C&C New to DSLR's and looking for some C&C

[AustinChap]

Some pictures of my recent trip to Mass.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Any tips would be great.
I tend to hate 90% of the pics i take due to the quality not being there. Im not sure if its me or the camera.

 

[oldmacman]

Except for the last pic they all seem too dark to me. I can see you are trying to maintain the blues in the sky even with the complete blow out from the sun in the first pic. You may be new to dSLR, but I would guess that you are not new to photography as the pics are nicely composed and pretty competent. Are you using a graduated ND filter to maintain your skies or are you getting them some other way? I like the warmth of number 4 but it would be nice to see the sun as more of a circle. Number 5 is better in that regard, but then the light play is lost below the horizon.

 

[AustinChap]

Thanks! I'm limited in the filters as of right now. So everything is basically as the camera saw it besides some shadow and highlight adjustments in lightroom. I didn't even have a haze filter on the above lenses. Ive been kinda splooging money on lenses lately instead what i should be to protect them.
Yea i agree they are pretty dark. If you have suggestions on editing, be my guest to show how you would have done it.
write now i have a trial lightroom 3 and full version of Photoshop element 9. I dont like photoshop but i think i just need to learn how to use it.