landscape with clouds - c&c

[sjconner]

Here is a landscape I took right after I got my camera. I used a circular polarizing filter to try to make the cloud formations stand out. The only editing is some manual levels adjustment and auto color/contrast. How can I make it better? Any suggestions would be welcome!

Thanks, Susan

 

[mwcfarms]

I like the image but I think your watermark is a bit distracting.

 

[Ron Evers]

I like the image but I think your watermark is a bit distracting.

I agree, plus it looks underexposed to me.

 

[Breaux]

2 suggestions: crop out some of the boring sky above the interesting clouds, and try to include some item in the foreground for added interest - rock, tree, cow, rusted truck...

 

[Abby Rose]

I like it cropped the way it is, because of those misty looking clouds above the other ones. Cool landscape. A little plain and dark down on the ground, though, but maybe thats good (the plain, not the dark) because then you look more at the clouds?

Get rid of that watermark. Or make it skinnier or smaller.

 

[burstintoflame81]

I think it needs some contrast and color adjustments. Other than that I really like it ( and other than the watermark being in the way ). Can we have permission to take a stab at our own edit of the pic?

 

[sjconner]

Go for it and thanks for the feedback! It was taken this spring after the snow all melted but before the greening began.

Susan

 

[burstintoflame81]

Here is my take on it. Just a quick couple of minutes editing.

 

[sjconner]

Thanks burstintoflames81 - That looks much better! I only know how to do levels, auto contrast and auto color. Please help me get the pic to look like that.

Susan

 

[burstintoflame81]

Open the pic and duplicate the layer ( CTRL+J ) . Go up to Image menu and choose AUTO TONE and then AUTO COLOR. ( These don't always work well but in this case they did ). Then I just used a curves layer with a gradiant mask so that it only effected the sky. I also used a Vibrance layer with a gradiant mask so that it only effected the grouns ( I went in after adding the gradiant and painted in the spots that it missed like the curved parts where hills meet sky ). Pretty basic.

 

[sjconner]

Thank you for the directions. I printed your post off and am going to make time to figure this out!

Thanks again,
Susan