Night skylines.

[Nocturnus]

So I've tried to get some night skylines done and they never seem to come out good. Lets take Austin for example. It has the Frost tower. I can either get a picture that looks good but the top of the tower will be blown out.

Will this be another example of bracketing and putting a few images together for the final image? Should I try a different style of metering?

[Stargazer77517]

Im thinking HDR would be the way to go. I did a shot of that from across the lake at the Hilton walkway and had the same problem. Thinking about it on the way home I should have been an HDR... spot metered off of the top in manual with the Histogram bunched to the right but not touching the side for the overexposed shot and worked my way down from there at 1 stop each until the Histogram was pretty bunched up to the left but not touching the side as my final shot. Kinda of doing an Ansel Adams zone thing. Just thinking out loud. Oh well gives me something to try the next time.

[Nocturnus]

Yeah, I was trying to avoid the HDR look for the shot. But since I will bracket, might as well try. Wish the bracket function was a little different. Rather then 3 at a time, do like 6 or 9. Make it nice and not having to touch the camera to change the bracket since you have to off chance on moving the camera on accident.

[Stargazer77517]

Yep, Wish canon would have a control on a remote release for changing shutter speed.

If you do the bracket thingy, Post it up, id be interested in seeing what you get.

Originally Posted by Nocturnus

Yeah, I was trying to avoid the HDR look for the shot. But since I will bracket, might as well try. Wish the bracket function was a little different. Rather then 3 at a time, do like 6 or 9. Make it nice and not having to touch the camera to change the bracket since you have to off chance on moving the camera on accident.

[deblack]

The Canon Utility software that comes with the 7D can be used with a computer connection to the camera. Not sure which other models this works with. It can change camera settings remotely as well as trip the shutter, take time intervals, etc. There's also an iPhone and Touch application that will do similar stuff to the camera if it's within wi-fi range and hooked up to a wi-fi enabled desktop, laptop, netbook, etc. That way there's no need to touch the camera. The software will show the image immediately, and will show a live view if the camera has it. The iPhone app is supposed to have Nikon capability too.

[dmcantrell]

I usually try manual mode and just experiment until I have a good looking histogram that isn't clipped on the highlights.

[Nocturnus]

Only problem I had was even trying to be careful to move move the camera as i am changing my bracket, I sometimes do move the camera to the side on accident.

That iphone deal looks cool, but I don't want to lug my laptop around with me when i'm doing some of these shots.

[dmcantrell]

Does your camera have a bracket mode, so that you can take 3 successive shots that automatically change the exposure up and down? My cameras have this, so I just set up the shot on the tripod, usually with mirror lock-up, and take 3 successive shots with a remote release or a timer. You shouldn't have to fiddle with settings in between bracket shots.

[Nocturnus]

Oh it does.. I do my 3 shots, then change the bracket so I can get more shots. end up trying to do 6-9 bracketed shots..

[dmcantrell]

I see. On my D300 (and I think the D80 as well) I can change the bracketing to do 3, 5, 7 and 9 shots all at once.