I want to use this photo in a contest and want to know if you think its worth using or no. the contest is about my city and mostly they want photos to advertise for tourism i think. this mosque is called Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque, its so huge you can see it from far away.
I agree with runamuck - if you can blend in a different sky, and add a bit more contrast to the mosque, it will definitely be a winner. I also like the blue light, it's very mystical.
Yes, the image is quite good. Here's some thoughts to try to improve it even more:
Either my eyes deceive me, or it's tilted to the left a tiny bit. What do you think?
Love the blues. But I feel it's a low-contrast image overall, and even if that's intentional then it's a little more so than I would have preferred. For slightly greater contrast and better color saturation, I'd really suggest going back another night and retaking that same image when you can get a better sky. Not a fan of "replacing" stuff in photography. Also, I'd wait for a slightly darker sky (same reasons: contrast and color saturation, whiter whites in the buildings and so on). Just a little though... if you had taken pictures at 5-minute intervals on that same night, I'd guess that either the next picture (5m later) or the one after that (10m later) would have been perfect.
Also, is there a slightly higher vantage point from which you could shoot? I think a little altitude would be great for this image in terms of perspective and lines.
Finally, the web version does not look as sharp as it could, and should for this purpose. Lacks a bit of "pop" and edge definition. I have no idea whether the print looks exactly like this one, but in this image I'd be a little more aggressive with the sharpening. A little, of course... nothing exaggerated or over-the-top.
I didn't read all the posts but for my taste, it needs a boost in contrast and a tiny boost in saturation. I'd be happy to show you if you'll let me edit the image.
the image is good...but...how many other people are going to have the same shot or something similar?
I have never judged a photo contest but have judged custom bike and car shows, as a judge I am always looking for that little something that someone did to be just a touch different instead of playing it safe. If there is another angle of the building you could take or just part of it I would try that as well...be creative...think outside of the box and have fun with it.
I do like the image though...very beautiful building and you did an awesome job of capturing it!
The image has some great soft tones here. The sky leaves a little to be desired though. Unless the contest is tomorrow, I would recommend trying this shot again when the sky is better. You can, of course, blend in a different sky. Personally I never do it because I feel it is cheating the photo, but it's hard to argue with results.
It horizon appears to be a little counter-clockwise as well. Not sure if it's the buildings or the grassy area in the foreground. But you might want to look into that.
