Feedbacks and Suggestions Please! :]

mei428 · Mar 11, 2011

I got my camera about a year ago and didn't start to make use of it until half a year later, so I am very new at this. There is so much to learn about photography that I have no idea where to start. So I guess getting feedbacks will be probably be the best way!

I took this photo at the San Diego's Sunset Cliff. I attempted to edit this photo so the grass wont look so dead. I think I failed. And the dry grass on the corner made the photo very messy. What should have I done differently to improve this photo? Also, I really want to learn how to post-process photos better. All I know how to do is playing with the curve, cropping and removing noise (by using noise ninja). The only photo editing software I have is PS 7.

I really want to get better with photography! Any feedbacks or suggestions will be greatly appreciated! :]

Flickr with EXIF info: In the Far Distance | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Joves · Mar 11, 2011

Well I can tell you what to do to get the shot closer in camera, and that is to use a Graduated Neutral Density Filter. For this I would have used a hard edged to light because of where the sun is at. Most of the time you would use a light to hard/dark. Get the square ones not the circulars they suck, Lee& Cokin make good ones. Also you hand hold the filter over the lens or get the holder for it and adjust the line according to where you want it. Post processing will not recover lost details.

mei428 · Mar 11, 2011

Thank you Joves! I guess its time to work double shifts to get some filters. I'm excited for the next sunset photoshoot!

I have a question. In what other settings is the graduated neutral density filter useful for?

Joves · Mar 11, 2011

Well I use the to darken the light side of some of the canyons I shoot where the otherside is dark. It is the only other application I use them for.

reznap · Mar 11, 2011

I wouldn't point that lens at the sun anymore, it has bad flare characteristics. Some lenses make for great sun flare shots, that one does not.

For landscape photos, it's generally best to avoid centering the horizon in the frame. If the sky is good and you want to showcase that, put the horizon at the bottom 1/3 of the frame. If you want to show more foreground than sky, put the horizon at the top 1/3 of the frame.

tirediron · Mar 11, 2011

Graduated neutral-density (G-ND) filters are useful for any situation where you have a wide dynamic range with a distinct separation such as a sunset.