Two light trails

This is one of the really fun things about shooting at night. The camera sees the world very differently than our eyes do. Our brain tells us that what's going by is a discrete object, and we see it that way. The sensor just picks up reflected light. No vehicles were harmed in these reflections.

I'd just finished an HDR sequence when I heard the fire truck coming. Since I was already set up I just pressed the button again, and the truck came into view just at the end of the exposure. I like how it looks like it's going into the pub, rather than past it. I didn't actually see the fire truck with my eyes.

The sharp-eyed of you may have noticed that the three buildings look ever so slightly different. That's because I made different choices in how the perspective is treated. In the top one, the vertical lines recede and meet somewhere way above the photo. That's ok when there's nothing vertical near the sides of the frame. In the bottom one, the vertical lines are parrallel. That makes the buildings look fatter at the top and appear to be leaning out a bit.

If I had made the camera level I wouldn't have those problems, but then I'd chop off the top of the buildings and we'd be looking at acres of boring pavement in the foreground.

It's all artistic choices. I'd love it if you were to come along on a walk with your camera, and I can see the choices you make. A buddy sent me a map of all the Beltline murals. (hint hint)