>>> dgrin challenge 21 - after sundown <<<

[Andy]

dgrin challenge 21 is here. it will run from monday, september 6th at 12:01am nyc time, through monday, september 20th at noon nyc time. the guest judge this time is going to be the winner of challenge 20, determined by the voters. we'll try something new this challenge, for comments and critiques. it's all explained here (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=2579).

remember, in order for this to work, you should be commenting and critiquing for others as much as you expect to get for yourself. you've got to give to get!

challenge 21 is about shooting "after sundown" so take an afternoon nap, folks, and get out there at the end of the day :D if you are doing a night landscape or cityscape, get in position 45 minutes before sunset. you might get a good sunset - and turn around, you'll be surprised at what that fading light does to the scene behind you. i find, some of the best light for scenics & landscapes is the 30-45 minutes right after the sun goes down. you can get some great blue sky and sometimes a lovely gradient, from pink at the horizon to blue way up high.

n.b.: as this challenge is for "after dark," photos of sunsets or sunrises will not be allowed. i will allow, however, photos taken of any scene opposite the sunset, or sunrise, where you are capturing some sweet fading light at the end of the day or breaking at the beginning of a new day - see the photo of the thames river barrier below for an example. so, for our purposes, "after dark" means that time when the sun is just disappearing behind the horizon in the west, until the sun just comes up in the east.

why no sunsets or sunrises? well, we've all taken them, plenty of times, so get out there and challenge yourself to do something new and different.

here's a link for inspiration:

the sony forum's challenge on "after the sun is gone" (http://www.pbase.com/stfchallenge/challenge_69_after_the_sun_is_gone)

and here are a few examples, submitted by me, to get you thinking:
http://williams.smugmug.com/photos/7988494-S.jpg http://williams.smugmug.com/photos/8030218-S.jpg

http://williams.smugmug.com/photos/7486278-M.jpg http://williams.smugmug.com/photos/1623857-S-1.jpg

here are some shooting tips for "after dark"


shoot with a tripod and remote shutter release
carefully watch your histogram to avoid blown highlights
a good starting point after the sun is down is f/4 and 4 seconds, lowest iso
shoot in raw if you have it, the night lighting is challenging for white balance
bring a flashlight so you can easily see the controls on your camera
experiment with neutral density filters to slow your shutter speed, this can have a dramatic effect on carnival rides, automobile lights, star trails, and water of any kind


post processing takes a bit more time for night work. for digicams, plan on doing some noise reduction for skies and water. for all shooters, take a look at my nightshot post-processing tutorial (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?p=24467#post24467)


all of the other rules of the dgrin challenges apply, click here to review them (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=1338)

this thread, is the one into which you post your challenge entry, and remember, one entry per person, and the photo must be fresh, taken during the challenge period

***challenge 21 will close to entries on monday, september 20th, 2004 at 12 noon nyc time***

enjoy (challenge) photography,

[cmr164]

Guy putting on a stern face outside the Sanrio (Hello Kitty) shop in Times Sq.
http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/IH9T3429.jpg

[OscarMeier]

"Friends in the dark"
http://meier.smugmug.com/photos/8299184-M.jpg

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/8630853-L.jpg

Shem Creek
Mt Pleasant, SC

Photograpy by ginger

[Blade929]

My 3series is watching by Darby Ashmore

http://darby.smugmug.com/photos/8615537-L.jpg

[jantzen]

"Strom Thurmond Walk to Wellness Center" by Jantzen

Staright out of camera, would like to process, but no editing software on this machine at work.

I hope it stands on its' own merit, but don't worry, I will process and see how much I can polish it up.

Thank you for your comments and suggestions.

Exif info follows below photo.

[/url]

http://jantzen.smugmug.com/photos/8644256-L.jpg

EXIF

Photograph DetailsDate Taken:2004-09-16 19:59:44Make:SONYModel: DSC-F828 Size: 3264x2448 Bytes: 3380674 Aperture: f/8.0 ISO: 64 Focal Length: 7.1mm Exposure Time: 10s (100/10)JPEG Quality:8Flash:16Exposure Program:ManualExposure Bias:0ExposureMode:1LightSource:1White Balance:manualSharpness:1ColorSpace:sRGB[url="http://jantzen.smugmug.com/photos/8644256-L.jpg"] (http://jantzen.smugmug.com/photos/8644256-L.jpg)

[tmlphoto]

"VSU at Night"

http://tmlphoto.smugmug.com/photos/8708439-L.jpg

[johnnydanger]

http://www.johnnydanger.net/dgrinnight/therailroad.jpg

Canon 10D 70-200mm f2.8 IS
Capture info: 3" @ f2.8 90mm ISO 400
Captured on 9/12/04 @ 11:44pm

[Jeff698]

From the top of Sandia Peak in Albuquerque, NM.

http://Jarvis.smugmug.com/photos/8741007-L.jpg

Take care,
Jeff

[gotta]

...

[PerezDesignGroup]

http://art.smugmug.com/photos/8663604-L.jpg
Haulover Pier by PerezDesignGroup.

[lynnma]

Silent Factory

http://Lynn.smugmug.com/photos/8758501-L.jpg

[LBG]

http://lbg.smugmug.com/photos/6919317-M.jpg

[lynnesite]

http://www.photo.lynnesite.com/photos/8382923-L.jpg

[R&R]

Taken at Night of Joy 2004

http://randr.smugmug.com/photos/8772516-L.jpg

[snapapple]

This is a landmark in one of the older sections of San Diego - Kensington. They show "art" films and classics.

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/8774668-L.jpg

[pathfinder]

Edited at a viewers suggestion..... Col Vigo and his Aid to the Revolution


http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/8773391-L.jpg

[spockling]

A Passage at Night
http://members.shaw.ca/betlin/Night1PP.jpg

[Bryan]

http://gifford-family.smugmug.com/photos/8516575-M.jpg

Lake Hubbard. MI
ISO 1600, 1/30, D-Rebel

[RocketMan]

Old Town Dockside Eatery
http://roadrunes.com./images2/c-21/boat-2-1.jpg

RM

[SeeMoon]

Shanghai

http://see-moon.smugmug.com/photos/8783329-L.jpg

[AltPro]

"the touch" a portrait of love, after dark
ginette

http://throughthelensltd.smugmug.com/photos/8770151-L.jpg

[Andy]

Guy putting on a stern face outside the Sanrio (Hello Kitty) shop in Times Sq.
http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/IH9T3429.jpg

from andy:

charles, while i see you took this at night, it says to me more "street photography" than "after the sun has gone" i'd be more interested in this photo if the gent was looking at me .. hard to do i know! i think the pic has a bit of oof / lack of sharpness due to the exposure, too. that could be saved in post, various ways (i might try tri-x routine on this, but that's a personal pref). thanks for your continued participation in the challenges.

from gubbs:
Great catch & a great expression although I’d like to see more of the scene for an explanation of the expression and maybe less of the pillar, I don’t think “after sundown” comes through strongly enough though

[Andy]

"Friends in the dark"
http://meier.smugmug.com/photos/8299184-S.jpg


from andy: oscar - great idea, and this could be a winner. look for my nightshots post-processing thread in the hall of wisdom - your pic could use leveling of the horizon for the background, and some color / exposure adjustments. i really like your creativity here, it's nearly done. keep up the good work.


from gubbs:
Excellent idea! The city scene with the reflections is good, (with a bit of post could be excellent) and it’s a good shot of your friends, but I find the two elements together slightly distracting

[Andy]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/8630853-S.jpg

Shem Creek
Mt Pleasant, SC

Photograpy by ginger

from andy:

ginger - i wanted to pick this photo as a finalist. and i would have if it were sharper, and less noisy. not sure if you did this with rebel or your p&s but i recommend a reshoot with your rebel, a tripod, iso 100, and have at it! it's such a lovely scene, the colors and the boats and a dramatic sky. i really enjoy watching you work through your post work, and the decision as to which shot you'll enter. keep up the good work!

from gubbs:
Lovely composition and I think the colours in the water are beautiful. Despite all your efforts in post I’m afraid agree with Andy. I would love to see it re-shot

[Andy]

My 3series is watching by Darby Ashmore

http://darby.smugmug.com/photos/8615537-S.jpg

from andy:

it's a cool shot, though i find it very dark for my tastes. i think you could shoot this with different exposure to bring out some more of the shadows, and it would really pop. thanks for entering!

from gubbs:
The angle helps to dramatise the shot, and exaggerate the menacing, sinister look, but it doesn’t grab me, I think it needs another element to give some extra interest ( a silhouetted cat or something??? :dunno )

[Andy]

[QUOTE=jantzen]"Strom Thurmond Walk to Wellness Center" by Jantzen

http://jantzen.smugmug.com/photos/8644256-S.jpg

from andy:

the voters chose you! nice shot, about the only improvement i could think of would be to capture the scene with a slow-walking couple going up the path.

congrats again.

from gubbs:
What more can I say, I think andy’s covered it all there… congratulations! :clap

[Andy]

"VSU at Night"

http://tmlphoto.smugmug.com/photos/8708439-S.jpg

from andy:

b&w is an excellent choice for "after the sun goes down" -- it takes away the color casts and it's very dramatic. you did a fine job here, nice angle (i like odd angles) and there's plenty of detail - good exposure.

from gubbs:
Cool angle, the contrasts are lovely, and its all so sharp, excellent “after sundown” shot :thumb

[Andy]

http://www.johnnydanger.net/dgrinnight/therailroad.jpg


from andy: i would prefer this shot from ground level, it would be less surveillance-like and more dramatic. also, there's no real focal point for me to engage with.

from gubbs:
My first thought was that it needed a train (long exposure) thundering through but think you would benefit by experimenting with some other angles too :thumb

[Andy]

From the top of Sandia Peak in Albuquerque, NM.

http://Jarvis.smugmug.com/photos/8741007-S.jpg

Take care,
Jeff

from andy:

hi jeff - you pulled off a nice exposure, but becuase of the close up-ness of this shot, it's hard to tell if it's after sundown vs. the 1/2 hour before sunset, with the golden light. it's a fine abstract-y sort of photo, but i found it not as engaging as some of the othe entries. congrats on the effort though, and do keep entering :D

from gubbs:
Lovely autumnal colours, and interesting shapes, but I think it needs a little more space and suffers slightly from its central position

[Andy]

...

from andy:

it's a good exposure though the overall shot is a bit soft. the softness could work if it were a wider scene, i feel this is just a close up of a boat - it doesn't engage me very well. next time, try for something more, to put the scene in context , ok? thanks for entering, and please come back for more :)

from gubbs:

There’s a lot of good things here but I think this needs to be shot wider, I’m sure there must have been an opportunity for reflections? Definitely worth a re-shoot!

[Andy]

http://art.smugmug.com/photos/8663604-S.jpg
Haulover Pier by PerezDesignGroup.

from andy:

well, this is a good exposure, though i feel it too, could use some pop in color, contrast and sharpness. take another look at my nightshot postprocessing tute, in sid's hall of wisdom.. you have the elements of a good shot, like the ess curve of the pier. unfortunately, there's not enough subject interest here to grab me, at all. gas pumps near, and a treeline far. so, keep looking for more interesting shooting venues! thanks for playing, and contributing.

from gubbs:

The scene is set, it just needs some action to pull you in, but I love the pier, sky, moon & palms :thumb

[Andy]

Silent Factory

http://Lynn.smugmug.com/photos/8758501-S.jpg

from andy:

lynn, you went, you stayed up late, you shot. an ok exposure of a dead street in a spooky area of town. though it's a bit dull, eh? nothing there of interest, and without the title, i don't know where i am. the compo is a bit central for my taste. idea: get a few ghosts walking through - 1 or 2 or 3 sec exposure would do the trick. try b&w. go a bit wider. tilt the darn thing. add some ps effect. anything to make me engaged, and to make me think: "don't wanna be there at 2am!"

from gubbs:

While I agree with Andy, I like the emptiness of the late night, and I think this shot captures that :clap

[Andy]

http://lbg.smugmug.com/photos/6919317-S.jpg


from andy: techinally it's good. compositionally it's a postcard, so there's nothing special about it. harsh? maybe, and while i am encouraging small victories, i want you all to stretch your selves. try another angle, get me some foreground interest, anything to make it more engaging.

thanks for participating and i hope you continue!

from gubbs:

I very nearly selected this one as it is technically very good, but I have to agree with andy. It just didn’t grab me...

[Andy]

http://www.photo.lynnesite.com/photos/8382923-S.jpg

from andy: cool colors, texture, and they are dramatic on their own but otherwise i'm non-plussed. this makes for good background or something but artistically it does little for me.

yeah, i'm getting harsher as we move along in our challenges!

from gubbs:

Fantastic clouds and a lovely picture, but I felt that it needed a bit more for the challenge

[Andy]

Taken at Night of Joy 2004

http://randr.smugmug.com/photos/8772516-S.jpg

from andy:

a nicely done shot of a very typical subjet. the crop makes me wonder though, and so i'm less fond of it the more i look at it. would rather the entire scene, people and all, in a wide angle shot. it'd be more impressive i think. still, a nice effort and i thank you for contribuiting - looking for more from you as the challenges progress :D

from gubbs:

I liked the colours and sharpness of the castle against the sky, but immediately felt that too much had been cut off… if you couldn’t go wider maybe just a portrait shot would have been worth a try?? :dunno

[Andy]

This is a landmark in one of the older sections of San Diego - Kensington. They show "art" films and classics.

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/8774668-S.jpg

from andy:

snappy, i of course love the idea :D you are close (too close!) imo - try for a wider view, i think it'll help. there's some softness here that bothers me, too. compositionally this photo is challenged by the dark parts foreground right. you have to wait for "the decisive moment" for the people, too. look at my example of the stanford movie theater ...

from gubbs:

Not sure about your choice of subject? (very tough act to follow!) :D
I like the lighting but I have to agree with andy about going wider and waiting for the moment. May have been better from the other side so that the barrier wasn’t obscuring the people?

[Andy]

Edited at a viewers suggestion..... Col Vigo and his Aid to the Revolution


http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/8773391-S.jpg

from andy: bw a good choice here. it's dramatic, has good composition, it's sharp and clear.

from gubbs:

I agree, excellent photograph, and I have to admit, I thought this one would win! Maybe it lacks the atmosphere/mood of some of the other shots?? :dunno

[Andy]

A Passage at Night
http://members.shaw.ca/betlin/Night1PP.jpg

from andy: a good effort! try more of an angle next time, less straight on. look for more interest rather than bush shadows in the foreground. follow the instructions in my nightshot post processing tute to get max color, sharpness and pop from your work.

from gubbs:

A good shot and definitely in the spirit of the challenge, but I thinkthat it needed more interest, maybe from different angles as andy suggested or maybe close in on a section so you can pick out the details in the towers and pennants?

[Andy]

http://gifford-family.smugmug.com/photos/8516575-S.jpg

Lake Hubbard. MI
ISO 1600, 1/30, D-Rebel

from andy: i really liked this photo. the color, the scene, the light=heartedness of it :D congrats on a fine job.

from gubbs:

This was an easy choice for me, lovely shot…. :clap
Is the horizon a couple of degrees out?

[Andy]

Old Town Dockside Eatery
http://roadrunes.com./images2/c-21/boat-2-1.jpg

RM

from andy: you're close to a good shot here. i'd prefer it a bit wider, and perhaps shot a bit earlier, to get more color in the sky.

from gubbs:

A really good scene, but I too would prefer to see it wider and maybe with people from the eatery for some extra interest.

[Andy]

Shanghai

http://see-moon.smugmug.com/photos/8783329-S.jpg

from andy: watch the framing /composition - you snipped off the top of one of the buildings. this shot could use some perspective correction, too.

from gubbs:


I like the idea of capturing the photographers, but I think they ended up detracting from the scene. It’s a shame that the top of the tower was clipped too.

[Andy]

"the touch" a portrait of love, after dark
ginette

http://throughthelensltd.smugmug.com/photos/8770151-S.jpg


from andy: not exactly what i had in mind for the challenge, but i chose you anyway becuase i like the thought process that went into the shot and the composition. there's a soft tenderness here, too that 's engaging.

from gubbs:

A lovely touching shot, beautifully lit. "After the sun has gone" didn’t come across strongly enough for me but I thought it would be an excellent entry into the “Alone, Together” challenge :D