Beginner needs help...

This image was taken basically right outside my house so if needed, I can re take it as many times as requested.
I shot it in Aperture priority as that is what everyone has told me to do. I was shooting manual but, I am obviously not ready for that yet. My images however in Aperture mode just don't seem to come out well and I have no idea why.
Composition obviously is bad and creativity is lacking but that's okay, what I am looking for here is improvement feedback, this shot is terrible, I know it. But why?
What am I doing wrong? How can I correct it? I know my camera is working properly, it's all user error.
Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
EXIF DATA:
Focal Length: 80mm
Shutter Speed: 1/125
Aperture: F/8
ISO: 500

Was shot RAW, I imported it into lightroom and exported as a JPEG. No other editing has been done.

 

What are you trying to accomplish - how do you want it to look?

Think about what you want in and out of focus, and go from there.

Composition aside, this looks like I’d expect at f/8.

 

You have a subject that has very bright and dark areas. That is exactly how I would expect your camera to capture.

When you set your camera to an automatic exposure mode, it will try to balance the two ... so it picked something between which is probably not how your brain saw the scene.
You have to work on setting your brain into camera mode ... how does the camera light meter pick what exposure to tell you, and also how the camera sensor renders it.

 

Yes, this is spot on I think. I had a vision in my head that I thought was going to show on that LCD screen when I pressed the button and it didn't happen.

 

Right now I am struggling with focus and exposure. No matter what I do my images are not sharp, or sharp in the wrong areas, exposure is always wrong even when I do test shots and try exposure compensation. It's just not coming together.

 

THAT^^^^ is what I think as well. I think there could be some Lightroom adjustments that might strengthen the final image's appeal...maybe a bit of highlight recovery, maybe a bit of shadow lightening, a bit of black point adjustment, the brightness adjusted "just so", and the overall contrast adjusted perfectly, you know, those types of things.

 

Try to work on one thing at a time ... make it manageable.

 

The composition and creativity wasn't my main focus because in this case I was just trying to get my shot to be clear, nice and sharp all around and with good exposure. Though I understand what you mean. A decent shot overall. It's just not happening.
I have taken shots before I was happy with, the bees I posted earlier today, I got images of some geese I will share that I was happy with, I'm not sure what has changed, where I have slipped. Things have just taken a turn in the last few days and I don't know why. I'm confused.

 

Oh sure I could go into Lightroom and improve it that way but, I also want to take a Good picture and make it Great in post. Not take an Okay picture and make it Good LOL.

 

I feel sorry that I took the time to reply to this post...

You apparently ignored what was said by two of us,and are missing the point,entirely, and blowing off our carefully considered responses to you with an uninformed misconception about how one best shoots a sunset or sky photo.

You _need_ to process these types of photos. You can _NOT_ get what you want in-camera, or from a straight, un-modifed RAW-to-JPEG conversion, unless you use graduated ND filters, super-precise metering, exact exposure placement for the scene's DR and the camera's tone curve, and have some luck,etc.,etc..

You wrote that your images "don't seem to come out well and I have no idea why "; I just told you why,above. Digital images of sky-and-landscape scenes need to be post-processed, from RAW, with a few,specific adjustments.

 

Not every shutter actuation is going to result in something that can be made GREAT, no matter what you are capable of in post. Yes, the image you posted originally can be improved on, but only in a technical sense. An engaging subject, proper composition, an eye for the final image are what's needed to make something 'great'.