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View Full Version : Please help me improve this...

Pete E
17-09-2006, 15:13
I would be grateful if people could take a look at the picture below and suggest ways it could be improved, either at the time of the shot or now in photoshop.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l237/PeteUK24/river-betws-y-coed-16-09-06.jpg

The shot was taken yesterday at 5:30pm and I suspect the light was a bit harsh which is perhaps why the colours are a bit washed out? I cropped as much of the sky out of the shot was seems reasonable as i was having problems wit it blowing out...

The shot was taken at f13, 1/13 sec , ISO 250 and auto white balance...The mode was manual and I spot metered to give me a starting point for the exposures...I used a tripod and the self timer but not mirror lock up..

Any suggestions as to how people would have done it differently would be most appricated...

Regards,

Pete
Boon
17-09-2006, 15:57
hi pete
good shot, but lacks a focal point, you really need something there to focus on, and its always good to have forground interest too.
Pete E
17-09-2006, 16:23
Boon,

I think you're right on both accounts...Those are things i have been struggling with in all my attempts at landscapes...I tried the same shot above but including some rocks in the water in the foreground...Trouble is they were badly out of focus...I suspect its good policy to be on F22 for most landscapes, unless you are trying to deliberately blur something out?

Regards,

Pete
Boon
17-09-2006, 16:34
true pete, small aperture, and focus on the foreground.
what do you think of this one..
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a296/stevannie/cottage.jpg
Pete E
17-09-2006, 16:49
Boon,

Thats the effect I've been after!

Of course it does help to have such a lovely setting too!

I notice that you've lost the sky in that one too...If you had a simple horizon, I suppose you could try ND filters?? or is it easier to do something in PP these days?

Regards,

Pete
Boon
17-09-2006, 17:09
not sure why the sky has blown either, as i had my polariser on when i took this shot, not too familiar with putting false backgrounds on, must try it one of these days, oh well, we live and learn.
Pete E
17-09-2006, 18:02
Boon,

Spent all yesterday afternnoon when the river shot was taekn trying to cope with skys that were way too bright...if I exposed for the sky, it looked fine and the poloriser really did a good job, but the fore ground was then dark to the point of being amost black...Then if I spot metered the trees ect, the sky was blown!

I've just been given a few ND filters so i think its time to look at using these seriously...

Regards,

Pete
WetSparks
18-09-2006, 12:47
Hi,
Wont help with this shot, but if your using a tripod why not take two exposures, one for sky and one for foreground. Then blend the two together as per this thread:
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=7358

Might be of some help :)