My first pic

andyg72 · Aug 28, 2011

Please be honest this is my first proper pic i took this morning, i need honest feedback so i can understand what im doing right and wrong.

And yes i know its not level.

Virtuosos · Aug 28, 2011

What do YOU think is wrong with it?? Would you frame that shot and try selling it, or do you think there are issues somewhere with it (composition, exposure, sharpness, focus....)?

andyg72 · Aug 28, 2011

Apart from not being level, i think the clouds are to bright but to me it seems fine.

Dom6663 · Aug 28, 2011

I don't want to tell you that I think something is wrong with the photo. It may be serving the purpose you want it to serve. But id recommend taking a look at some professional landscape photographers, and see what they do.

Most of these people are hardly professionals. Or not even close. But there are still great, and even extraordinary photos on here. Take a look and see what they do with their landscapes. Browsing Landscapes on deviantART

andyg72 · Aug 28, 2011

I see on other threads that people leave feedback on pics, but im not getting any.
Im trying to get into photography, so i need advice on what to look for and what to do.

Virtuosos · Aug 28, 2011

Well....there is nothing of real interest in it. I see something I might want a better view of but it is way in the back and super small (the boat?). I just dont have anything to focus on and my eye keeps roaming over the entire photo looking for something to settle on.

It looks like it is mid-day with a bright sun....you should try shooting when the light isn't nearly as harsh. Not saying you have to wait for sunset/sunrise, but to me, 11am~5pm is hard to shoot due to the sun being so bright.

Dom6663 · Aug 28, 2011

The photo just seems randomly assembled. Not much composition.
As Virtuosos said, the lighting is really harsh. you can kinda fix that by 3 simple sliders in photoshop...shadows highlights and contrast

You can see that just moving a few sliders really gave the image more warmth.

andyg72 · Aug 28, 2011

Thanks for the feedback this is what im looking for.

It was took at about 9am with a 18-55mm lens, i put a Hoya circ pol filter on, thinking that it might take the britness off abit but i was wrong.

Dom6663 · Aug 28, 2011

I always plan to underexpose a photo. were you doing this in manual mode? or what mode?

Bakugekiki · Aug 28, 2011

Your original is quite washed out, to really finish this image off you need to process it a bit. Here is how I would probably process it, if I took more time I might change some things.

I've added some contrast, a graduated filter and added some vibrancy as well as straightening the horizon.

Other than that as a first attempt it is perfectly fine, there's no real interest in the photo so it doesn't hold my interest for very long. You've included some foreground detail which adds some context so we can see it's a river bank, but the fact that the horizon was wonky just made it seem really lazy.

Still, I have to agree with Dom, look at what's been done before it's a big help.

andyg72 · Aug 28, 2011

Dom6663 said:
I always plan to underexpose a photo. were you doing this in manual mode? or what mode?

I think i was in M mode

andyg72 · Aug 28, 2011

Thanks for you replies its very much valued and needed.

HagenDaaz · Aug 28, 2011

If I were you, I'd try to get my hands on some photo-processing software, such as Photoshop or Lightroom. However, if you aren't planning to become that serious about it and/or don't have the dough to buy them, you could also choose from a variety of free online photo processing programs, such as GIMP, Picasa, and (I believe) Adobe has a free program out, that's basically Photoshop with some features taken out. You will find that some simple editing can bring out the best and really enchance you photography.

andyg72 · Aug 28, 2011

HagenDaaz said:
If I were you, I'd try to get my hands on some photo-processing software, such as Photoshop or Lightroom. However, if you aren't planning to become that serious about it and/or don't have the dough to buy them, you could also choose from a variety of free online photo processing programs, such as GIMP, Picasa, and (I believe) Adobe has a free program out, that's basically Photoshop with some features taken out. You will find that some simple editing can bring out the best and really enchance you photography.

I have gimp2 and Capture NX2.

dakkon76 · Sep 1, 2011

The trees off to the back right make for a great background. You just need something interesting in the foreground. A specific subject. Perhaps go back to that spot and focus more on the lavender there (or whatever that purple flower is), if nothing else. Bring a tripod if you have one and maybe increase your aperture (lower your F stop) to blur the background a bit. Also, if you're close by... try the same shot at different times of the day. Early morning, about an hour before sunset, and then right at sunset.