Lomaki Pueblo at sunset

http://durtgurl.smugmug.com/Other/Lo...evening-XL.jpg

Lomaki Pueblo at Wupatki National Monument north of Flagstaff, AZ. This was the first image from my evening shoot to get moon-lit ruins on 9-29-2012. I just wish I had removed the tripod and bag from the FOV prior to shooting this one. Comments?

5D3 using in-camera HDR
24-105L @ 24mm
ISO500
f/9

Well the tripod could easily be cloned out. I think it could use just a touch more brightness in the fore ground . Maybe just a slight contrast boost as well.

First post? Congratulations! Nice scene for sure. Here's what I like and also what I think could be improved:

- I like the muted tones in the sky. Not as powerful as typical AZ sunsets, but that's fine.
- Good placement of the brick formation in the foreground. Shows the interesting background mountains, etc.
- The wide format works here, imho.

For what could be better,

- I would have gotten lower and shot up more, so that the top of the brick wall was not at the same level as the horizon.
- The above would have kept the left cloud in the scene and also allowed you to crop some off the top, as the sky looks a tad too dominate.
- Maybe a tad more foreground?

I wouldn't worry too much about the bag and tripod, very easy to remove via cloning if you desire.

GB

Excellent. Maybe a tiny bit more foreground. Angle, great. Colors, great. Brightness, fine.

Tripod and bag should be cloned out. Might be cool left in if they were both completely within the frame.

In-camera HDR? Geez... it's getting way too easy.

Yup, my first photo contribution to this site! Thanks for the comments - very useful. BG - the problem with getting lower was that I would have lost Sunset Crater and the San Francisco peaks in the background.

I've been shooting DSLR for just over a year with a Canon T3i. Been having so much fun that I just stepped it up to the 5D3. I've been using nothing but iPhoto for post-processing so am looking forward to receiving Lightroom4 later this week. I'll post up a fresh version of this photo with tripod and bag cloned out once I get LR figured out. Would like to be a regular contributer to this forum :-)

Nice shot, I know those mountains very well. You will be able to make this photo really pop with some simple LR4 tweaks, but I don't think it needs much. I would have used an ND graduated filter, but you can easily create the affect in LR. As said, clone out the tripod, which leads me to why you weren't using the tripod for this shot in the first place? The hard part was done; you brought it all the way up there with you, why didn't you use it?

BTW, I have been on this forum for about a year now and was/am a beginner myself. It really does help to provide critiques to other's work. Don't be afraid to speak your mind, even the professionals here post for feedback. This a a very helpful and friendly forum, you will become a much better photographer by giving critiques.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adamo

Nice shot, I know those mountains very well. You will be able to make this photo really pop with some simple LR4 tweaks, but I don't think it needs much. I would have used an ND graduated filter, but you can easily create the affect in LR. As said, clone out the tripod, which leads me to why you weren't using the tripod for this shot in the first place? The hard part was done; you brought it all the way up there with you, why didn't you use it?

BTW, I have been on this forum for about a year now and was/am a beginner myself. It really does help to provide critiques to other's work. Don't be afraid to speak your mind, even the professionals here post for feedback. This a a very helpful and friendly forum, you will become a much better photographer by giving critiques.

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Thanks!!!

Working with everyone's comments, I've recropped and brightened the image a tad using the only tool I have right now - iPhoto. Better? I think so!

http://durtgurl.smugmug.com/Other/Lo...Lomakai-XL.jpg

The image above was taken using my first tripod - the other one is for my second camera, the T3i. The goal of this shoot was to capture moon-lit ruins with stars. Well, I learned that a full moon is NOT the time to do this unless I get a graduated ND filter (on order!). Everything was so darn bright that the stars were lost. Here are the best shots I got that night with the 5D3 and a 14mm Rokinon:

http://durtgurl.smugmug.com/Other/Lo...IMG3263-XL.jpg

http://durtgurl.smugmug.com/Other/Lo...IMG3292-XL.jpg

And here is a 33-minute shot with the T3i and my favorite lens, the 8mm Rokinon. I really like how the moon crept into the FOV at the very end, but I wish there were more star trails.

http://durtgurl.smugmug.com/Other/Lo.../MG5622-XL.jpg

very nice image ! ( the first one once you improved it a bit) I think the composition is fine

Of the night scenes I really like the second one, with the ruins dominating and clouds moving in the sky is my favorite,
You used only ISO 400, wow! I never done full moon shots , I should try it some time
Good job on the manual focus with such low light !

I just think it needs a bit more light , that's the only thing I would change

the fist and third images are not as interesting,
1st is a bit dark, too much sky and to little stars,

and 3rd one ... the trails are not long enough

when you get the GND filter how will you use it ? to darken the ground ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by armando_m

when you get the GND filter how will you use it ? to darken the ground ?

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Night shots are my latest passion. Living in Phoenix AZ I get an abundance of clear skies to practice, but I also have to either travel out of the city or stay put and deal with mega doses of light pollution. It is my hope that a graduated ND filter will darken the cityscape and allow for long-exposure night shots to capture the city *and* the stars.