Refinery

[Marko]

This is one that I posted to the blog
http://www.photography.ca/blog/?p=69

- but I'd love to get a few critiques.
Exif data - ISO 1000 F2.8 1/80

I'm just starting to shoot scenery... Thanks! Marko

[Jules]

i like the mood of it and how the smoke trails.

something about the bottom right keeps pulling me though..not quite sure what.

[Misty-Bug]

Jules, it pulls me too, I wonder if it is cause the ground is not directly level. I like the shot. Does it look grainy? It is prob the computer I am on. I am on a different one right now. I like the mood of it in all honesty

[Marko]

Thanks for the comments!

Yup it is a bit grainy - probably cause it's a wee bit underexposed and I saved it a bit too low as a jpeg.

I probably could have done a better job on the bottom - but there was a 12 foot fence. (refineries hate people photographing - and snooping.....even though they practically rule the world, make a kajillion dollars and are destroying the planet with our tacit cooperation...but I digress )

Had I had more time I should have gotten up on a stool with a tripod and shot at a longer exposure with a smaller F-stop, and paid more attention to the bottom.

Thx!
marko

[Misty-Bug]

I do like the shot though. Could you just crop out the ground on the bottom? Just try to make it level that way? You could also neat image it. I used that and have it in my photoshop program. It is great for those shots that are a little grainy. I just forget to use it sometimes.

[Misty-Bug]

I *could* show you what I mean if you would like. I did try it out but won't post it unless you say it is ok. I am sorry if I shouldn't have. I just neat imaged it and then cropped the bottom out a bit.

[tegan]

The refinery can easily be straightened without cropping in postprocessing. I use PaintShop Pro for that because it is very fast. It also needs to be brightened a little so that the structures don't blend into the background. Finally there are several approaches to taking out artifacts or noise from any of the editing. I frequently use selective softening with a brush.

All that being said, it is an effective night shot and some postprocessing would make it even better.

Tegan