Autumn Frost

[allie5]

Id like some feedback on these if poss. Id like to become better at landscapes / rural photography and would appreciate any advice.

These 3 were taken outside my kids school just before Christmas. The sunlight and the frost made it quite an eyecatching scene, but I dont think I quite nailed it.

First one I underexposed the foreground because of focusing on the bright, central area (a lesson learned for next time!). I made a layer, brightened in curves, then used the eraser tool to burn back the darker bits. Also, a crop and sharpen.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/allie5/morning.jpg

The next two, just a crop, sharpen and levels adjust.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/allie5/morning2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/allie5/morning3.jpg

[RobertP]

You posted in in depth critique - which is for comment on a single image only. The rules are at the top of that forum section. I've moved the thread to Landscapes.

Shooting into the light is difficult at the best of times. With so little light on the foreground you are bound to end up with poor detail and silhouettes. It might have worked if you had kept the sun out of the top of the picture and found something in the frost to make a shot. For 1/250th at 17mm I'd expect it to look sharper. Did you focus on something close?

Second one is probably the best of the 3. Your foreground frosty bramble is about a 1/3rd up which is good and so is the other diagonal layer of hedgerow leading you to the tree. The tree is OK as a subject but it has ended up pretty central in the shot and it is not the most interesting looking tree.

Last one has no subject and I don't know where to look - so I don't look for long.

Exif says 'landscape mode' on a couple of these. You will learn faster by not using beginner modes if you can. Choose the aperture, shutter, iso,focus point combinations yourself in Av or M.

[tomstorey]

Id like some feedback on these if poss. Id like to become better at landscapes / rural photography and would appreciate any advice.

These 3 were taken outside my kids school just before Christmas. The sunlight and the frost made it quite an eyecatching scene, but I dont think I quite nailed it.



I can see you were looking for the shot but your eye can see more than the lens. There's an old saying.....less is more, so if you put less into the frame the viewer will have more to look at!....... I hope that made sense!!
I'm sure you will have seen images of just a single frosted leaf illuminated by the morning sun demonstrating mastery of lighting, focus and composition.
The subjects you chose were not easy so don't despair just keep on clicking.
Tom

[allie5]

Sorry about posting in the wrong place -please forgive me, newbie slip up :)

Robert & Tom, thanks for your advice. Yes, I admit to using the scene mode on this - they were all very quick snaps on the way into school. I had no time to "fiddle" - they were all fired off pretty quick. I only had my camera on me by chance as it was the morning of the school play, so just saw the light making it all glow and took the pics! Id like to go back and reshoot when we get a similar morning. I'll take a bit more time with it.

It interesting what you say about the sharpness - Im having a lot of trouble with this lens (17-85IS) -I appear to be focused, image appears sharp on the LCD, but when I upload and see it on screen, there are many occasions when the image is very soft. Is it me being rubbish, or is there a possible problem with the lens? Ive not noticed a problem with any of my other lenses.