How does this one look?

[Hiebs915]

Here's a variation without the bench, just to compare. Taking out the bench seems to feature the mountains better.

How did you make the mountains so sharp?

Selective sharpening in PS:
- duplicate layer
- change the blend mode to Linear Light
- Filter>Other>High Pass
- looking just at what needs adjusting, move the slider to your preference then click Ok
- option click the mask mode in the layer inspector to hide everything.
- paint white at about 30% and bring back what you would like to be sharper.

I don't understand "option click the mask mode etc". What is the layer inspector?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I like the bench, personally.I think it takes this from just another landscape shot, to one with a little story. I connect with the bench, and want to sit there and admire the view, and get away from everything.

 

[oldmacman]

How did you make the mountains so sharp?

Selective sharpening in PS:
- duplicate layer
- change the blend mode to Linear Light
- Filter>Other>High Pass
- looking just at what needs adjusting, move the slider to your preference then click Ok
- option click the mask mode in the layer inspector to hide everything.
- paint white at about 30% and bring back what you would like to be sharper.

I don't understand "option click the mask mode etc". What is the layer inspector?

The layer inspector is the window containing all your layers in Photoshop. "Option" is a key on the Mac keyboard... sorry about that. I believe the "Alt" key is the PC equivalent.

 

[KenC]

I like the original best at least as far as composition. I agree with some here that the bench makes the shot and should stay, and I think its original placement not so close to the lower edge works better than the semi-pano crops posted later. It's useful to have a little lead-in from the lower edge. The sharpening and other adjustments improve it a little, but I don't think they make a huge difference in the impact the original image has.

 

[KmH]

I think it could use a tweek here and a tweek there:

The clouds seem to have drop shadows and the mountain ridge has a bit of glow. Maybe a little more tweaking?

The photo we had to work with was a small online JPEG having limited editng headroom. All of the edits I post here at TPF are done quick and dirty, because they are intended to illustrate possibilities, rather than being copied and printed.

 

[bennielou]

I like the bench. Without it, IMO, it's boring. I want to imagine myself sitting in that bench. I LOVE KmH's edit.

 

[Hiebs915]

I like the bench, personally.I think it takes this from just another landscape shot, to one with a little story. I connect with the bench, and want to sit there and admire the view, and get away from everything.

Very nice, I like your perspective! I was actually sitting in it before I took the shot. haha

 

[Hiebs915]

I like the original best at least as far as composition. I agree with some here that the bench makes the shot and should stay, and I think its original placement not so close to the lower edge works better than the semi-pano crops posted later. It's useful to have a little lead-in from the lower edge. The sharpening and other adjustments improve it a little, but I don't think they make a huge difference in the impact the original image has.

So you don't think any crop is needed? I thought just a tad on the bottom but its tough to decide.

 

[Hiebs915]

Thanks for all the responses people!

 

[e.rose]

Here's a variation without the bench, just to compare. Taking out the bench seems to feature the mountains better.

:thumbup:

I gotta say... I agree with this edit

As I scrolled down to see the image I went from "Ooo, pretty mountai...huh? Oh well that chair just... it's not as pretty anymore."

I found myself wanting to stare at the mountains because they're beautiful, but my eye kept getting pulled down to that random chair that isn't anywhere near as aesthetically pleasing to my eye.

 

[Hiebs915]

Selective sharpening in PS:
- duplicate layer
- change the blend mode to Linear Light
- Filter>Other>High Pass
- looking just at what needs adjusting, move the slider to your preference then click Ok
- option click the mask mode in the layer inspector to hide everything.
- paint white at about 30% and bring back what you would like to be sharper.

I don't understand "option click the mask mode etc". What is the layer inspector?

The layer inspector is the window containing all your layers in Photoshop. "Option" is a key on the Mac keyboard... sorry about that. I believe the "Alt" key is the PC equivalent.

Thank you!

 

[jasonphoto]

Cool,,i wish i could go there. It's very relaxing there for sure. ")

 

[Gaerek]

I'm gonna chime in with a gotta keep the bench. Landscapes are hard because they all look the same. (In general, anyway). Everyone wants to take a picture of the pretty mountains, the pretty lake, the pretty ocean, the pretty whatever. The problem is, there's no variation, and it all looks the same. In the end, pictures of pretty mountains are just that, pictures of pretty mountains. We've all seen them, we all have pictures of them, and they are very forgettable.

When you are there taking the photograph, you have all of your senses working for you. You see the scene. You smell the fresh mountain air, and the wildflowers blooming. You hear the birds of prey calling out, and the sound of the song birds in the bushes. You feel the crisp mountain breeze on your skin. A photograph only engages 1 sense. You are trying to capture a scene that, for you, was utilizing 4 or even 5 senses and somehow conveying that to your viewer. You want them to be able to imagine all of those things you actually experienced. Not to mention, landcapes are 3 dimensional, even though most "snapshot" landscapes are very 2 dimensional. You must remember that you at the very least, should have a foreground, and a background. Most good landscapes have a "midground" in there as well. Your eyes should move throughout the scene to find a bunch of different aspects. I've heard of landscapes being best described as an interesting foreground object with an amazing background.

Using that as our "landscape mantra," without the chair, all you have is pretty mountains (eh...) and a lake. The chair has character. It gives a point of focus. It helps to tell a story. The chair should be featured. It's the rockstart, and the mountains are just the backup dancers, if you want to use that kind of analogy. Having said all that, I do believe the image suffers from some other problems. The ground in the foreground is ugly. The point of view was taken from an averageish height human (likely between 5 and 6 feet). Shooting from a lower angle, maybe closer to the bench, could potentially make for an amazing shot. Although the sun isn't overpowering the scene (might have been behind a cloud or something), the time of day isn't very conducive to this type of shot. Waiting until the sun was low in the sky would have added a lot of drama to the scene.

I have a passion for good landscapes, and I have been trying my best to take great landscapes ever since I picked up a camera. This was a great attempt, and I applaud the OP for actually adding a forground element, where most people would have left it out, or forgotten about it.

 

[Hiebs915]

Thanks for your feedback Gaerek! I will remember what you've said the next time I'm out. I agree the grass in the foreground is ugly but, its all I had at the moment and I'm no pro. I love landscape photos and I'm trying to get better. Thanks again!

 

[Gaerek]

Thanks for your feedback Gaerek! I will remember what you've said the next time I'm out. I agree the grass in the foreground is ugly but, its all I had at the moment and I'm no pro. I love landscape photos and I'm trying to get better. Thanks again!

No worries about the brown grass. I see a lot of potential in what you've shot. I'm also very happy to see you're willing to take feedback (even negative) and learn from it. That's a skill that appears to be getting rarer and rarer by the day.