After the Sun Sets

Star Light, Star Bright

 There are some fantastic images around of nightscapes and once you start trying to capture your own interpretations it quickly becomes clear how difficult it is to get a really strong image.  The problem is that the light (what little there is) often results in very flat, uninspiring detail or once processed looks too artificial in my unsubtle hands.  Here are two rather different pictures that I believe have some merit.  The first was taken from the balcony of a surf lodge in Morocco and I feel it is a great representation of the view we were treated to ans the light from the sun left the sky and the start started to show themselves.  Incidentally this is a reprocessed version, the first being too light on reflection and losing the atmosphere it holds.  It is often subtle differences that actually really make or break an image with the difficulty first being to recognise what it is that is wrong and then know if it can be "fixed and how to go about it.  I'm still starting out on that journey, often not knowing what it is I need to do, either in camera or in processing, to really make the most of the scene that presented itself to me.

Final Glow

Simplicity is often key and I have read some advise that you should keep moving in closer until you are about to cut something out of the frame that really matters.  Trying to fit too much in just confuses the eye of the viewer, they just don't know where or what to look at and so interest is quickly lost.  Over the New Year break we spent 2 fabulous days camped by Lake Tennyson.  Apart from a very large number of 1lb fish that were eager to eat anything off the surface we also enjoyed spectacular scenery.  While I often wonder if dawn has the best light, it is generally sunset I go for as very early starts are hard!  I tried to get a good shot of the lake but failed and the best image ended up showing the surrounding hilltops catching the last rays of sun with the moon already up and bright.  Enough rambling from me, maybe I should just put up my pictures and leave any critique to your own judgement, after all what works for me may very well be rubbish to you!