I went out today at dusk. I am not too happy with them: the billboard on the left spoils the composition a lot I think. Crops are so so. Any ideas how to shoot this in a better way? I was thinking a different focal length perhaps as a better angle just isn't there....

[eaglem]

Excellent shots and nice and crisp. I keep telling myself to try a few more night shots but never seem to get around to it.

[AussieTrev]

Not too bad there. Sometimes you just can't get in a position to remove unwanted elements. The light trails look good.

[pixie]

Thanks, eaglem, it took me time to get out there for this. I'd been thinking about this shot for while. Never realized that billboard was there until I looked through the viewfinder.... Oh, well.

---------- Post added 02-17-14 at 03:19 AM ----------

Not too bad there. Sometimes you just can't get in a position to remove unwanted elements. The light trails look good.

Yeah, you're right. Sometimes it's hard. I will keep trying!

[Smilesy]

Those are some pretty cool shots. I've been meaning to get out and take some light trail shots.

[daacon]

Excellent light trails and I don't really think the billboard distracts from the shot I do like the portrait crop though.

[slowpez]

Lovely light trails. I am not bothered by the billboard either.

[zztopd]

the fourth picture I like most

[j2photos]

The billboard isnt really noticeable, your eyes are more drawn to the cityscape by the time you get to that part of the photo.

[j2photos]

Honestly I cannot see much of a difference between the two, both are good.

[pixie]

I'd screwed up loading them. A new attempt in a minute. Sorry about that.

[pixie]

HI everyone, thanks for the kind comments, I really appreciate it. I went out there again tonight before the gridlock kills the opportunity tomorrow. (It was a holiday today in the US.) This time I took the 77mm with me, and I think I am finally happy. The two shots I narrowed it down to are below. Please let me know what you think. I'd like to submit one of them to the PPG. I like the cleaner light trails in the second shot, but the first one has the extra trail on the on-ramp. Btw, there was a kid out there doing the same thing. He said photographers have been mugged there before. He had a friend with him for protection: it's sad it's so bad. This is considered a good part of town.

[j2photos]

The first one, not only does it have the extra trail, it also has better exposure in the bottom right corner.

[pixie]

Thanks. I was thinking the same. People keep changing lanes a lot over there, exits coming up...

[interested_observer]

Morning,

Not being critical at all - excellent shots, however there are always limitations with just about every location. Right now, I think that you are bumping up against the location. I would go to google earth/maps and start looking for other similar locations that would have somewhat the same perspective. You can also vary the time of day, where the later it is the darker it gets - while still getting the blue hour, and the billboards will blend into the darkness.

Also, on google earth/maps, take a look at the images pined to the locations to get a sense of what it has to offer. There is also the driving images, that may give you an advanced idea of how a location / perspective may turn out.

You can also just google ideas and then click on "images" to see what may come up. If there are shots that appeal to you, then you can figure out where the shot location may be from the maps - that coupled with the focal length. Sometimes the longer / shorter focal lengths work better. It is just difficult to tell.

LA has a famous shot, however the freeway road bed is sunken, so that on the overpass you get what appears to be some additional height. Wide works there because it pulls in the view right below there. Other locations long works better, where you shoot over the near stuff to get a distant panorama of a longer segment of a raised freeway.

Just some thoughts...