You can redefine reality with your photography, this is one of the perks of being a photographer and an artist! You are not limited to documenting a scene, as a photographer you have many tools and techniques that you can use to shape your own reality. For this image I used a Sigma 8mm circular fisheye lens, which creates a perfect circle. To create a unique and interesting look for this location, I pointed the lens up to the sky, which allows the buildings to converge toward the center. Waiting for twilight provided the best opportunity for a beautiful blue sky, accentuating the golden tones in the photograph. Using a small aperture allows for the big starbursts, adding glamor to the night scene. Last but not least, I made several exposures and merged them to create an HDR image, blended with a single exposure from this location. A photo doesn't have to be "full on" HDR, blending a source image with the HDR image can create compelling results that are more subtle and realistic.
We will touch on twilight and beyond in my new long exposure photography course, coming up in November at BetterPhoto.com. I'm very excited about it, I'll share with you the latest long exposure techniques that you can use to round out your photography! Hope to see you there! ~ Deb
