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Really pretty, I'd suggest that waiting a little later for the sky to darken a little would of brought out the lights and the reflection a little more. I've been contemplating taking the tripod up the street for a few xmas lights shot myself...

Would have to agree with Craig on this but it's still a nice pic. The reflections really grab the eye.

Bob.

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Cat, I really like the subtle sky colours as you have captured them and the effect it's had on the reflections. If you'd waited any later, you may have got the lights over powering the sky colours and reflections. Nice shot. BTW, looks like you've got a dust bunny a third the way in from left hand side, half way up the sky.

I'm gunna be an arsehole here and say some bad things, feel free to hate me, or try to take something away from it...

It was probably a gorgeous scene when seen with the eye, but it's like 1 image when there should have been 2. Combining them into 1 has compromised the shot IMO.

Firstly, by the title of the thread I assume the main focal point of the image was meant to be the xmas lights. Well, they're overexposed. If they hadn't been blown, you may have gotten a sillouhette of the rooftops against the sky, and bright stars above each pier/shop thingy as the key features in the image.
The second image, as I see it, is the sunset and the warm colours of the sky against this idyllic setting by the water's edge. In which case the coloured reflections on the water and the hues of the sky would have complimented each other very nicely - but in which case xmas lights would have been a distraction.

I feel the scene may have been a combination of the two, the image as captured leans towards the second, with the artistic intention being more the first.

Onyx, thanks for the honest feedback - it's what all of us here want to hear and as someone in another thread said - it is only that persons opinion, so how could I take offence? I'm sure there are a multitude of things wrong with this pic, but as this was my first try at night pics and long exposures I looked for constructive criticisms and hopefully postings of solutions to do it better next time. So keep on being an arsehole

Reading Onyx's post and looking at the shot again, I feel he's on the money with his observations. I'd suggest if you would like more feedback for next time posting the Exif data, knowing how you took this shot, can help some of the more experience members (not myself) suggest possibly more suitable settings....

Out of interest what sort of tripod do you have ?

Exif - 3 sec exp, f9 @ 70mm.
Alpha - I have a Manfrotto tripod, why's that ?

Just wondering cc@t, just about to upgrade... I currently have a horribly 3 foot tall, tripod that came packaged with my camera, since I'm upgrading soon I'm a little tripod obsessed...

Mate I can definitely recommend spending that bit extra on something like the Manfrotto - really well made and feels like it would survive a N- blast!!

I'm going for a Benro A327... I've seen a number of members take beautiful shots with it, Doug (Potatis), Mattk etc Then my other tripod can get ready for my next future purchase SB-800

Thats next on my shopping list too - I was going to go for the SB600 though, but not a certain yet...

Besides the other observations you have a dustbunny (actually there is two) and a few fibres/hairs on the sensor (I think I can spot three).

Kipper - I can see the one dust bunny - where are the hairs and the other one ??