About the Image(s)

Settings: f16, 0.6 sec., ISO 2000, 32 mm, auto ISO, tripod with remote Nikon d7200, 18-300 mm lens,

Date: Dec. 7, 2020, 5:10 p.m, skating rink in downtown London.

This is a high dynamic range situation. Because people were moving, I could only use one exposure and not a bracketed set to create a HDR image. I did try editing from a single file but detail is lost.

To get the starburst effect in the lights, the minimum aperture required was f16. I tested this out on Christmas lights on house the prior day.

In photographing Christmas lights, it is best not to have a completely dark sky. The Christmas lights turn on at 5:00 and twilight ended at 5:20. (Photographer's Ephemeris). I was fortunate that the skaters were told to go off the rink for it to be cleaned and I had four minutes to get the image. I had set up my tripod while people were skating. When I went down the next day to retry the image, the rink had already been cleared and I would not be able to take the image.

Editing: In LR, applied camera calibration and lens profile, increased exposure and removed the sharpening. In PS, applied Aurora as a filter and with a single image, created an HDR image. This was saved to PS, flattened, a smart filter created and applied two filters 1) Viveza with control points on the people to increase brightness.; and, CEP tonal contrast and detail, with negative opacity in the sky. In PS, using a smart object, straightened the image (transform>skew). In PS, used a curve to darken the sky. Then used Topaz Studio 2 to sharpen and reduce noise.