c&c please

[SquarePeg40 1]

Had a few minutes yesterday at mid day so I stopped by the local pond. I was very disappointed when I got home and looked at this one. I'm sure I could have done many things better so please educate me! My list: overexposed, junk in the frame top left and right side, should have gotten lower, not the best time of day/harsh light... Also, how does the rule of thirds work when there is water/trees - what counts as the horizon line?



Also, this is a new (to me) lens and the contrast was just not there. Was this due to the mid day sun? Other than the lack of contrast, I liked the lens. Here is more what I imagined the shot looked like when I took it:


I most likely overcooked this as I am very new to PS and LR. I may go back there later in the day today to try this one again. The sun would be behind me and low then. Thanks for any advice, insight etc.

 

[KyleLomax]

Hi there,

Get a tripod and try to do your best in the morning or late afternoon - thats the key to achieve more interesting contrast and colors.

 

[ronlane]

OP, I like the 2nd one. I would be curious what it looked like a little bit brighter but I like it as is too.

 

[SquarePeg40 1]

OP, I like the 2nd one. I would be curious what it looked like a little bit brighter but I like it as is too.

Thanks. Here it is a bit lighter. The sky totally washed out if I go any further. I need to get a polarizing filter and/or learn how to spot edit.

 

[KmH]

View attachment 43188


View attachment 43189

The waterline serves as a horizon reference.
A good landscape has a foreground, middle ground, and a background.
The water serves as foreground, the land as middle ground, and the sky as background.
The water line is further away on the left than on the right and tends to offset the strong visual weight the high evergreen trees there.
Boost the mid-tone contrast to help overcome the 'blah' mid-day light. Reduce the exposure of the water and the sky somewhat to accent the middle ground. Clone and crop to get rid of distracting image elements. Learn how to do 'local edits'.

 

[SquarePeg40 1]

Thanks Keith. I wanted to see how it looked without that branch and still keep the tall trees but that was a bit beyond my current skills. I just started using PS and LR last month and I find it very complicated.