Night shoot questions/Sample photos, what do you think???

[flyingclint]

So I was recently asked to take some photos for a business that installs special lighting, for properties, businesses and such. Their lighting is specially designed and they are wanting to see from the air how it is working on the properties that they have installed some of their products at. Obviously being that these are lights used for night operation, I will be photographing these locations at, wait for it... Night!

I did some test shots at a location I work at that is relatively close to the actual type of setups that I will be shooting for them in the near future (supposed to do the shoot in May). It's a parking lot with pole lighting. I'm not sure how I feel about how the tests turned out and so I am here to, first ask everyone's opinion on what I tested and then ask for any advice or help you might have to get more out of the I1 camera for a night type of shoot like this.

My I1 camera was set at ISO800 with the shutter at 50 in full manual mode, running LOG and color set to none.

Here are my test sample shots of the parking lot as well as some taken higher up and off in the distance pointing towards downtown. Let me know what you guys think and if you have a way for me to get more light into my I1 camera without creating anymore noise. I found ISO800 to work pretty good to bring as much light in as I could without adding too much more noise and the shutter set at 50 seemed good, but I was afraid to go any lower than that for fear of any slower setting, the camera might start picking up motion blur too much!

 

[JoffaDan]

Cool mate, they look great!

 

[DaBone]

I would have tested HDR..

 

[flyingclint]

I would have tested HDR..

I actually tried that, but when I pulled the photos off the SD card I only saw individual photos, I didn't see where there were three shots of the same photo…??? Not sure if it took them or if it worked right.

 

[flyingclint]

I'm starting to wonder if my HDR or AEB didn't work, because the camera needs to be in auto mode and I was running in manual mode??? Does anyone know the answer to this???

 

[sdjackaerial]

these look friggin sweet, my man.

 

[Meta4]

I'm not sure how I feel about how the tests turned out and so I am here to, first ask everyone's opinion on what I tested and then ask for any advice or help

It would make sense to run these past your prospective client to make sure it's what they're looking for rather than asking forum people that aren't involved. It's all about giving the client what they want.

 

[PetePerrim]

They look fine. There are not that many ways you can make an empty car park at night time look particularly sexy unless I'm missing something here?

 

[flyingclint]

these look friggin sweet, my man.

Ha! Thanks, buddy! It's hard doing night stuff and getting decent results. It took a lot of editing on the pics to get to this, mostly really working with noise reduction in Lightroom. I think I can make some changes slightly and I will be more happy with the results. Mostly the client was happy with the tests, so I at least know my shoot with him will go well...!

Thanks!

 

[flyingclint]

They look fine. There are not that many ways you can make an empty car park at night time look particularly sexy unless I'm missing something here?

Haha! I like that! So true and funny! But they were close to what the client wants, so I guess these worked!