Duck pond during sunset

[cconner]

I initially took my daughter to feed ducks and get out of the house, but the sunset yesterday was pretty good. I take pictures of people so trying to find balance with out a person in the frame was different. I tried to keep the colors and tones as closed to how I saw it when I took the picture so it wasn't to over the top. I would accept any critique that is given with intentions of making this opportunity better next time. Thank you.

 

[vipgraphx]

Interesting colors, I love vibrant colors. I have learned through many shots not to put the horizon in the middle of the sky and land. The sky is not really that interesting just some light clouds so I would have put the horizon higher for this shot.

Now there is not really anything going on in the water either and the reflections are not that great.

I am thinking this is just an ok shot. Here is another trick, try to shoot into the sun instead of away from.

Cheers!

 

[cconner]

Would this framing be more appropriate? I would agree with it just being ok and there isn't anything going on, it was just nice how the lighting took over and I tried to capture it. The second shot is toward the sun and is just ok, just another shot while we were out there that will make for a good wallpaper on the workstation. Thanks for the helpful tips.

 

[vipgraphx]

Yeah the one with less sky looks better to me. The reason why the second one is ok because it really does not tell a story its just a tree. Sometimes these tree photo really work out and tell a story in this case its just a silhouette of a leafless tree. The colors are little bland..

if you have not tried HDR, try it you may like it and it will give you more detail in sky and land. Its great for shots like you have posted.

Also here is where a plug in for photoshop comes in handy..Its called Nik Color Efex Pro. Great program and very fun to use. Keep in mind I love to warp colors and am not apologetic for it. I like to manipulate the crap out of photos.


_MG_5392-Edit by VIPGraphX, on Flickr

 

[cconner]

That added color does look a bit better, definitely a different approach. I have Photoshop cc, light room 5, Nik Suite, and Photo matrix. I tend to keep the images that are beyond what they looked like to myself. I figured they were not welcome. Should have placed my daughter somewhere under the tree to make the image better. Something to work with, thank you very much for a different view point.

 

[limr7 5]

Sorry, but I like the tree the way it was before the edit. I think the composition was balanced and pleasant. There's a sweep to the tree that follows the clouds that is very interesting. The colors were more subtle and gentle, but that suits the subject matter and the delicacy of those small leafless outer branches.

There's one thing on the ground - not sure what it is. Too regular to be a rock. Anyway, I would clone that out, but otherwise, I wouldn't do anything else to the picture.