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I like the idea a lot, it's moody and very evocative. Using the moon to create a strong silhouette is unusual - I assume a hazy sky. I like the way we are looking up from darkness into the glow.
There are various things that I would like to improve on, I hope that you will use this as a basis for some more attempts. There will be future opportunities!
First of all, I wish you had gone a bit wider, your camera would allow it; or moved back a few steps, but I don't know if that was possible! Just to give a bit more space at the top of the frame. For my eye this needs the full arc of the moon's glow, fading up into night time black.
That would then give possibilities for crops to place the chimney off-centre, for a subtler, more poetic composition.
The chimney stack looks to be leaning slightly - that's easily corrected. Just a quick clockwise rotation.
It also looks a bit soft round the edges. That may have crept in during b&w processing.
Those are just points to bear in mind - I shall go and have a play with this. But any modification will really be about how I see this - you saw the opportunity. Well done!
Moira
There are various things that I would like to improve on, I hope that you will use this as a basis for some more attempts. There will be future opportunities!
First of all, I wish you had gone a bit wider, your camera would allow it; or moved back a few steps, but I don't know if that was possible! Just to give a bit more space at the top of the frame. For my eye this needs the full arc of the moon's glow, fading up into night time black.
That would then give possibilities for crops to place the chimney off-centre, for a subtler, more poetic composition.
The chimney stack looks to be leaning slightly - that's easily corrected. Just a quick clockwise rotation.
It also looks a bit soft round the edges. That may have crept in during b&w processing.
Those are just points to bear in mind - I shall go and have a play with this. But any modification will really be about how I see this - you saw the opportunity. Well done!
Moira
An interesting one. A couple of steps left or right to keep the moon behind the stack but place the stack off center would improve.
You need the silhouette sharp. This is a time for manual focus. Often not a simple matter on a compact but should be possible via menu or a switch.
A good effort.
Paul
You need the silhouette sharp. This is a time for manual focus. Often not a simple matter on a compact but should be possible via menu or a switch.
A good effort.
Paul
Paul and Moira;
Thanks for your input. Moira, the chimney IS crooked, lol. That's why it's leaning. It was a bit hazy out. This is actually SOOC, no B&W processing, nothing. Just followed earlier advice about shoot, evaluate, adjust, shoot.
Paul- I cannot manual focus at all with this camera that I have found. It is very frustrating. I have it on centre AF now. I have tried the other focus settings with no joy also.
It is actually a 'crooked little house".
It's my neighbors so I will have other opportunities.
Thanks for your input. Moira, the chimney IS crooked, lol. That's why it's leaning. It was a bit hazy out. This is actually SOOC, no B&W processing, nothing. Just followed earlier advice about shoot, evaluate, adjust, shoot.
Paul- I cannot manual focus at all with this camera that I have found. It is very frustrating. I have it on centre AF now. I have tried the other focus settings with no joy also.
It is actually a 'crooked little house".
It's my neighbors so I will have other opportunities.
Quote:Thanks for your input. Moira, the chimney IS crooked, lol. That's why it's leaning. It was a bit hazy out. This is actually SOOC, no B&W processing, nothing. Just followed earlier advice about shoot, evaluate, adjust, shoot.
Paul- I cannot manual focus at all with this camera that I have found. It is very frustrating. I have it on centre AF now. I have tried the other focus settings with no joy also.
When I came to work on the image I detected a hint of colour. I like 'natural mono'.
I also suspected that the tilt might be true to life. But it would need to be more pronounced and visible against horizontal lines to work in an image I think.
Focusing - given the camera's limitations you did the right thing to place the subject in the centre. I doubt that you can do anything more than that.
I'm surprised there isn't a manual focus option. There must be a focus lock function, you could try that.
However, given the shutter speed the softness is most likely down to camera movement, even on a tripod, if you were releasing the shutter on the camera.
Small vibrations are easily transmitted from hand to camera especially if you're gripping the camera at the same time as the exposure.
You may not be able to get a remote release for your model, but you could use the self timer option (it should have one). Split second timing for subjects like this isn't required!
However, given the shutter speed the softness is most likely down to camera movement, even on a tripod, if you were releasing the shutter on the camera.
Small vibrations are easily transmitted from hand to camera especially if you're gripping the camera at the same time as the exposure.
You may not be able to get a remote release for your model, but you could use the self timer option (it should have one). Split second timing for subjects like this isn't required!
Soft is not always bad: sometimes, a sharp image is less evocative than a blurry one, though I'm not sure whether that's the case here.
Centre focus plus focus lock (often, you get that by taking first pressure on the shutter release) works - recomposing after locking focus to get off-centre compositions is sensible, though. I like Moira's mods.
I think there's also something about the two things that are driving you at present - the desire to explore as much as possible (which is good), and the need to understand technicalities, including the limitations of any given camera (also good). The two clash in this picture...
I don't know what the answer is, because it has to be personal to you. I do feel, though, that it's something to think about and keep referring back to.
Centre focus plus focus lock (often, you get that by taking first pressure on the shutter release) works - recomposing after locking focus to get off-centre compositions is sensible, though. I like Moira's mods.
I think there's also something about the two things that are driving you at present - the desire to explore as much as possible (which is good), and the need to understand technicalities, including the limitations of any given camera (also good). The two clash in this picture...
I don't know what the answer is, because it has to be personal to you. I do feel, though, that it's something to think about and keep referring back to.
John and Keith-
This camera does not have a manual focus option and that is frustrating for me,
The camera does focus on 1st pressure, not sure if that "locks it", I will research that.
Funny you mention a remote, I looked alot and no, not for this bridge camera BUT the self timer it does have, never thought of it in this manner. Excellent idea and I will use that.
As for softness, there was a ground fog rising and the air had some moisture in it so I didn't think anything of it, I like the softness in this instance though a crispness to the chimney would have an interesting effect.
John, you have me pretty well figured out. I am pushing as far as I can go with this camera and while I understand the concepts, I don't have enough experience to be "unconscious competent" yet and am still at the "easily overwhelmed" stage.
I look at the galleries on here and admittedly, feel like an uncreative brick. So I am trying to get away from the standard images I have been doing and trying anything.
This camera does not have a manual focus option and that is frustrating for me,
The camera does focus on 1st pressure, not sure if that "locks it", I will research that.
Funny you mention a remote, I looked alot and no, not for this bridge camera BUT the self timer it does have, never thought of it in this manner. Excellent idea and I will use that.
As for softness, there was a ground fog rising and the air had some moisture in it so I didn't think anything of it, I like the softness in this instance though a crispness to the chimney would have an interesting effect.
John, you have me pretty well figured out. I am pushing as far as I can go with this camera and while I understand the concepts, I don't have enough experience to be "unconscious competent" yet and am still at the "easily overwhelmed" stage.
I look at the galleries on here and admittedly, feel like an uncreative brick. So I am trying to get away from the standard images I have been doing and trying anything.
