Marco Alves January 29, 2016 - 9:24 pm

Stuck at a crossroad.

I'd like to share this photo taken this afternoon. it consists of a blend of 3 exposures blended manually, a sunset sun blended into a blue hour sky and a +1 exposure for the foreground.

Comments are most welcome.

Regards

9 Comments

Ian McCann January 29, 2016 - 9:51 pm

This is a bit close to home, for me just now. I am about to do some complex multi-exposure, not just 2 or 3 exposures, car shots that will hopefully include the transitions from day to evening, sunset whatever. I have never done anything like this before so am aware, through the thinking about it, that this is no easy thing and there are techniques that must be mastered to achieve the quality I need to produce.

With all that in mind, and I repeat I have never done this type of work, what do I think about this image? For me, and I have a bias to the darkside, it looks a bit pale overall, lacking a bit of colour, which I would have thought a sunset photograph should be all about. Accepting that others are likely to feel differently, lets move on to a less personal observation. Overall, the blending seems to have worked well, with one exception, being the big cloud, which seems to be in a different colour, paler and more yellow, sky and there are three pale blobs in the sky left of the cloud. I would suggest a vigniette to darken the corners, which seem bright and this is distracting, drawing the eye away from the subject, the piers.

Finally the shot is nicely composed and has somethng about it. If only the sun had been setting in line with the ends of the piers, but that is beyond out gift, unfortunately.

I only hope my forthcoming shoot porduces work that looks this good.

Marco Alves January 30, 2016 - 7:06 am

Thanks for the feedback. When doing blends manually it helps if you know how to use luminosity masks, which helps to blend exposures seemlessly. I watched Elia Locardi's tutorial and it helped a lot. In regards to the image I actually prefered the subtle tone rather then the more dark tone which did try in a previous atempt. I do agree that the blobs seem a little distracting at this point and a vignette will help. In regards to the sun's position I guess I might get a better composition at a later time of the year.

Good luck with your project.

Ian McCann January 30, 2016 - 8:22 am

Marco Alves

Thanks Marco. I'll check out Elia Locardi's tutorial.

Michael Lacy January 30, 2016 - 8:33 am

Marco,
I can nit pick only one thing in this shot. ..the partial pier at the far left. Its OK but the image would be a bit stronger without it. I think it would have to be cloned out as keeping the sun in the shot is important. I love the almost fish-eye lens feel to the foreground composition with the straight horizon line, sets up a nice juxtaposition in the composition.. Your blending works great for me. Congrats.
Mike

Marco Alves January 31, 2016 - 10:26 am

Michael Lacy

You are suggestion is absolutely correct. the only reason I didnt mask the pier out is because I'm not the good at cloning. But I will give it a try. Thanks

Paul Watt January 31, 2016 - 9:53 am

I really like this image except for the cloud near the sun, i think it needs a little more definition. As for blending techniques, I use Jimmy mackintyres easy panel (it's free) which makes is really easy to create and use luminosity masks. Great for blending exposures.