Night Starbursts and Trollies in San Francisco

**PocketPixels** · 10-21-2021, 09:30 PM

I never seem to get this photo "right."

I live near a trolley (MUNI) rail in San Francisco, and trains pass by at 20 minute intervals. So I have 3 opportunities each evening to take this shot, but I never get it exactly right. I want motion, I want wide-angle, I want starbursts, I want blue dusk sky…but these photos seem empty. Am I waiting for a dog? For a cool car? For a photogenic lovers holding hands? Should I get closer? Should I ask a neighbor to ride by on a bike?

I like that I live in a quiet neighborhood of apartments, churches, and corner stores. I like that this trolley comes from the exciting area downtown. Every 20 minutes we get this "visitor" from the busy city, and then our neighborhood becomes quiet and dark for another 19 minutes. That is the "story," if that makes any sense.

Version A:

Version B:

BROO · 10-21-2021, 10:56 PM

I think you have too much road.
Can you take it from a high position and capture more of the night lights cityscape? Maybe just angle the camera up?
That is what I would try.

**ProfessorBuzz** · 10-22-2021, 05:33 AM

There's a lot of potential in these shots, and I think you're getting close to having something really special.

One of my pro photog buddies always asks me "What is the story?" - what compelling thing are you trying to say with this photo?
eg menacing stranger steps off the trolley... e.g. the city is abandoned except for this ghost trolley? e.g. the trolleys ended the pedestrian traffic

Then think about the technical aspects and how to execute the story idea:

A few ideas:
- maybe there needs to be something of interest in the foreground, the blue markings are indecipherable
- eg get a friend to lie down in the empty part of the road, draw a chalk outline around them
- eg make it a self portrait, use the self timer or remote, and step into the frame somewhere.
- eg maybe get people in the scene - like stepping off the trolley or flagging it down

- try getting the opposite curb at 1/3 up from the bottom of the frame, it seems a bit high
- try different exposure lengths - we can't recognize the trolley car, it's just a blur - a double exposure or focus pull might work- see if you can find symmetry between the wires overhead and the white markings on the road. Move the camera around.

I think you're on to something.

grainy · 10-25-2021, 01:19 AM

Version B catches my attention more. I would say that showing the sky would probably have been more interesting (instead of the street). And if I had to show the street I would have used the white lines to compose.
In any case, it seems like a good long exposition, congrats.

Michael Piziak · 10-25-2021, 07:14 PM

The 2nd image is very pleasing to me~!

**PocketPixels** · 10-27-2021, 04:13 PM

Thank you all for these tips and ideas. I am going to try shooting from a higher vantage point to get more of the sky and less of the tracks in the picture. Stay tuned!

**mroeder75** · 10-27-2021, 10:53 PM

I am not an expert. Image 2 is better for me. I want to have more of a visual of the trolley. I reviewed the Flickr version, and I see your lens drops down to f/4.0 only, but you are at f/9.5. You need to experiment more b-4 the trolley goes by. A wider aperture would be appropriate because the trolley goes by too fast for me. aperture. Otherwise try a higher ISO.

It is really good, as is, but I would like more detail on the trolley.

10-21-2021, 09:30 PM	#1
PocketPixels Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 385	Starbursts and Trollies in San Francisco Lens: DA 15mm Limited Camera: K-S2 Photo Location: San Francisco ISO: 400 Shutter Speed: 1s Aperture: F9.5 I never seem to get this photo "right." I live near a trolley (MUNI) rail in San Francisco, and trains pass by at 20 minute intervals. So I have 3 opportunities each evening to take this shot, but I never get it exactly right. I want motion, I want wide-angle, I want starbursts, I want blue dusk sky…but these photos seem empty. Am I waiting for a dog? For a cool car? For a photogenic lovers holding hands? Should I get closer? Should I ask a neighbor to ride by on a bike? I like that I live in a quiet neighborhood of apartments, churches, and corner stores. I like that this trolley comes from the exciting area downtown. Every 20 minutes we get this "visitor" from the busy city, and then our neighborhood becomes quiet and dark for another 19 minutes. That is the "story," if that makes any sense. Version A: Version B:

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10-21-2021, 10:56 PM	#2
BROO Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 655	I think you have too much road. Can you take it from a high position and capture more of the night lights cityscape? Maybe just angle the camera up? That is what I would try.

10-22-2021, 05:33 AM	#3
ProfessorBuzz Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 1,903	There's a lot of potential in these shots, and I think you're getting close to having something really special. One of my pro photog buddies always asks me "What is the story?" - what compelling thing are you trying to say with this photo? eg menacing stranger steps off the trolley... e.g. the city is abandoned except for this ghost trolley? e.g. the trolleys ended the pedestrian traffic Then think about the technical aspects and how to execute the story idea: A few ideas: - maybe there needs to be something of interest in the foreground, the blue markings are indecipherable - eg get a friend to lie down in the empty part of the road, draw a chalk outline around them - eg make it a self portrait, use the self timer or remote, and step into the frame somewhere. - eg maybe get people in the scene - like stepping off the trolley or flagging it down - try getting the opposite curb at 1/3 up from the bottom of the frame, it seems a bit high - try different exposure lengths - we can't recognize the trolley car, it's just a blur - a double exposure or focus pull might work- see if you can find symmetry between the wires overhead and the white markings on the road. Move the camera around. I think you're on to something.

10-25-2021, 01:19 AM	#4
grainy New Member Join Date: Oct 2021 Posts: 6	Version B catches my attention more. I would say that showing the sky would probably have been more interesting (instead of the street). And if I had to show the street I would have used the white lines to compose. In any case, it seems like a good long exposition, congrats.

10-25-2021, 07:14 PM	#5
Michael Piziak Closed Account Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,815	The 2nd image is very pleasing to me~!

10-27-2021, 04:13 PM	#6
PocketPixels Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 385 Original Poster	Thank you all for these tips and ideas. I am going to try shooting from a higher vantage point to get more of the sky and less of the tracks in the picture. Stay tuned!

10-27-2021, 10:53 PM	#7
mroeder75 Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Iowa Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,598	I am not an expert. Image 2 is better for me. I want to have more of a visual of the trolley. I reviewed the Flickr version, and I see your lens drops down to f/4.0 only, but you are at f/9.5. You need to experiment more b-4 the trolley goes by. A wider aperture would be appropriate because the trolley goes by too fast for me. aperture. Otherwise try a higher ISO. It is really good, as is, but I would like more detail on the trolley.