what am I doing wrong-dull flat images?

[Kathleen]

Some of my photos turn out rather flat and I'm having to correct them in photoshop. I've checked my camera settings, changed them, but with the same end dull result. What am I doing wrong? I've attached a before & after PS edit. image

 

[hamster]

Most of my flat images occur during harsh light. What time are you shooting? Try shooting during the golden hours of the morning or evening. I usually like to give a boost to my images anyway, no matter when they are shot.

 

[Kathleen]

So it is not unusual to have flat images and be forced to turn to photoshop? Yes, I have noticed better luck during different hours of the day or eve. I've just been beating myself up over this and trying to figure out where I'm going wrong.

 

[skieur]

First you need to realize that the maxim of pros is that all shots require some level of postprocessing, so just because a photo needs ps does not mean that you necessarily went wrong.

At the same time however a flat scene without much colour is going to reproduce as an equally flat image. This is why a lot of landscape and scenic pros look for contrasting colours and excellent lighting after sunrise or shortly before sunset or perhaps after a storm and then shoot at right angles to the light source to get maximum modeling and texture detail as well as vibrant colour.

Shoot for the impact of the centre of interest and the compositional elements or shoot for colour and contrast but if none of these are present in your shot then the result will always be a flat, dull, image. That is the basic reality of scenic photography.

skieur

 

[JIP]

I think the image you presented here could have been improved upon greatly if taken at a better time of the day.

 

[Kathleen]

Contrasting, now that is something that I have been playing with and wondering if it is where I'm going wrong. I took this one just as an experiment, I chose what I hoped to be good lighting and I used my polarizer. Not flat, blue looks blue. I guess it does give me a direction to work towards. If I'm correct in understanding your posts, look for good color in a landscape and it should bring the rest out.

 

[forceofnature]

My monitor is not calibrated so it may be oversaturated but I made 2 layers. One with Contrast the other with saturation and Hue and transparent by 27%.

 

[TCimages]

Some of my photos turn out rather flat and I'm having to correct them in photoshop. I've checked my camera settings, changed them, but with the same end dull result. What am I doing wrong? I've attached a before & after PS edit. image

Do you shoot RAW or JPG?

 

[JIP]

That second image seems like it has a little more snap but it is still flat. As I said you should try shooting at a better time of day.