How to Achieve Edit Like This Photo?

[PS01]

I found this photo and I wonder... How to edit like this photo? What do you think is the drone setting and what's the editing like?

 

[Simmo]

A little touch up in lightroom maybe, but the main effect is done by the drone with maybe a 1 or 2 second exposure.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Yep, longer exposure for the streaked car lights etc.
Either a ND filter of higher stop rating . . . perhaps 4 stop / ND16 as a minimum for a little effect, through to 6 stop / ND64, or more !
That, or a camera like the M2P where you can control that.

It looks very clear too, they may have been using a night filter like this . . .
MP / MPP > NiSi Natural Night for DJI Mavic Pro
M2P > NiSi Natural Night for Mavic 2 Pro (Single Filter) - NiSi Filters Australia

Cuts out light pollution from street lighting mostly.
They make other drone filters for DJI models.

I have one for my MP, though haven't been game to take it up for a city lights shot yet, can't do it legally even though I know a local spot within 1/2km, large parklands to launch and retrieve, with no flight restrictions overlooking our CBD.
Tempted for a straight up to 100m or so, take the shot, straight down, buuuuuut just a little nervous doing it.

Have only flown only once at night, very remote region, totally isolated from humanity, shooting one of our night camps (campfire) for a short video.
Flew around with no fear, as I do make good use of the map in daylight flights, and know where I am and pointed etc.

 

[Skywatcher2001]

Yeah they just opened the shutter for a few seconds. Tons of "how to's" posted here. Use the search tool and search for 'long exposure settings' . . .

This was an 8 second exposure, iso 100, F 2.8, taken with a 3 stop gradient ND filter in Northern California.

 

[RickinWaST]

Thanks for two items: (1) Requirements for flying at night which knew about l, but others may not. (2) Night time filter which I was not aware.

 

[AMann]

The car streaks are not that long- maybe 3-4 car lengths (as long as the bus), and the people walking in the crosswalks are not that streaked. Assuming the cars were going 30-35mph on that road (some slower as they are turning onto the aide street), it would be a one second exposure. Much longer and the deone would have left streaks from movements as well.

 

[RickinWaST]

My other question would addressing noise in the image, depending on what the viewing mode would be; or, it you would consider making a print.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Thanks for two items: (1) Requirements for flying at night which knew about l, but others may not. (2) Night time filter which I was not aware.

Think that was for me Rick, no problems . . . I am in Australia, and rules in other countries may differ.
I do recall from posts on this forum that until recently hobbyists had a loophole and could legally fly night time in the US, I think that loophole has closed now with recent changes.

 

[WithTheBirds]

The part you might not like to emulate is what seems to be a heavy handed application of noise reduction. A little noise might be preferable to the softness...

 

[zocalo]

My other question would addressing noise in the image, depending on what the viewing mode would be; or, it you would consider making a print.

For a 1s exposure noise probably wouldn't be a problem if the ISO was also low. Failing that noise can be tackled in post with multiple identical exposures - e.g. same composition and exposure settings - by auto aligning a set of several images then doing an Median Blend. Noise is random, so this removes the "spikes" caused by the noise and gives a much smoother combined image as a result.

 

[RickinWaST]

Thanks. I have not fully explored the upper ISO impact especially at night. Will keep this in mind.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Are you sure this was shot with a drone? It could also have been a long exposure shot with a tripod from an upper level building too.

 

[Skywatcher2001]

Thanks. I have not fully explored the upper ISO impact especially at night. Will keep this in mind.

If you are flying the M2P you might be able to push an ISO of 800 and not get too much noise but try to stay at 400 ISO range and below . . .