Madrid golden light

RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
edited September 20, 2006 in Landscapes
I was in my living room reading yesterday evening when I glanced at the window and noticed a wonderful light. It had been stormy all day and the sun came out just before sunset. Grabbed my camera and ran to the terrace and shot these.

The building in the foreground is the Royal Theater, also known as the Opera.

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In the background is the Royal Palace.

89229698-L.jpg

They are doing some construction on the roof and I have been looking at this netting for some time wondering how to capture it. It really should be done with cinema, as it makes terrific patterns when the wind blows.
89230017-L.jpg
Thanks for looking. C&C appreciated.

Regards,
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Comments

  • saurorasaurora Registered Users Posts: 4,320 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2006
    These are beautiful, Richard! That last shot is a work of art, to me. It is absolutely stunning and comes alive with the light. I can visualize in my mind how beautiful it must be in the wind. This is one I would frame and hang. You really have a room with a view, don't you!!! thumb.gif
  • AntoineDAntoineD Registered Users Posts: 393 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2006
    Nice light thumb.gif

    Everything's about time, isn't it?

    I've got an assignment for a story in Madrid early in september... If I catch this light, all my photos will be ok :D

    Is this all you've got ? Such a nice building, too.
    have a quick look at my portfolio (there's a photolog, too) :: (11-07-2006) experiencing a new flash portfolio. What do you think?
  • thebigskythebigsky Registered Users Posts: 1,052 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2006
    Lovely pictures Richard, if there's one thing I've learnt in the last few months, it's all about the light...
    Landscape & Flower Photography
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited August 20, 2006
    saurora wrote:
    These are beautiful, Richard! That last shot is a work of art, to me. It is absolutely stunning and comes alive with the light. I can visualize in my mind how beautiful it must be in the wind. This is one I would frame and hang. You really have a room with a view, don't you!!! thumb.gif

    Thanks so much, Susan. That one is my favorite as well.

    Cheers,
    My Pics
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited August 20, 2006
    AntoineD wrote:
    Nice light thumb.gif

    Everything's about time, isn't it?

    I've got an assignment for a story in Madrid early in september... If I catch this light, all my photos will be ok :D

    Is this all you've got ? Such a nice building, too.
    Merci, Antoine. September is a good time to be in Madrid...the evening light is very nice, at least when the air isn't too polluted. rolleyes1.gif If you have the time, perhaps we could meet for a beer.

    Cheers,
    My Pics
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited August 20, 2006
    thebigsky wrote:
    Lovely pictures Richard, if there's one thing I've learnt in the last few months, it's all about the light...
    Thanks, Charlie. I just wish I had your skill with HDR technique. I can't seem to get it right. Of course, in this particular case, I probably would have missed the moment if I had mucked around setting up a tripod. But I have always been fascinated with the light when the sun is very low in the sky, so I guess I'll keep trying.

    Cheers,
    My Pics
  • ballentphotoballentphoto Registered Users Posts: 312 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2006
    rsinmadrid wrote:
    Thanks, Charlie. I just wish I had your skill with HDR technique. I can't seem to get it right. Of course, in this particular case, I probably would have missed the moment if I had mucked around setting up a tripod. But I have always been fascinated with the light when the sun is very low in the sky, so I guess I'll keep trying.

    Cheers,

    Gorgeous, reminds me in some ways of the pictures of Antelope Canyon here in northern Arizona. My aunt lives in Madrid, so its a great excuse to go visit her there.
    -Michael
    Just take the picture :):
    Pictures are at available at:http://www.ballentphoto.com

    My Blog: http://ballentphoto.blogspot.com
  • AntoineDAntoineD Registered Users Posts: 393 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2006
    rsinmadrid wrote:
    Merci, Antoine. September is a good time to be in Madrid...the evening light is very nice, at least when the air isn't too polluted. rolleyes1.gif If you have the time, perhaps we could meet for a beer.

    Cheers,

    Hi, I would love to, 1drink.gif but I'll be there for only three days :(
    I must sort of follow a journalist through his visit. Theme is "opera". It's for a magazine. My job? catching the city's mood... I don't think I'll have some spare time, but who knows?
    have a quick look at my portfolio (there's a photolog, too) :: (11-07-2006) experiencing a new flash portfolio. What do you think?
  • gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2006
    Amazing light thumb.gif
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited August 20, 2006
    Lovely golden light - and so ephemeral.

    Just a few brief moments, and the show is all over unless capured in a photograph such as yoursthumb.gif
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited August 20, 2006
    gus wrote:
    Amazing light thumb.gif

    Thanks, mate.
    My Pics
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited August 20, 2006
    pathfinder wrote:
    Lovely golden light - and so ephemeral.

    Just a few brief moments, and the show is all over unless capured in a photograph such as yoursthumb.gif
    It's a pity one can't order light as one orders, say, pizza. Hmmm...actually the pizza in Madrid is not all that great. Bad example, but I think the point is clear.
    My Pics
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2006
    Too bad camera sensors are limited in dynamic range. If you could only have the sky from the first shot with the shadow detail in the second.....wouldn't that be nice.

    I think you did as well as possible on these lovely shots.thumb.gif
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited August 21, 2006
    Ric Grupe wrote:
    Too bad camera sensors are limited in dynamic range. If you could only have the sky from the first shot with the shadow detail in the second.....wouldn't that be nice.

    I think you did as well as possible on these lovely shots.thumb.gif
    Thanks, Ric. Yep, limited dynamic range has become my greatest source of frustration. I have experimented with HDR in CS2 but with no success so far. Sometimes the result is blurry because of slight camera or subject motion. Other shots are sharp enough but just unnatural looking. I have had better luck combining two raw conversions from the same shot, one for the highlights and one for the shadows. The first two shots in this post were done that way. But I haven't found a blending technique that is both fast and avoids abrupt and weird looking transitions. Oh well rolleyes1.gif I'll keep trying.
    My Pics
  • AntoineDAntoineD Registered Users Posts: 393 Major grins
    edited August 21, 2006
    rsinmadrid wrote:
    Thanks, Ric. Yep, limited dynamic range has become my greatest source of frustration. I have experimented with HDR in CS2 but with no success so far. Sometimes the result is blurry because of slight camera or subject motion. Other shots are sharp enough but just unnatural looking. I have had better luck combining two raw conversions from the same shot, one for the highlights and one for the shadows. The first two shots in this post were done that way. But I haven't found a blending technique that is both fast and avoids abrupt and weird looking transitions. Oh well rolleyes1.gif I'll keep trying.

    Does the raw help you not ?
    have a quick look at my portfolio (there's a photolog, too) :: (11-07-2006) experiencing a new flash portfolio. What do you think?
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited August 21, 2006
    AntoineD wrote:
    Does the raw help you not ?

    Oh yes, raw is essential. Even when there is not a wide dynamic range, adjusting exposure is very powerful in raw conversion. And combining two different conversions worked fairly well here, but there is always room for improvement.
    My Pics
  • etherdanceretherdancer Registered Users Posts: 18 Big grins
    edited September 19, 2006
    Chasing the light
    Hi, the final image is truly a beautiful work of art.

    I usually find myself up at 2am in the morning to take a 4 hour drive up to the North of Scotland to capture light like this. Having said that, with a bit of imagination you can have stunning shots like yours from your own doorstep!!

    This image is what I see every morning from my back door:
    :barb www.thevirtualeye.com
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited September 19, 2006
    etherdancer wrote:
    Hi, the final image is truly a beautiful work of art.

    I usually find myself up at 2am in the morning to take a 4 hour drive up to the North of Scotland to capture light like this. Having said that, with a bit of imagination you can have stunning shots like yours from your own doorstep!!

    This image is what I see every morning from my back door:

    Thanks so much. It looks like you've got quite a nice view yourself. Nice shot. thumb.gif
    My Pics
  • retroretro Registered Users Posts: 303 Major grins
    edited September 19, 2006
    wow, just beautiful light. You down in southern europe get so much for free, it's just not fair,,,:D clap.gif
  • etherdanceretherdancer Registered Users Posts: 18 Big grins
    edited September 19, 2006
    retro wrote:
    wow, just beautiful light. You down in southern europe get so much for free, it's just not fair,,,:D clap.gif

    Ha ha ha....not so much free!! I had to keep taking this shot at sunrise over a month to get the sun in just the right place. I just love chasing the light....
    :barb www.thevirtualeye.com
  • AntoineDAntoineD Registered Users Posts: 393 Major grins
    edited September 19, 2006
    etherdancer wrote:
    This image is what I see every morning from my back door:

    Oh: nice garden. But it must be the hell the lawn to mow :D

    nice light by the way ;)
    have a quick look at my portfolio (there's a photolog, too) :: (11-07-2006) experiencing a new flash portfolio. What do you think?
  • etherdanceretherdancer Registered Users Posts: 18 Big grins
    edited September 19, 2006
    Garden Duty
    AntoineD wrote:
    Oh: nice garden. But it must be the hell the lawn to mow :D

    nice light by the way ;)

    Ha ha - you have no idea!!! Still the cows and sheep do a great job helping out! Uh- oh I feel a Gary Larson Farside cartoon coming on!!!
    :barb www.thevirtualeye.com
  • SeefutlungSeefutlung Registered Users Posts: 2,781 Major grins
    edited September 19, 2006
    Very Nice RS ... and yes the warm evening light you captured is wonderful ... it turned a construction zone into art.

    Gary
    My snaps can be found here:
    Unsharp at any Speed
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited September 20, 2006
    retro wrote:
    wow, just beautiful light. You down in southern europe get so much for free, it's just not fair,,,:D clap.gif

    Thanks, retro. Yes, there are worse places to be...:D
    My Pics
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited September 20, 2006
    Seefutlung wrote:
    Very Nice RS ... and yes the warm evening light you captured is wonderful ... it turned a construction zone into art.

    Gary

    Thanks, Gary. thumb.gif
    My Pics
  • Jeff FillmoreJeff Fillmore Registered Users Posts: 411 Major grins
    edited September 20, 2006
    Beautiful light and colors. Nice work.
    Thanks!
    Jeff

    flickr
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited September 20, 2006
    gdad wrote:
    Beautiful light and colors. Nice work.

    Glad you liked it, Jeff.
    My Pics
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