please help?

[Kathleen]

I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I've set my ISO and changed my settings several times, also checked the historgram (which appears fine), but my pictures keep coming out dull, flat. Could someone take a look and possibly offer a suggestion on what I'm doing wrong. I've also added the exif info.
Thanks,
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/phototreasury/Opinion?authkey=LuM0BykG1j4

 

[Meysha]

Hi there,
Your photos have a very large dynamic range in them, which may be accounting for the dull look. By large range I mean you have a lot of very bright areas and very dark areas. Try underexposing your photo, and then bumping up the saturation if you can in camera. The pure white sky doesn't help with the look of the photo either, and can make it seem more washed out than it really is. If you had a vibrant blue sky and if that was the only change done - then the whole photo would look vastly different.

 

[Kathleen]

It was a beautiful day when I took those photos. The sky was blue, not white. I also took one in basic mode for a comparison when I was out shooting. Now if only I could figure out what/where I've gone wrong with my settings. I will try boosting the saturation as you suggest and see what that does.

This is the true appearance of that day in basic mode.

 

[Kathleen]

I forgot to add that I also used a polarizer.