David Halgrimson, APSA  

Lights of Downtown by David Halgrimson, APSA

March 2025 - Lights of Downtown

March 2025 - David Halgrimson, APSA

Original

About the Image(s)

I took this in 2010 while shooting with a small group in Minnesota. We were across the river from downtown Minneapolis. I was pulled in by the lights of the buildings and the reflections in the Mississippi River. I tried several locations for composition and decided this one worked the best. I like the branches on the left and the tree over the top for framing, but I am not sure about the trunk of the tree.

Taken with a Canon 5D, Canon 28-135mm at 38mm, F/11 for sharpness from foreground to the buildings, ISO 200, and 4 seconds to get enough light and blur the water a little.

I processed in Lightroom, making adjustments to the highlights, shadows, whites, and blacks. I also removed the distraction at the bottom right corner and cropped it from the left, right, and bottom.

I converted to B&W in Silver Efex Pro 2 using preset #1 Neutral, adding a border, and a slight vignette.

8 comments posted

Fran Yates   Fran Yates
A wonderful cityscape with the reflections. The tones are spot on. I like how the tree frames your scene but I would also like to see it without the foliage. Don't know if it is possible.   Posted: 03/13/2025 13:55:58
Mary Ann Carrasco   Mary Ann Carrasco
David, what a nice cityscape image with reflections. I like the starbursts on the lights. I think the foliage frames the photo nicely. Not sure if you are aware, but camera raw/photoshop now has a feature to remove wires automatically. I am not bothered by them but thought I would pass it along. Lovely image.   Posted: 03/15/2025 15:36:48
David Halgrimson   David Halgrimson
Thanks, thought I saw something about removing lines, I will give it a try. Will also try removing the foliage.
  Posted: 03/15/2025 18:37:29
Paul Hoffman   Paul Hoffman
You have developed some love tonal work from the colour image, the reflection is just perfect as the water just has that gentle ripple on it. The city scape is great but who ever is in charge does not want you to take it. They have stuck those awful power lines across the whole scape. I would have tried to work and angle so the Tree formed more of the right side frame with the bridge to the left. But you would have drowned to get that.
But I did wonder what I would do if I had done this image in PS. So I did your colour and second made it mono.
  Posted: 03/16/2025 07:46:16
Comment Image
Paul Hoffman   Paul Hoffman
Monochrome Version.   Posted: 03/16/2025 07:46:39
Comment Image
David Halgrimson   David Halgrimson
These work also. The one thing I like, though, is the city lends to more of a pano than a square. I might try to remove the brush on the left.   Posted: 03/16/2025 09:13:19
Paul Smith   Paul Smith
The reflections, IMV, are the star(s) of the show. And the overall tone of your image comes in a close 2nd. Indeed, the tree and the wires are a problem but, short of moving to a different location, I do not know how one would fix that!! I like that you included the bridge...the 4 second SS was just what you needed to capture the lights




  Posted: 03/16/2025 15:49:52
Vincent Cochain   Vincent Cochain
I like your version David, even if the suggestions of Paul are nice.
Your version is well sharp. The electrical wires are part of the city life. The treen is part of the composition, it avoids a classic one. The crop works well as it allows to better see all the elements.   Posted: 03/18/2025 03:45:24

 

Please log in to post a comment