Dubai

A few images from a recent trip to Dubai. Constructive critique welcome.

1. Dubai skyline from the Palm




2. Burj Khalifa at dusk




3. Bracelets in the Gold Souk




Roy

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My PPG link
K-3, K-5 + D-BG4 Grip, Pentax: FA 50 1.4, DA* 300, Sigma 70-200 2.8 Macro HSM II, Sigma 18-50 2.8 EX DC, Metz 58 AF-1

Alternative image 1 - a little tighter cropped

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My PPG link
K-3, K-5 + D-BG4 Grip, Pentax: FA 50 1.4, DA* 300, Sigma 70-200 2.8 Macro HSM II, Sigma 18-50 2.8 EX DC, Metz 58 AF-1

That's much better I think. The first one is made off balance by the road, despite the skyline being nicely framed.

I used to work out in Dubai, and I@m an avid collector of historial Dubai pics. Have thousands so know the area well.

I really like the first pic. it's an unusual persective showing the metro and access roads of the palm jumeirah with teh skyline as a background rather than centre stage. looks like you took this from the Atlantis.


I don't like your cropped version at all. You've cut off the stanchions of the metro bridge and compositionally looks awkward You've also decreased what was special about the first version, i.e city in the background metro/road in the foreground. If it were me I'd enhance the foreground a bit like this ...

Now this is nice

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[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283

I also know Dubai very well having worked out there regularly. I like all of the first three images, but the second for me is outstanding and really emphasises the height of the Burj Khalifa so well.

Regards
Davied

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Flickr

Nicola's Apartments, Kassiopi, Corfu

Some cameras, some lenses, some bits 'n' bobs

Thanks Smeggy. I cropped because there seemed too much dark space in the foreground but your alternative is much better so I think I'll have a go at duplicating your post processing.

It was indeed taken from the Atlantis.

Roy

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My PPG link
K-3, K-5 + D-BG4 Grip, Pentax: FA 50 1.4, DA* 300, Sigma 70-200 2.8 Macro HSM II, Sigma 18-50 2.8 EX DC, Metz 58 AF-1

It was a simple lightoom grad filter on the foreground boosting exposure, contrast and a slight saturation boost

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[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283

Thanks David. I took a lot of photos of it from various places but none conveyed the sense of scale of the building so when the low clouds started covering the tower I thought that would help.

Roy

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My PPG link
K-3, K-5 + D-BG4 Grip, Pentax: FA 50 1.4, DA* 300, Sigma 70-200 2.8 Macro HSM II, Sigma 18-50 2.8 EX DC, Metz 58 AF-1

Here's some pics I took of the Gold Souk in 1986-88

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[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283

Smeggy, they seem to have changed the roof since then. It is now a more ornate wooden affair that, I assume, is supposed to give it a more traditional feel. Other than that it doesn't appear to have changed much. Nice to see some pictures from the eighties to compare, especially your number 4 - the cars place it in the eighties

I actually wanted to find the Spice Souk as well but after a bit of wandering - with my family getting nervous about some of the little alleys I was taking them down - we gave up and went to the Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall instead.

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My PPG link
K-3, K-5 + D-BG4 Grip, Pentax: FA 50 1.4, DA* 300, Sigma 70-200 2.8 Macro HSM II, Sigma 18-50 2.8 EX DC, Metz 58 AF-1