# My 2nd Long Exposure Attempt



## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

Managed to pop down to Jesmond Dene in Newcastle today and took a few long exposures with my D5000 and new ND8 Filter. Just a cheap 3 pack off Ebay inc ND2, 4 & 8.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/52MM-Neutral-...s=63&clkid=5799774992401003865#ht_5355wt_1137









Heres a few of the results.
















These were the best of the bunch of around 10 shots of varying exposures and there wasnt much more to be had due to the fact a couple passing by started talking to us and i left the camera on then the battery started flashing and wouldnt allow the camera to open the shutter! :bonk: Oh well, another lesson learned eh?
Comments and Advice welcome, Phil


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## pooma (Apr 12, 2008)

really like no1


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## butcher (Sep 3, 2010)

Liking the waterfalls. Personally I would boost the contrast on the greenery a little. Maybe warm them up a bit, and I think they'd come out awesome!


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

pooma said:


> really like no1





butcher said:


> Liking the waterfalls. Personally I would boost the contrast on the greenery a little. Maybe warm them up a bit, and I think they'd come out awesome!


Thanks guys, ive messed with them abit already as someone on another forum commented on them looking a bit blue..... BAck to PS i go:lol: Its serious brain pain for me as ive just started using it so everything takes me three hours! lol


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## butcher (Sep 3, 2010)

The water's quite blue, but I'm not sure it's a bad thing. It's got a nice contrast. But the greenery is a little flat in comparison. If you get that right, I think it'll frame it nicely.

I generally use the _replace colour_ function, I think it is, to boost contrast in certain areas. I'm no PS wizard though.


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

I like these very much GITZO. 

They look awesome to me.


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## Maggi200 (Aug 21, 2009)

How did you shoot? In raw? If so the white balance might just be out, somethign I never get right at the time


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

maggi112 said:


> How did you shoot? In raw? If so the white balance might just be out, somethign I never get right at the time


I shot in High JPEG as ive been getting wound up by RAW as in the getting it on to the pc and looking at it phase Maggi. I havnt even got as far as White Balance yet Maggi as i have it set to Auto. Ive got enough to think about atm lol



Gruffs said:


> I like these very much GITZO.
> 
> They look awesome to me.


Thanks gruffs.


butcher said:


> The water's quite blue, but I'm not sure it's a bad thing. It's got a nice contrast. But the greenery is a little flat in comparison. If you get that right, I think it'll frame it nicely.
> 
> I generally use the _replace colour_ function, I think it is, to boost contrast in certain areas. I'm no PS wizard though.


Right, ive messed with the contrast...... I just used the Quick selection Tool and altered the Contrast/Highlights.....i think lol

















Hope these look better?
Phil


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

There are plugins for RAW for photoshop that make it easier.

http://www.photography-forum.org/sh...sic-image-improvements-with-levels-and-curves

Have a look at this tutorial, it should help you bring out those colours a bit more. Though your edit is very good.


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## buckas (Jun 13, 2008)

Nice attempy, always good to try something new 

The colour casting you're seeing is from the filters as they're not completely neutral (this is the renowned problem with dare I say it 'cheaper' filters) 

The more you get into it, the difference between these filters and Lee filters is night and day but unfortunately also reflected in the price 

drew


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

buckas said:


> Nice attempy, always good to try something new
> 
> The colour casting you're seeing is from the filters as they're not completely neutral (this is the renowned problem with dare I say it 'cheaper' filters)
> 
> ...


Thanks Drew and i do appreciate the cost V quality is an issue which if i find i use this technique more will address in the future. For now as a newbie im happy with what ive got for now.....although i have been eyeing up the Hoya filters! One thing that is confusing me atm though is the fact that people are getting amazing results with the very welding glass ive got for the small sum of £1.50! 
I suppose to some degree its down to the skill/knowledge of the operator? I bet you could whip up some wicked images with the welding glass?
I just need to learn the basics first before taking the financial leap on such items. I barely understand the settings on the camera atm 
Thanks for the feedback, Phil


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## butcher (Sep 3, 2010)

GIZTO29 said:


> I just used the Quick selection Tool and altered the Contrast/Highlights.....


Oof. You need to learn the ways 

Personally, for contrast and hue I use _replace colour_, as you can select areas with one click. It worls by selecting the colour, rather than an area. So everything of that colour will be affected. I don't know if this is how others would do it (you're better off on a photography forum than taking advice from me ), but I find it works well.

But selection. And I heard this time and time again, for years and years, yet I never took the time to learn it until not long back. Use the pen tool!

It'll take you an hour or two to grasp it with a half decent tutorial. But honestly, you save that time every time you use it from then on.

Looking good though. Keep at it :thumb:


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

butcher said:


> Oof. You need to learn the ways
> 
> Personally, for contrast and hue I use _replace colour_, as you can select areas with one click. It worls by selecting the colour, rather than an area. So everything of that colour will be affected. I don't know if this is how others would do it (you're better off on a photography forum than taking advice from me ), but I find it works well.
> 
> ...


Thanks for that tip mate. Honestly, ive had PS for about 2 weeks and am totally clueless other than when i want to do sumic i google it and follow a guide. Everything takes me forever as i get stuck for example when i want to alter the colour of something none of the options are highlighted as i still have a certain tool highlighted thus not letting me move onto the next step. All of a sudden i press something and it all becomes highlighted again. That probably doesnt make sense but what i mean is i get stuck in the program for ages trying to do the most simple tasks! 
For example the other night i decided i wanted to try and frame and watermark a photo i'd taken at Ullswater the day before. It took me over 2 hours even with guides! Heres the end result anyway......


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## buckas (Jun 13, 2008)

quick version of the above 

for the same shot like above - on a flattened picture:

press D to reset colours, making white is the background colour (and black is the foreground)

press Ctrl +Alt+C to adjust canvas size, change to pixels and tick "relative" and type in desired border size in both horiz & vert press ok

press X to switch colours around so black is the background colour (and white is the foreground)

press Ctrl+Alt+C to adjust canvas size, change to pixels and tick "relative" and type in desired border size in both horiz & vert press ok

press T click on the canvas, type what you want, change to pointer tool (can't use the V shortcut as it'll type v :wall and click and move text down to desired position

done 

drew


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## Eddy (Apr 13, 2008)

Amazing, how long was the shutter open?


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## Claireeyy (Jul 20, 2009)

Picture's are ace!


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## partrir (Mar 31, 2009)

Didn't see this post before I posted my last comment on NDs! 

I like the scene, but the blue cast is off putting - do you shoot in RAW? Easier to correct casts in PS via Bridge that way, otherwise, do a google search on correcting colour casts in photos - quite easy to do.


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