River at Sunset

[ozbot87]

This is the reduced size JPEG that I captured with my camera. Unedited. I feel as I took this shot too late in the day to be useful since the shadows are creeping up towards the rest of the mountain. However, I felt that there is still some usefulness and beauty I can squeeze out of this photo with some post-processing. The primary focus of this picture is the river, but the mountains on left side is a close second.





Where should I begin? Can this picture be used? Or should I trash it and try with a bit more light? The picture specifics should be embedded in the image. If not, I can reply to this thread with the details.

 

[ozbot87]

Here is one that I took earlier in the evening. Along the railroad tracks looking east. As the previous photo, this one is also unedited. My focus is the railroad track path with the surrounding landscape as support.

 

[LifeIsOnTheWire]

In that first picture, I'm guessing the sun is setting behind your left shoulder, and the sun would rise behind that hill on the right.

Try taking the same picture early in the morning. Early enough that the sun is still behind that hill on the right, and the trees on the left side don't have any sun beaming on them yet. That way you can choose an exposure that makes the whole scene even.

 

[ozbot87]

In that first picture, I'm guessing the sun is setting behind your left shoulder, and the sun would rise behind that hill on the right.

Try taking the same picture early in the morning. Early enough that the sun is still behind that hill on the right, and the trees on the left side don't have any sun beaming on them yet. That way you can choose an exposure that makes the whole scene even.

What parameter should I keep constant? ISO and aperture? Should I vary my shutter speed? Or should I just take a bunch of shots with all varying parameters and judge based on what I shot the best one?

 

[fotofinish]

I like this effect.- #2.

 

[Shipman]

I really like number 2

 

[ozbot87]

Appreciate the compliments guys. I'm going to play around with the second picture in PS and post for review. I'm going to aim for more of a sunset (redder reflection, slightly darker).

 

[sleist]

Both of these shots were taken at f/22 according to your exif.
In the first shot, this made you shoot at a slower shutter speed than you could have and I think some of the softness in the trees may be the result of that.
I think f/11 or f/8 would have been sufficient. If a faster shutter speed is needed, you could always raise the ISO. I think #1 was ISO 100 and #2 was ISO 400.
The higher ISO in #2 allowed you to shoot at 1/40 sec while #1 you shot at 1/8.

 

[ozbot87]

I retook the picture this past Saturday with an f/11 aperture. ISO is set at 100 and shutter speed was 1/20 sec. I purposely underexposed the second attempt since there was a wildfire in the area and I also wanted to enhance this picture in post. I want to make the sky a little bluer while keeping the reds and oranges the same.