Click-a-Pic Challenge #34 "The Blue Hour"

[shutterspeed]

As per Wikipedia:
The blue hour*comes from a French expression,*l'heure bleue, which refers to the period of*twilight*each morning and evening where there is neither full*daylight*nor complete*darkness. The time is considered special because of the quality of the light at this time of day.

For this challenge, you must try to capture the “blue hour”. This is a short period of time each day in the morning and the evening. So time is tight. It might be a good idea to experiment one night and then take your actual shots the next. Some things to remember as it will be almost nighttime:

Use this site: Blue Hour (http://bluehoursite.com/) to determine when the “blue hour” will happen for you, in whatever part of the world you may be in.

Use a tripod and bump your ISO to 800 or possibly even 1600.
Use manual focus.
Use a slower shutterspeed.
Use a wider apeture.
Frame the photo to get interesting silhouettes.

This challenge is a little more labor intensive but the results can make it totally worth it!

If you have any questions please feel free to post them or email me. I'm here to help.*

You have from*Friday Mar. 4th*to*Thursday Mar. 18th*to shoot your photos for this theme. Below are some examples to get the creative juices flowing. Good luck and I look forward to seeing everyones photos!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/220/471337486_f0d0831b16.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1406/1443259944_cb2c20cc8b.jpg


REMEMBER:
- You may post up to 2 photos per challenge.
- Post-processing and use of actions ARE ALLOWED.
- Photos must be taken by you during the challenge week.
- Photos must be posted in the *new* PHOTOGRAPHY gallery & in this thread.
- PLEASE SIZE PICS to no larger than 600px WIDE and/or TALL.**
- Please number or title your photographs for recognition.

[tkeetch]

This sounds really cool, but I just have a little point and shoot (my camera fund is small but growing).

I don't have all of those manual settings, but I do have like 10 different "modes" should I change it to night setting? Indoor? Landscape? Or just leave them alone?

thanks,
Tiff

[ingridfasquelle]

TIff, i'm not an expert but i'd say night setting... Better is waiting for Sarah's response to your question though ! ;)

Sarah, your pics are spectacular... This is really beautiful... Ah... l'heure bleue ! ;)

[shutterspeed]

hey Tiff and welcome to CAP!! :)

you can still do this with a P&S camera. you'll still need a tripod tho or some stable surface to place your camera on (maybe use the self timer for extra insurance against camera shake). if your P&S doesn't have a "manual" setting, your best bet would be to use the "night" setting on the camera. also, keep the flash turned OFF. a flash burst will "water down" or dilute the colors of the night sky.

can you manipulate any of the settings on your camera? like change the white balance or set the ISO? if so you'll want to change your ISO and set a white balance to "daylight"...even tho it'll almost be night or very early morning. however, "NIGHT" mode should work just fine if that is all you have.

experiment!! don't be afraid to try several different settings to see what results you get. :)


and thanks Ingrid! :) we're surrounded by HUGE pine trees so it's hard to see the sky at night here!

[KirstieGai]

beautiful photos Sarah

[birgit]

i love blue hours pics! already did that for anonther challenge a few years ago but never tried again. looking forward to it!

[tkeetch]

I did it!

And I learned SO MUCH about my camera in the process. So thanks for the tips! (It does have a manual mode that I didn't even know about! :redface: )

I live in Utah, so I wanted to get the Wasatch Mountains in the photo somehow, but my neighborhood has power lines EVERYWHERE and they ruined the view.

Anyway, I finally made it to the freeway near my house and got this shot:

http://www.peppermintcreative.com/forum/../gallery/data/506/BlueHour1.jpg (http://www.peppermintcreative.com/forum/%3Cimg%20src=)

How do photographers get the lines to be continuous? More traffic? I had my ISO set to 80. Anyway, then I turned to leave, and I thought the overpass looked kind of cool too:

http://www.peppermintcreative.com/forum/../gallery/data/506/BlueHour2.jpg (http://www.peppermintcreative.com/forum/%3Cimg%20src=)

Any tips on how I could have made these better? I'm super open to suggestions as I'm a MAJOR newbie when it comes to photography! :)

Fun challenge, thanks!

[shutterspeed]

WHOA Tiff!! those are awesome!! great job! :D the mountains in the background give a very picturesque feel!

if you want the headlights/taillights to have the continuous line, you need to slow your shutterspeed down. that way it'll blur the motion even more! :)

i think your overpass shot is really great too...the composition is well balanced and the lines of the "fencing" really pull the eye in. it's probably a tad underexposed but i think it creates a cool effect.

and the whole point of the challenges is to learn something you didn't know before so BRAVO!! looks like you're off to a great start. wouldn't have known you were a newbie! :)

[Jodimc]

tkeetch!! Those are awesome pictures!!! That really is fantastic for you first time.
I would love to try this challenge but I'm not sure I'll have the time allowance! WE'll see,Thanks Sarah for all the tips!

[glumirk]

Does anyone else not remember about this challenge until RIGHT AFTER the blue hour? That our the baby wakes me up, and I think "oh, I won't be asleep by then" and then I wake up RIGHT AFTER the blue hour. I will do this!

[MissMint]

WOW Tiff!!!! Those are INSANE!?????!!! Great job. Seriously - WOW.

[MissMint]

I think I took mine too early.....

http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/IMG_9293.jpg (http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8098)

[shutterspeed]

looks just right to me! :) i like the pop of orange at the horizon!

[tkeetch]

Thanks Miss Mint - yours is BEAUTIFUL! I love sunsets and water..

[glumirk]

The pics so far are beautiful! I've been crazy busy at night, and up WAY too early for the blue hour with Oliver, so I end up sleeping through it. On my second try I got 3 shots that turned out (as I don't have a tripod), so here are 2 of them. It had been raining all day, but stopped just in time for me to take a couple gray blue hour shots. I hope you like them!

Power Lines
http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/IMG_6090.jpg (http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8106)

Spring Falls
http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/IMG_6092.jpg (http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8107)

[shutterspeed]

great entries!!

CONGRATULATIONS to:

tkeetch's "Overpass"
http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/BlueHour2.jpg
great blue color and interesting silhouette of the overpass cage. great lines!

bravo's to:
Miss Mint's boat docked at sunset pic....i love the little pop of orange!

Glumirk's power lines shot is a great visual eye pull with the lines that draw you into the photo!

thanks for playing along ladies!! :)

[MissMint]

Hooray! I got a 'BRAVO!' ;) High five to me. :high5:

CONGRATS TIFF!!! Well DESERVED!

[tkeetch]

Woo Hoo! Thanks! :yes: