City - Traverse City State - MICHIGAN Country - United States
About
This is another from my first roll of film (although, I just recieved back my second roll and was very pleased with many of the shots on it - I'll be uploading them soon) from the first time I've ever used my 'new' Pentax ME Super. As I'd never really used a decent film camera before, I'm still learning and experimenting with all the settings, but I've been lucky enough to have several turn out nicely despite myself.
The picture is of a very old theater ("The State Theater") that, after many unfortunate years of unuse, has just recently been partially renovated to accomodate the innaugural "Traverse City Film Festival", and I took the picture at around one o'clock in the morning.
There's unfortunately some grain in the picture, particularly noticeable in the darker areas, and I'm not sure whether or not it could've been avoided. I don't know if I'm even using a good kind of film for this kind of picture, or whether I should've used a longer or shorter exposure, or whether the grain was unavoidable. I was tempted to doctor it up in Photoshop, but decided it'd be better to leave it the way it is for the sake of critique, so in the end all I did was crop it slightly.
At any rate, I still was really pleased with how the picture turned out, and I'd like to know what you think. Also, please give me suggestions on how I could've done this differently/better - I'd like to do more night photography similiar to this, and I really have no idea how it should be done best. I understand that much of this has to do with personal preference, but being a "newbie" I'd appreciate any suggestions as I don't really know where to begin on my own. Even if you don't have any suggestions, please let me know what you think, comments are always appreciated. Thanks for looking, Mike.
Strange isn't it? I also found it odd that my picture was added after several other pictures that had already been submitted before I'd uploaded mine. It was about halfway down the page, instead of at the top... Curious, eh?
As for the curves, I agree - a levels adjustment and some blurring in the grainy areas would've improved it alot - and I was tempted to do so, but I decided against 'Photoshopping' it at the last minute, in the hope that people would be able to give me hints on how to improve the initial shot itself so it wouldn't need PS in the first place (or at least not as much :).
Thanks again for taking the time to look and comment, I really appreciate it, and I also am glad I got a chance to see your portfolio - well done.
Hey, Wez! Thanks for taking the time to look and comment on my picture. I also recieved my pentax from a family member (one of my uncles), who gave it too me when he heard that I was getting interested in photography and planning on taking a course where I would need a 35mm film camera, and I've really been enjoying learning to use it. Also, if you don't mind, out of curiosity - what would you have done differently in framing the shot? Just wondering. At any rate, thanks again for taking the time to look, and also for giving me a chance to see your portfolio - rather impressive.
Hey Mike, its a good shot, allmost a great one! I think your framing could have been slightly better, but we cant have everything all the time eh! Glad to see your shooting with an old ME. I have one myself that my father handed to me about 10 years ago, and since ive gone digital its stayed in the bag. I really should get it out and start using it. Theres nothing like a good old manual focus film camera for learning techniques. Keep up the good work! Regards
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{K:14339} 8/31/2005
