After Sunset...

[captainshane]

I have been trying to take pictures during the blue hour. Looking for darker blue skies but haven't mastered it yet. The 2nd photo was after the blue hour.

C and C please

Fountain Lake Albert Lea

Downtown Rochester

[EBass]

Both are well done!

[Steve Foss]

Shane, both look quite nice to me. It's good work!

For me, the foreground leaves work very well as a partial frame in the first image. The big foreground branch in the second image dominates it in an unpleasing way, and takes my eyes away from the city lights.

I have my best luck with the deepest blues when I shoot truly wide angle (17mm on the full frame 5D), get myself somewhat lower than the subject and shoot up, with plenty of sky in the frame. That gathers and intensifies the deep indigo blues.

You can also grab the sky by lassoing it in Photoshop and playing with vibrance, levels and saturation if you aren't happy with how the blues are rendered.

[so haaad]

That first one belongs on a tourism brochure. It looks very calming. Well done.

[finnbay]

I think either one of them could make a brochure!

[captainshane]

Thanks everybody! Would it make a difference shooting away from the western sky?