Day to Night - my Triptych cityscape

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

05/07/2007 09:33:45 PM · #1

Here it is:

First of all, this thread is not to discuss my score - it's a personal best, and slightly better than I expected going in :)

However, I received A LOT of great comments that I am just very happy about. Thanks to all who commented! A couple of persons expressed interest on how the photo was done, so here goes.

First of all, the concept. I wanted my story to be about passage of time reflected by the city, like a huge living organism. It came out a lot like I hoped. It is true that is does not have three clear panels / subdivisions, so I can understand the DNMC oppinions. I just felt the story was more important.

Here are the three images I started with, day, twilight and night:

I shot all in RAW. Easily the toughest part about the whole thing was to get the White Balances right so that the image looked coherent. I just played with it A LOT till it kind of worked.

Then I just opened one in Photoshop and pasted the other two on new Layers. For each layer I created a mask, with a gradient in it. You can play a lot with the gradients to make transitions more subtle of more direct. Here is my version:

I moved the layers around a bit (couple of pixels) till the overlayed well - this was easier than I thought it would be. Then, some contrast, saturation and brightness on each image till I got this:

The transitions were still very obvious in the sky which bothered me, so I added a couple of layers with dark and blue gradients in low opacity. The result was the final version that I submitted (see above).

Now for the discussion... To me the image is all about the subtle transitions. I thought about going with a more "tripticky" version, and based on some comments I think it MIGHT have scored better:

Once you make the differences stand out, the transitions become very clear, especially in the sky. Hence the white stripes that separate the image into three panels. However, I still like more the one that I submitted, and I am glad I did. Maybe I should have gone for the Free Study...

Which one is your favorite?

I would be glad to see any other comments, ideas, or directions in which you think I could have taken it. Wow, that'a long post I have here...

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

05/07/2007 09:44:52 PM · #2

I thought that your execution of the concept was really very well done. The smoothness of the transition is such that the viewer really has to look twice to realize that the left side is in full daylight, while the right side is night.
I think this would be even more dramatic in a wider format. I think you made the right choice, though, presenting it as you did. An image that was narrower vertically would have lost detail, given the DPC width limit.

fotomann_forever

05/07/2007 10:07:41 PM · #3

I think a more "tripticky" version might have scored better, although I think I would have gone with a black rather than a white frame. Either way, your execution is very well done.

Oh and I have a question... are you really a Dentist or do you just feel like you're pulling teeth? :-)

Artifacts

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

05/07/2007 10:12:49 PM · #4

Well done image and great use of gradients for layer masks. Simple, clean and NEAT!

Pentax FA 77mm f/1.8 Limited AF

05/07/2007 10:16:21 PM · #5

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Oh and I have a question... are you really a Dentist or do you just feel like you're pulling teeth? :-)

For some reason it's always been my online ID, though I'm definitely no dentist. I guess I'm hoping my photos will make people's jaws drop ;-)

Man_Called_Horse

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

05/07/2007 10:17:01 PM · #6

Ya know, I think it was an absolute, out of the box concept.

I was going to do something similar, but I ran out of time.

You should make this into a tut, and have it posted in the tutorials.

Great job.

Do it again, and don't fret over a silly, stupid ribbon. I want to see more of what YOU can do.

eamurdock

Pentax KP

05/07/2007 10:19:31 PM · #7

I like the original better than the "trypichy" version, for what it's worth. I guess people could argue about whether it's truly a tryptich, but, you know, screw 'em ;)

Nice work. It was one of my favorites.

Monique64

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

05/07/2007 10:51:22 PM · #8

I quite enjoyed looking at this photo during voting. I probably spent more time on this one than any other. Very clever job.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

05/07/2007 11:25:33 PM · #9

Originally posted by kirbic:

I think this would be even more dramatic in a wider format.

I did look at that, but felt it gave it a "panorama stitch job" feel I did not like. However, the comment I got from the Critique Club said I should have avoided putting the horizon at the middle of the image, which is probably very true.

It does look much better in full-screen, I guess it's so busy that it makes sense.

Man_Called_Horse

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

05/07/2007 11:29:51 PM · #10

Originally posted by The_Dentist:

Originally posted by kirbic:
I think this would be even more dramatic in a wider format.

I did look at that, but felt it gave it a "panorama stitch job" feel I did not like. However, the comment I got from the Critique Club said I should have avoided putting the horizon at the middle of the image, which is probably very true.

It does look much better in full-screen, I guess it's so busy that it makes sense.

I'm sorry, I would have to disagree with CC.

I would think seeing the gradient of the sky as night falls, and the life of the city below, just as you have it, is the better choice.

Again, subjectiveness of art.

Leave it, don't lose sleep over it.

Tom

Canon EOS-5D

05/09/2007 12:55:06 AM · #11

Can I ask how you kept the camera in the same exact place every single time? Is this from your house, or did you discreetly mark a spot on the ground where your tripod was.
Would it be easier to just guess and later crop the 3 to the same positions?

Great shot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm SO jealous

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

05/09/2007 09:20:01 AM · #12

DEFINITELY the one you entered, not the trip-ticky one. Really, really imaginative, well planned, and well executed. Congrats on the PB, too!

Bugzeye

Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital

05/09/2007 09:59:44 AM · #13

I like the shot you submitted better. you beat me by 1 spot. with out the lines.

vikas

Apple iPhone 13

Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G

05/09/2007 10:12:44 AM · #14

Great concept and execution! I prefer the one you submitted.

This is one creative use of photoshop I have seen, I will have to try something similar, if only I had a way to remotely trigger the shutter while sitting at work :)

.. humm virtual machine will let me do that ;)