Rebel xti at night in prague

[surfingringo]

I went out on the streets of Prague this evening with rebel, kit lens, and 70-300 to try my hand at some night photography for the first time. Shot off cheap tripod with self timer and mirror lockup. As was suggested to me in this forum my more interesting shots/colors came after sundown just before full dark. Didn't get anything breathtaking, but it was fun, and I'll be back out there tomorrow. Any suggestions on how to improve welcome. Just got back to hotel, so no pp. Honestly, I don't know what to do with these in photoshop to improve them...

 

[East]

I am just a newb, but I like them!

 

[surfingringo]

yeah east, me too, but trying to learn. When I went back and looked at the four shot's I posted, I saw that all of them were taken with the 70-300 not the 18-55 I think. I got a few keepers (I use that term loosely) with the 18-55, but proportionately much fewer than with the 70-300. That lens just wasn't really up to the task. Photos weren't nearly as crisp.

note to self: I'm learning a lot in these forums, but if I don't pick up my camera each day and go out and apply that knowledge I'm wasting my time. I do a lot of lens research in here and can suffer from the delusion that having the perfect glass/body is going to make me a better photog. BS. What makes me better is to go use whatever I have and learn and grow with it...but I still want better lenses, hehe.

 

[Jen K]

I love Prague - I've been there 4 times now and I'm sure it won't be my last. I've never taken night shots though.

It's difficult to see from the size of your photos but one thing occurred - have you tried them slightly earlier in the evening so the night has got a bit of colour to it?

This is as close as I ever got to a night shot:



Oh, and I just found this one (taken with a little P&S) from a visit I made one Christmas a number of years ago



It's a beautiful city

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My equipment is in my profile

 

[surfingringo]

yeah, I shot from an hour before dark on through to two after. It was VERY overcast so there wasn't really much color and the earlier shots were'nt that great. The best color I got was after sundown about 15 to 20minutes before full dark. (#s 2 an 3) that light only lasted about ten minutes. I think on a less cloudy day that "magic time" would last a little longer. The sun's poking out a little this afternoon, so I'll try to find out.

 

[Jen K]

I'm so jealous of you being there. I've been looking at my photos of Prague (triggered by your post) and I just want to be back there.
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My equipment is in my profile

 

[surfingringo]

Yeah Jen, its an amazingly beautiful place. I would like to be here in February when the streets are empty and covered with snow. I went back out tonight and got a couple more interesing shots. The second is a tram.

 

[ace63105]

I really like that second photo. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Jen K]

Wow, love that second one )

Prague is lovely in the snow, if blooming cold!! I apologise totally for the 'snapshot' quality of the following: they were taken four years ago with a totally automatic point and shoot.







This one probably needs some explanation, as the quality is particularly poor but is a fantastic memory for me. On this trip I'd rented an apartment rather than a hotel room, and the landlady told us that on the day after Christmas Day a bunch of musicians should arrive in the apartments' courtyard to play traditional Czech songs. It was a tradition of over 30 years. To stand on a balcony of a czech apartment in the freezing cold, nestling a mug of hot chocolate, on Boxing Day and listen to a great bunch of musicians was just magical:



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My equipment is in my profile

 

[SteveHageman]

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Glad to have digital cameras....

 

[AnthonyMc5]

Second shot is great -- excellent idea.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/buicksrock/

 

[surfingringo]

yeah, it would have been a good idea if i had thought of it. Instead I was bummed that the tram got in my way until i saw the result. So then I spent the next twenty minutes shooting every tram and bus that passed, but couldn't beat the first shot that I got by mistake.

moral of the story: I'd rather be lucky than good.

moral #2: Seems like the more I practice the luckier I get.