Attempt at Sunset Picture (C&C)

[J_T]

Hey guys, just attempted to do some sunsets like all beginners eventually try...haha (not the best sunset to photograph, but still).
Please be specific on the things that I can improve on and the things I'm doing well because I love sunsets and wish to become good at shooting them.
Thanks.

 

[J_T]

Bump before I go to sleep... I swear half the people are nocturnal lol

 

[Dahrol]

I'm not a pro, obviously, but I really like this!

It's appealing to my eye, which says alot.

 

[rgregory1965]

View attachment 4738

I'm not a pro, obviously, but I really like this!

It's appealing to my eye, which says alot.

Did a little something to it....let me know what you think

 

[Dahrol]

That looks more like a painting while the original still has that photo look to it, in my opinion.

I personally like the original better.

 

[J_T]

I'm not a pro, obviously, but I really like this!

It's appealing to my eye, which says alot.

Thanks Dahrol!
I appreciate it

View attachment 4738

I'm not a pro, obviously, but I really like this!

It's appealing to my eye, which says alot.

Did a little something to it....let me know what you think

Whoa... looks like a painting now haha
I like it, but I think I prefer the softer colours
Thanks for the taking the time to process and comment on my pics

 

[Buckster]

View attachment 4738

I'm not a pro, obviously, but I really like this!

It's appealing to my eye, which says alot.

Did a little something to it....let me know what you think

Overcooked, oversharpened, halos are distracting, removing the darkness and contrast is like removing the bass from a song. Overall, I find it jarring to my eyeballs and my senses - just the opposite of what the original did, which was to instill a peace and calmness that was enjoyable, even if not terribly stimulating due to a lack of color saturation and somewhat banal composition.

 

[J_T]

View attachment 4738

I'm not a pro, obviously, but I really like this!

It's appealing to my eye, which says alot.

Did a little something to it....let me know what you think

Overcooked, oversharpened, halos are distracting, removing the darkness and contrast is like removing the bass from a song. Overall, I find it jarring to my eyeballs and my senses - just the opposite of what the original did, which was to instill a peace and calmness that was enjoyable, even if not terribly stimulating due to a lack of color saturation and somewhat banal composition.

Thanks for the critique (although said indirectly haha).
So you would suggest finding a more interesting perspective and doing some more PP on the saturation?

 

[Buckster]

View attachment 4738


Did a little something to it....let me know what you think

Overcooked, oversharpened, halos are distracting, removing the darkness and contrast is like removing the bass from a song. Overall, I find it jarring to my eyeballs and my senses - just the opposite of what the original did, which was to instill a peace and calmness that was enjoyable, even if not terribly stimulating due to a lack of color saturation and somewhat banal composition.

Thanks for the critique (although said indirectly haha).
So you would suggest finding a more interesting perspective and doing some more PP on the saturation?

Starting with the saturation question, it's a matter of taste. I generally am drawn to more saturated images, especially if there's not a lot else to be drawn in by, but that's again just my personal taste.

When I see a sunset in real life, I'm mesmerized by the brilliant color and light - at levels we can never actually capture with a camera. But I'm also stimulated by all the rest of my senses, and the fact that I'm surrounded by the whole thing - 360 degress of immersion in that experience. A flat photo just isn't going to come within 1% of transmitting that sensory input to a viewer. So, what can we do? Well, one thing we can do that's pretty simple is that we can push the saturation to help kick it up a notch toward "brilliant" color and light to help restore just a little bit more of what a sunset does to the senses, which is what usually motivates us to shoot a sunset in the first place.

As for finding an interesting perspective, the very start to any successful photograph, before choosing ISO, shutter, aperture or even lens, is the composition itself: What's going to be IN the frame, what's going to be OUT of the frame, how are the elements that will be IN the frame going to be positioned and WHY?

To answer those questions, you have to ask yourself a few other questions, and pretty quickly (the sun IS setting, after all ). Why do I want this in? Why do I want that out? What's the point? What's the story? What's the interpretation? What is it about THIS sunset composition that will make others sit up and take notice of it? What is it about THIS sunset composition that would make you want to have it printed poster sized, matted, framed and hung prominently on your living room wall for all who visit to enjoy?

In short, what's special about it?

Just being bluntly honest: I'm not seeing anything "special" or interesting about this sunset composition. If it had something unique to play off the sunset, it would generate more interest: a human element to identify with, maybe fishing or in a boat or just sitting in the foreground and watching the sunset, an animal, especially a unique animal or one doing something unique, a building that helps tell a story about the end of this day - something.

What does "sunset" say to you and to most people? It's usually a calming, end of the day, end of the work time. So, if you find ways to convey those feelings through better composition, your photos will have much more impact.

 

[J_T]

Overcooked, oversharpened, halos are distracting, removing the darkness and contrast is like removing the bass from a song. Overall, I find it jarring to my eyeballs and my senses - just the opposite of what the original did, which was to instill a peace and calmness that was enjoyable, even if not terribly stimulating due to a lack of color saturation and somewhat banal composition.

Thanks for the critique (although said indirectly haha).
So you would suggest finding a more interesting perspective and doing some more PP on the saturation?

Starting with the saturation question, it's a matter of taste. I generally am drawn to more saturated images, especially if there's not a lot else to be drawn in by, but that's again just my personal taste.

When I see a sunset in real life, I'm mesmerized by the brilliant color and light - at levels we can never actually capture with a camera. But I'm also stimulated by all the rest of my senses, and the fact that I'm surrounded by the whole thing - 360 degress of immersion in that experience. A flat photo just isn't going to come within 1% of transmitting that sensory input to a viewer. So, what can we do? Well, one thing we can do that's pretty simple is that we can push the saturation to help kick it up a notch toward "brilliant" color and light to help restore just a little bit more of what a sunset does to the senses, which is what usually motivates us to shoot a sunset in the first place.

As for finding an interesting perspective, the very start to any successful photograph, before choosing ISO, shutter, aperture or even lens, is the composition itself: What's going to be IN the frame, what's going to be OUT of the frame, how are the elements that will be IN the frame going to be positioned and WHY?

To answer those questions, you have to ask yourself a few other questions, and pretty quickly (the sun IS setting, after all ). Why do I want this in? Why do I want that out? What's the point? What's the story? What's the interpretation? What is it about THIS sunset composition that will make others sit up and take notice of it? What is it about THIS sunset composition that would make you want to have it printed poster sized, matted, framed and hung prominently on your living room wall for all who visit to enjoy?

In short, what's special about it?

Just being bluntly honest: I'm not seeing anything "special" or interesting about this sunset composition. If it had something unique to play off the sunset, it would generate more interest: a human element to identify with, maybe fishing or in a boat or just sitting in the foreground and watching the sunset, an animal, especially a unique animal or one doing something unique, a building that helps tell a story about the end of this day - something.

What does "sunset" say to you and to most people? It's usually a calming, end of the day, end of the work time. So, if you find ways to convey those feelings through better composition, your photos will have much more impact.

Okay thanks for taking the time to write that lol.
I'll definitely keep that in mind next time I go shoot a sunset scene. I saw a couple of geese when I was there, but I didn't have my telephoto lens with me so I didn't try to take the picture.

 

[pro_photog123]

Thanks for the critique (although said indirectly haha).
So you would suggest finding a more interesting perspective and doing some more PP on the saturation?

Starting with the saturation question, it's a matter of taste. I generally am drawn to more saturated images, especially if there's not a lot else to be drawn in by, but that's again just my personal taste.

When I see a sunset in real life, I'm mesmerized by the brilliant color and light - at levels we can never actually capture with a camera. But I'm also stimulated by all the rest of my senses, and the fact that I'm surrounded by the whole thing - 360 degress of immersion in that experience. A flat photo just isn't going to come within 1% of transmitting that sensory input to a viewer. So, what can we do? Well, one thing we can do that's pretty simple is that we can push the saturation to help kick it up a notch toward "brilliant" color and light to help restore just a little bit more of what a sunset does to the senses, which is what usually motivates us to shoot a sunset in the first place.

As for finding an interesting perspective, the very start to any successful photograph, before choosing ISO, shutter, aperture or even lens, is the composition itself: What's going to be IN the frame, what's going to be OUT of the frame, how are the elements that will be IN the frame going to be positioned and WHY?

To answer those questions, you have to ask yourself a few other questions, and pretty quickly (the sun IS setting, after all ). Why do I want this in? Why do I want that out? What's the point? What's the story? What's the interpretation? What is it about THIS sunset composition that will make others sit up and take notice of it? What is it about THIS sunset composition that would make you want to have it printed poster sized, matted, framed and hung prominently on your living room wall for all who visit to enjoy?

In short, what's special about it?

Just being bluntly honest: I'm not seeing anything "special" or interesting about this sunset composition. If it had something unique to play off the sunset, it would generate more interest: a human element to identify with, maybe fishing or in a boat or just sitting in the foreground and watching the sunset, an animal, especially a unique animal or one doing something unique, a building that helps tell a story about the end of this day - something.

What does "sunset" say to you and to most people? It's usually a calming, end of the day, end of the work time. So, if you find ways to convey those feelings through better composition, your photos will have much more impact.

Okay thanks for taking the time to write that lol.
I'll definitely keep that in mind next time I go shoot a sunset scene. I saw a couple of geese when I was there, but I didn't have my telephoto lens with me so I didn't try to take the picture.

Hes bascially sayin there crap and i agree