Inspiring Photo: Seattle at Twilight #5

Seattle at Twilight #5 - After

Uploaded: September 22, 2006 12:25:06

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Ross Throndson September 22, 2006

BEAUTIFUL Twilight Capture of the Cityscape, Jim....Gorgeous Color, Light & Composition....GREAT ONE!!! :^) #527335

Jim Miotke My Courses September 23, 2006

Thank you very much, Ross. I appreciate your positive feedback.

This image was created on the final evening of my Post-Summit Photography Tour of Seattle (about three days ago now). Our group wanted to try this streaming traffic technique and so we found this overpass just south of downtown Seattle. This is a 10 second exposure and demonstrates just a bit of the fun you can have with your camera securely mounted on a tripod.

I talked about this image and this technique in the most recent episode of my radio show, BetterPhoto Radio.

Thanks again - enjoy practicing this fun technique. #3349921

Melissa G. Meiselman September 23, 2006

Must try this, Jim. A question...were the red tones on the road there in the photo or were they added. These colors are very effective against the dark buildings and blue sky. Another question....Others joined you for this exercise...how did their images come out? #3349932

Amy JACKSON September 23, 2006

Really gorgeous image, Jim!! #3349949

Jim Miotke My Courses September 23, 2006

Thanks! The red lines on the freeway are actually the tail lights of cars. With the camera's shutter open for a full 10 seconds, the lights blur into lights. The white lines on the other side of the freeway are headlights. Pretty fun, aye?

When I peeked at the work of the others on the workshop, they looked very good. As soon as we have some examples of them uploaded to BetterPhoto, I will add a link here to them.

Thanks again! #3350036

James E. Coleman September 24, 2006

Jim,
Very nice1 I look forward to seeing Seattle and the coast up there next year.
This made for a nice effect with the moving cars. Always wanted to do this but never took the time...seem to be always out looking for bugs, animals and landscapes!...:)
Keep looking up!

Jim

#3355204

She-She Killough October 04, 2006

Jim, I love this...and I like you have always wanted to do this but have been shooting people and other stuff and have never actually done it. My question is WHERE actually can you go legally and shoot like that...were you on a walking overpass like a bridge? I have been eyeing places for years but they always looked a little dangerous...not to deter me but I don't want to get a ticket either or worse. And also actually getting to the places I have been eyeing seemed a challenge. Thanks for your help!

She-She (your old student) ;) #3407060

Donna La Mattino Pagakis October 04, 2006

Dramatic and beautiful!! I love the bright blue sky against the tall buildings! #3407073

Susan Feulner October 05, 2006

What lens and f-stop did you use?
Love the picture - also would like to know how you find places to take pictures like these.
Susan #3411956

Jim Miotke My Courses October 12, 2006

Thanks again, my friends.

Susan, I used my favorite lens - a 28-135mm lens set at about 35mm. The main concern for me was shutter speed, since I wanted those streaming lights. In Aperture Priority, I selected f/13 because this gave me a long 20 second exposure. (I was wrong when I previously mentioned 10 seconds. I just checked my metadata and it says 20 seconds).

She-she, you bring up great questions, too. This was captured on an overpass. I am not sure what you have in your local area, but look for overpasses that have ample sidewalks and no tall fences. Those fences indeed make you feel safer but they are a pain to shoot through. If possible, I recommend doing this kind of photography with a friend, or better yet, a group of friends. Unless you are photographing a corporate or military building/area, you don't need to worry about legal issues. Just be careful and have fun! #3441076

October 23, 2007

Ah... It's so so so beautiful! I totally felt in love with those colors and lights *_* You got my heart! #4967993

Jim Miotke My Courses October 30, 2007

Thanks Natalia! :) #5006259

January 16, 2008

This is a beautiful capture. Thanks for sharing with others how you were able to capture this. I appreciate the tips. #5347473

Tammy Espino August 11, 2008

Love it! :) I live in Vegas and have done these shots myself. Espically easy on the strip bridges. Your sky and building lights look like the move when you move the photo up and down, cool :) #6300962

Ian Parsons August 24, 2008

Jim, I know it's been two years so tech questions may be unfair at this point. But I gotta ask nonetheless: How did you get the traffic trails to be so...subdued (for lack of a better word)? These types of shots are amoung my favourites, and I've made a number of them myself. But in every one of them, the trails (admittedly mostly on the headlight side)are quite bright. Probably the brightest light sources in the pic. Were they toned down in post? #6362294

Jim Miotke My Courses December 07, 2008

Thanks Ian, Tammy, and Faith - I appreciate your comments.

Ian, I know exactly what you're talking about... I've seen the kind of overly exposed lights you're referring to. My guess is that these traffic trails are more subdued due to the timing. When photographing at twilight, there is some ambient light in the sky and this balances the exposure a bit. If the scene surrounding the traffic was darker, I'll bet the trails would be more saturated.

Thanks again! #6864454

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