeple in the bg is a huge plus. Also dig the little details like the crates scattered about the street. Good shot
The fourth i am not too crazy about. I don't think you have framed and composed this one too well, but not sure how i would do it to improve this. I think I would crop it from the left asll the way to the walk path so that only the sidewalk and the row house are there.
just my opinion of course, others may think it is great as it is.
nice shootin

[Yoyo Szeto]

Hi Seb,
Interesting lighting captured in the photos. For Photo 4, I suggest to reshoot a bit earlier to have the light from some windows in the background building.
yoyo

[Seb]

Hey Seb,
I sure do know about that Kid in the /candy store feeling you speak of. I like all of these, but here is my break down. The first one, the Circus school I would have liked to see the top of the peak roof. For me at least, i feel somewhat cheated that it is cut off and not for me to view the building in whole. I also would have like to see some more foreground in there as well, like a bit of the street that the school is on. Maybe a 35mm lens would have done that.
The second one, the viaduct, I like alot because of the colors against the night. I also really like the drain pipe in the upper right part of the frame. It is very clear and i like the shadows that go along with it. If anything, i might just want to see that structure on the left bg cropped out, but overall i like it.
Third, this one is my favorite out of the four.The City houses. I like your framing of the shot, the composition, exposure. I get the feeling of a lonely , desolate area of this street at this hour, and the blue peak steeple in the bg is a huge plus. Also dig the little details like the crates scattered about the street. Good shot
The fourth i am not too crazy about. I don't think you have framed and composed this one too well, but not sure how i would do it to improve this. I think I would crop it from the left asll the way to the walk path so that only the sidewalk and the row house are there.
just my opinion of course, others may think it is great as it is.
nice shootin

Hello Gary,

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Frankly, I agree with all of your comments (other than your opinion on the fourth shot, I do feel that it is lesser than the rest but still like it the way it is).

About the circus school, I was pleased by the result I got at the first place but you are right that it should be seen as a whole with the roof and more foreground. I don't think that I could have showed a lot more though due to the environement arround the place. I couldnt set my camera significantly further away from the building. I guess that I would have needed something like a 20mm prime to get the work properly done.

About the viaduct, I already cropped the left side before posting but I guess that I was too shy to fully do it. The building in the extreme left background do is distracting.

About city houses #1, it's my favorite shoot from friday night. The blue peak you are reffering at is the church tower of "La Chapelle Bonsecours" (The Bonsecours chapel). This chapel is superbly lightened and I wanted to shoot it but I ran out of the batteries too soon during that session. Actually, I intend to go back there and to shoot several others time during the whole summer.

Then again, thanks for your imput.

Seb