ANTON ALYMOV

WHAT CAMERA, LENS AND SETTINGS DID YOU USE TO CAPTURE THIS STUNNING SHOT?

I used my Sony A7R II with the 16-35 f/4 lens. I love this lens as it’s perfect for cityscapes, plus it’s super sharp! I used the Gitzo GT1545T tripod – the best I’ve ever had as it’s so light and stable.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON THE COMPOSITION?

The composition was a challenge to nail as there were so many buildings. But I was able to find the balance between the elements by framing Burj Khalifa to the left third of the image.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT THE IMAGE?

That day there was an amazing sunset over Dubai – it was so colourful and saturated. I came to the location an hour early and waited for the city lights to turn on. My goal is always to capture the shine of the city light while there are still details in the sky and it’s not too dark. Also, I like how the long exposure transformed the moving cars into light trails – I was on a tripod and used a shutter speed of six seconds to achieve that effect.

DID YOU DO MUCH POST-PROCESSING?

The overall exposure of the RAW file was close to the sweet spot so I didn’t have to do much post-processing. I used Lightroom to decrease the highlights and brighten the shadows. After that I added a radial filter with some clarity to the area around Burj Khalifa to make it stand out. I find that such local adjustments are key to creating depth in cityscape images.

SEE MORE OF ANTON’S SHOTS ON THE NEXT PAGE.

IMAGE TITLE: Soak In The Last Light

Below OLD ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE, LONDON Anton framed this iconic scene as sunlight bathed the tips of the buildings Left below WALKIE TALKIE, LONDON I took this while scouting for unique compositions. I found a street that framed the Walkie Talkie and those golden trees

Above THE ALBERT PUB, LONDON This is one of the photos that I am most proud of. I love how the old pub contrasts with the modern skyscrapers

Left LONDON SKYLINE I like the panoramic feel of this image, the colour contrast between the city and the sky, and the details in the trees