Revisiting the Thames at Dusk.
Another look at the Thames.
By now, you are probably getting to know I love night-time photography. Especially during the “blue hour”. The beauty of this is that, despite the clouds, you still get this beautiful blue colouring.
To get this Thames at Dusk image, once again, it was a case of visiting the location (Caversham Bridge again), and setting the ISO to 100 (for maximum saturation and minimum “noise”). The next choice is a small aperture (to maximise depth of field, and also to increase exposure time).
Maximum depth of field is best for this kind of photograph, as I am not trying to focus on one thing in particular. Also, with water involved, a longer exposure gives this wonderful smoothness – almost mirror-like finish. If the water is moving (eg waves on the sea), you get a milky-like finish to it.
The mirror-like finish on this image is perfect for the reflections in the Thames at Dusk. With the air being so still, the boats haven’t moved. Too much movement, and they turn into an odd looking blur.
In case you are wondering, the two lighter coloured lines across the water are where a pair of swans swam across during the exposure!
There is something very enchanting about a “blue hour” photograph, especially where water is involved. Compare this image of the Thames at dusk to the earlier daytime image taken from roughly the same location.
Photograph Details
- Taken: 10 Feb 2017
- Camera: Canon 5D MkIII
- Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm 1:2.8 L II USM
- Focal Length 24mm
- F/11
- 30 Sec
- ISO 100