new to photography, do not be gentle, it only makes me better

[jermyster]

Hi guys, I’m new to photography, about a couple of weeks into it.  I do not plan on making it my career.  I just became an obsessive passion…I took these photos at the harbor.  they photos have not been edited except the catalina sign so you guys can tell me where i need to compose and so on.

settings were slow shutter speed at night: 20-30 seconds shutter, iso 100 and F/9 (i think)

let me know how bad it sucks and what i need to do to change.  The more i know wrong, the better i can improve. 3 photos total

also let me know how to compose these shots better too.

 

Thanks in advance

[snaphappy]

First thing I noticed, the angle.  If you have to tilt it like that to make an interesting photo, you don’t have an interesting photo.  Also you clipped off the side of the sign. Make sure to get everything in the frame.

[jessnaylor6]

I like the photo. but I also agree don’t crop out the little part of the 95 sign as well

[nesgran]

Far too much tilt, it’d be better to get a different perspective on it. Have you pulled the shadows a lot? I see some pretty horrible banding noise in the shadows which makes me think that

[jermyster]

crap you guys are right, i’m going back to photograph again tonight see if i can get your recommendations in.

thanks guys.  i think i did pull too much shadows in lightroom

less tilt, get it all in, dont pull so much shadows.  noted for tonight’s attempt.

[ebi]

Shoot it straight, at dusk and keep shooting it as the light goes down. Try from different angles, try it wider, try it tighter. WHen you edit you can see all the differences and learn from what you’ve shot. And on a tripod as well, so you don’t have to shoot at such a high ISO.

[Bill]

Try what everyone is saying and also try taking the filter off, it creates those extreme star flares when shooting the lights, unless that is what you are going for.

[ebi]

yeah, i find the starbursts very distracting, btw.

[Author]

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