Exercise - Outdoors at Night

2013.03.21.CroydonSkyline(Dusk).jpg
f/10 1/15 ISO-6400

The above image was taken in fading light, before the sun had disappeared completely.  With the ISO at its highest setting, a very slow shutter speed was still required for a moderate depth of field.  There is some noise, although not of great concern.  The buildings in the foreground are brighter in large part due to the close artificial lighting in the high street.

2013.03.21.CroydonSkyline(Dark).jpg
f/6.3  1/50 ISO-6400

In this second image of the Croydon Skyline, from a different angle, there is very little light left.  A lower shutter speed would have allowed for a narrower apperture.  However, this would have required the use of a tripod, making the desired composition not possible.  The foreground is not as bright as the first image, and the roof top areas blend into each other as dark shapes.  There is visibly less light in the image, even with a low f-stop and shutter speed.

2013.03.21.TownHallUnderCover.jpg
f/10  1/10  ISO-6400

The town hall was covered in sheeting during building works.  The tungsten lighting on the building created a warm orange glow, creating texture and interesting shadows.  I took several different shots of the building.  I chose this one for the blog as I like the effect of the blurred bus, with the movement slightly at odds with the calm ahead of it.

2013.03.21.StarryLights.jpg
f/13  1/13  ISO-6400

Tungsten street lighting shot with a slow shutter speed seems to make a quite pleasing star effect.  The brightness of street lighting and lit buildings can create interesting patterns when shot from a distance.  The dark foreground draws the viewer in towards the lights in the background.  The blue neon lines and the starry steet lamps leap out from the dark.

2013.03.21.BlueNeonBuilding.jpg
f/14 1/6  ISO-6400

Closer in to the blue neon building, and from a side view, this is a very different image.  Closer to the light, it was much brighter, enabling me to increase the f-stop and take a picture at a very slow shutter speed without the use of a tripod.  The slow shutter speed blurred the passing car, creating lines of light from its headlights.

2013.03.21.Space&Light(1).jpg
f/14  1/6  ISO-6400

2013.03.21.Space&Light(2)
f/9  1/6  ISO-6400

The above two images were taken outside a new building still being worked on.  Brightly lit and vacant, there were interesting patterns of light, space and shadows.  Looking at the first image you would think it was taken in mono.  In fact there was just naturally no colour in the frame.  There is just a very slight tint of colour in the second photo.

2013.03.21.Queen'sGardens.jpg
f/5.6  1/15  ISO-6400

Shooting from and across a low lighting position, the trees are just discernable shapes and the lights in the background are blurred.  The level of the lighting here captures some of the mood of this town centre park at night time.

2013.03.21 .Subway.jpg
f/7.1  1/15  ISO-6400

In this shot leading towards the subway entrance, a clear difference can be seen between the outside tungsten lighting and the fluoresent light inside the tunnel.

2013.03.21.FarifieldHalls.jpg
f/14  1/13  ISO-6400

2013.03.21.FarifieldHalls(DriveBy).jpg
f/5.6  1/6  ISO-100

The two photos of The Fairfield Halls show how a quite plain and ugly building can be transformed when lit up at night.  The second image has a quite bright glare around the middle of the building. This shows how the angle of view and position of the floodlights should be considered, as with any other lighting.

2013.03.21.Underpass (1)
f/20  1/3  ISO-6400

2013.03.21.Underpass (2)
f/20  1/3  ISO-3200

The two pictures of the underpass were taken with a low shutter speed, creating interest effects from the cars' lights, and reflections on the shiny surfaces.

2013.03.21MossBros.jpg
f/20  1/15  ISO-3200

A shop window is brightly lit from the inside.  The areas around the window, on the outside of the building, remain in dark shadow.

2013.03.21.TronBuilding (1).jpg
f/5.6  1/30  ISO-3200

2013.03.21.TronBuilding (2).jpg
f/5.6  1/30  ISO-3200

2013.03.21.TronBuilding (3).jpg
f/5.6 1/30 ISO-3200

2013.03.21.TronBuilding (4).jpg
f/5.6 1/30 ISO-3200

What I have labelled as the Tron Building was my favourite subject for this exercise.  The unusual design of building has many different shapes and angles, with interesting variation of light.  The mixture of internal lights and coloured external lighting blend well with the variety of shadows and angles, making some pleasing patterns.

2013.03.21.SurreyStreet (1).jpg
f/4.5  1/30  ISO-3200

2013.03.21.SurreyStreet (2).jpg
f/4.5  1/30  ISO-3200

The large plate glass shop front in the above image is lit fluorescently from the rear of a fairly large room.  This creates quite a bright glare, although softened by the calmer lighting at the front of the store.

2013.03.21.SurreyStreet (3).jpg
f/4.5  1/30  ISO-3200