Anyone want to show me how to process these landscape shots?

[zarozinia]

I tried taking some sunset shots last weekend and dont think I did that good really. Could people help point out how I could improve on these and show me how to process them? All Ive done is resize them. All taken with a Canon EOS 300D using 18-55mm lens.

#1

Settings:
ISO 100
F16
1/16th
Manual settings
Auto white balance

#2

I tried using an nd grad to see if it would look any better.
Settings
ISO 100
F16
1/13th
Auto white balance

#3

Settings
ISO 100
F14
1/13th
auto white balance

 

[animal168]

I am not an expert here, but we do have nice sunsets in Blackpool and i always use cloudy in the white balance, enhances the colours

 

[Rhodese]

OK I don’t profess to be an exponent of PS but I have had a go and basically I have divided each picture into three (sky, sea, foreground) by making a rough selection and feathering the selections by 75 pixels then applying levels- curves then some local dodging and burning, a gradient to enrich the sky, a little cloning for the sun reflections, and the brush to add some colour to the foreground sea then creating a border using the stroke command.

 

[zarozinia]

Thankyou for taking the time to do this and explain your actions. The only bit Im unsure of there is the brush for colour - may I ask what you mean?

 

[joxby]

I cant figure out why the ND grad made the whole photo darker.
The shutter speed is slower, there's no exif so I can't tell how much time was between the shots.
Are you sure it was a grad ? because that was the way to go with this shot, ND grad

 

[Janice]

Those are exactly the 2 things I was thinking... i first thought the grad line was pulled too far down.. but now wonder if it was a full ND?

 

[Vanner]

Tbh, the only one i could do anything with was the first one.

For me there's too much sea and sky and i know having a 18-55 lens can be a pain for sunsets at times.

So, not having the original to work with i cropped it heavily, duplicated the layer. Sharpened the d/l then
erased around the clouds because sharpening had given them too sharp an edge. Darkened the shot and
gave it a little more contrast, then adjust the colour balance to about 10 magenta, 10 yellow.

It's subjective i know but this is what i'd have done with a shot like that

 

[zarozinia]

Those are exactly the 2 things I was thinking... i first thought the grad line was pulled too far down.. but now wonder if it was a full ND?

You are right its a full nd, being a newby I didnt realise there was a difference

 

[Rhodese]

Thankyou for taking the time to do this and explain your actions. The only bit Im unsure of there is the brush for colour - may I ask what you mean?

Pick up the brush tool – set opacity to about 5% - set the foreground colour by sampling from the picture i.e. the sunset – create new layer above the image – paint onto new layer in the area you want to enhance building the intensity as you go .

 

[Claire]

Yep, try an ND grad (dark grey to clear), position the edge of the dark bit just above the horizon (this can take a couple of tries to get accurate!) and check it on the LCD.

 

[zarozinia]

Not sure if anyone will aprove but this is my favourite result after messing around with these shots for a couple of days. A little movement blur used on the sea for effect.