Test shots at Deansgate Locks. Mon 6th Oct 2010.

After spending a few hours on the internet researching some new ideas, I decided to try and find The Beetham Tower and Deansgate Locks.

Many similar images of the tower have cropped up during my research and it was my intention to find a better interpretation of this iconic Manchester building.

I like the idea of combining the old architecture of the canal and it's arches with the modern structure of the tower.

Here are some of the test shots from tonight.

I used my Canon EOS 40D with a 28-135mm f4.5 lens and my tripod with pistol-grip head.

There is definite potential for a great shot at this location, but there are a few definite drawbacks.

• Lots of lens-flare from all the street-lights.
• Extremely difficult to compose the shots with the cluttered foreground.
• Awkward contrast between the dark sky and bright lights.

I also struggled with my 40D to get the colour balance correct, I found this much easier last week with the Nikon D90.

I intend to re-shoot this location on Thursday daytime with the D90 and compare the results.