So where am I going wrong?

AllFallD0wn

AllFallD0wn

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On the way back from round Castleton way today, we stopped off at around the golden hour for a quick 5 minutes shooting. I managed to snap a few shots after setting my tripod up, but I just feel like the result is lacking something. Can anyone offer any tips re. shooting, composition, and PP as to where I'm going wrong?

Basically, I'm looking for a good criticism, and I've never really got that from posting in the actual sections for that..

6565363715_716246bc28_z.jpg


This is a JPEG from a RAW, saved at 60% quality, sRGB. I know I had to rescue the foreground quite a bit, because I exposed the sky correctly, but didn't think about the foreground, so that's one area I could have done better in...any others?


EDIT : Taking feedback from this thread, how is this shot from today?


"Victoria Falls" by AllFallD0wn, on Flickr

 
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Composition wise, I would have included all of the house at the end of the road rather than chop it in half - it's like the road is leading my eye to something it can't find. In PP, I'd bring out the red and orange colours of the sky to distinguish it more from the road.

Overall, though, I like that photo.
 
Carousels Spin said:
Composition wise, I would have included all of the house at the end of the road rather than chop it in half - it's like the road is leading my eye to something it can't find. In PP, I'd bring out the red and orange colours of the sky to distinguish it more from the road.

Overall, though, I like that photo.
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I see your point about the house. Didn't notice I chopped it in half at all! I'll have another little play around with it, maybe tomorrow. Thanks for the comment, though!
 
If sky and foreground exposures are giving me a problem I more often than not create two JPEGS from the one RAW file. (Unless I have bracketed at the time or have my grads with me)

I adjust the exposure, curves, levels for the SKY and export that out as SKY.jpg - Do the same for foreground, export that out as FOREGROUND.jpg.

Then use software to blend both images (GIMP or Elements work the same way using this method). I import the two newly created images and add a layer mask, then apply a software grad to the added layer mask. I typically use the linear software grad, once applied just paint (low opacity brush) on the layer mask to suit the delineation between sky and foreground as its rarely a straight line. You don't want the adjustments to be too extreme, subtly is key so that the blend is more neutral.

Of course, the results aren't going to be perfect. You could Auto Exposure Bracket, HDR or have some grads with you to give you more latitude.
 
AndyB1976 said:
If sky and foreground exposures are giving me a problem I more often than not create two JPEGS from the one RAW file. (Unless I have bracketed at the time or have my grads with me)

I adjust the exposure, curves, levels for the SKY and export that out as SKY.jpg - Do the same for foreground, export that out as FOREGROUND.jpg.

Then use software to blend both images (GIMP or Elements work the same way using this method). I import the two newly created images and add a layer mask, then apply a software grad to the added layer mask. I typically use the linear software grad, once applied just paint (low opacity brush) on the layer mask to suit the delineation between sky and foreground as its rarely a straight line. You don't want the adjustments to be too extreme, subtly is key so that the blend is more neutral.

Of course, the results aren't going to be perfect. You could Auto Exposure Bracket, HDR or have some grads with you to give you more latitude.
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I quite like that idea. I might try that in future. I did some adjusting differently using masks between sky and foreground, with the foreground getting a slight boost in exposure, and less contrast, I think?

I would invest in some ND Grads, but it's pretty expensive (for me at least) to start the kit. (I've been advised to buy HiTech 100's or LEE's) and I think I'll either invest that money into a new camera (step up from Sony a to Nikon, probably), or a better lens (Got my eyes on a 24-70mm f/2.8)

Of course, I can't wait until I graduate from University, so I can start earning some good money to plough into photography
 
I have some Hitech/Lee/Hoya filters but I think you are better off with the the cash going into a camera or lens.

The software can be used quite effectively mean time, infact you may decide never to get any form of grad. It can be useful to have a circular polarsier and a couple of ND's in your bag. I have a screw-in Hoya Pro1 3stop, Hoya Pro1 Circular Polariser and Lee Slot-In 10stop as these effects can't really be replicated in the software..
 
AndyB1976 said:
I have some Hitech/Lee/Hoya filters but I think you are better off with the the cash going into a camera or lens.

The software can be used quite effectively mean time, infact you may decide never to get any form of grad. It can be useful to have a circular polarsier and a couple of ND's in your bag. I have a screw-in Hoya Pro1 3stop, Hoya Pro1 Circular Polariser and Lee Slot-In 10stop as these effects can't really be replicated in the software..
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That's what I thought. Thanks for the advice!
 
Tbh I don't think that the problem here is due to exposure, but more to composition and timing.

These comments are meant to be constructive btw!!

i) You shot too early, by about 15-20 minutes at a guess. If you'd have waited there should have been more colour in the sky, especially a deeper blue, which hopefully was the main idea?

ii) The mini-bloke centre right is seriously annoying. Too far away to be a focus/point of interest and not small enough to lose in the background.

iii) The same applies to the cottage. Check the edges of your frame before shooting - you've got plenty of time if you are using a tripod.

iv) Rule of thirds - usually massively over quoted, but in this case it applies I think. You set the horizon across the middle of the frame so that the viewer isn't certain if they should be concentrating on the sky or the road. If it's the former, than as above you needed to wait until later. If it's the latter then it's underexposed. At this stage of your photography, unless you have a really clever idea, don't set a puzzle for the viewer - smack them in the face with what they should be looking at.


Having ripped the image apart a bit, I actually think that the building blocks of a decent photograph are there, you just haven't pulled off the technical execution of it that well - but that'll be rectified with practice.
 
DemiLion said:
Tbh I don't think that the problem here is due to exposure, but more to composition and timing.

These comments are meant to be constructive btw!!

i) You shot too early, by about 15-20 minutes at a guess. If you'd have waited there should have been more colour in the sky, especially a deeper blue, which hopefully was the main idea?

ii) The mini-bloke centre right is seriously annoying. Too far away to be a focus/point of interest and not small enough to lose in the background.

iii) The same applies to the cottage. Check the edges of your frame before shooting - you've got plenty of time if you are using a tripod.

iv) Rule of thirds - usually massively over quoted, but in this case it applies I think. You set the horizon across the middle of the frame so that the viewer isn't certain if they should be concentrating on the sky or the road. If it's the former, than as above you needed to wait until later. If it's the latter then it's underexposed. At this stage of your photography, unless you have a really clever idea, don't set a puzzle for the viewer - smack them in the face with what they should be looking at.


Having ripped the image apart a bit, I actually think that the building blocks of a decent photograph are there, you just haven't pulled off the technical execution of it that well - but that'll be rectified with practice.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for the crit. I'll try and address a few points:

1) Yeah. I didn't have much time to wait around and see what was happening, but out of the few shots I took, this colour was the best. The sun set about 10 minutes after this shot was taken, but there was no other colours around..I do need to start timing things better, though

2) I have already cloned him out in a different edit ;)

3) Totally agree

4) I wasn't really sure which, either, so I composed it so it was half and half. I understand what you're saying and will take it on board for next week when I travel out that way again.

Again, thanks a lot :)
 
To be honest theres not much to look at, I saw this ages ago when you posted it,

Love the sky and youve done well with that :thumbs:

as a basic rule I try to find lead ins see below, if the cottage would have been all in would be good comps you can see I used the diagonals of the road, with those crops the eye is draw along to the cottage if it was all there is potential in the image, as said the cottage in full view rather than just a wall, look at the images below and which way does your eye flow to the right and if there the cottage there all good :thumbs:

6566151521_45b391e5f8.jpg


6566151309_dda462751b.jpg
 
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Spend a few minutes in editing and never forget the square format

kldfjtr-1.jpg


Lines quickly removed

Have you noticed the nice almost triangle that keeps bringing your eye back "into" the picture, accidental I guess but look for this in the future

jkyhgjkyu.jpg


NOTHING to me makes a photograph more than clouds, I would be proud to have shot this, edited it, blown it up and framed it.

You could also lose the small distractions

HIU.jpg


KSDHRFJ.jpg
 
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The road image. The road is leading the eye out of the frame. Placing the VP in one of the 'points of interest' would work a lot better imo. I would have also shot this in landscape format as opposed to portrait. The other thing about this image is that I feel it is a little lacking in contrast. I would ammend this by brightening the road [foreground] with curves & dodge the roadmarkings. The image is also lacking any real focal point, as others have said including the cottage/house would have been more ideal.

The waterfall image I think would benifit from a lower perspective and when I say low I mean low, having the lens just that little bit higher than the log and stone in the immediate foreground. This would compress the mid section of the image, which is largely not doing much here and would also declutter foreground interest by compressing the perspective. I quite like the twisted log shape to the left and may have composed with that as foreground anchor but the angular rock in front of that is a little out of place imo
 
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