Where to target in order to improve

[mattwalkerncl]

Hi everyone, I'm making a concerted effort to get out and about - shoot more, post and assist where I can. 2016 is going to be the year of improvement!!

Could I start by asking for some critique of the attached images please? I'm shooting what I feel are engaging scenes, in reality they look either powerful (eg cascading water/ threatening clouds)
or at the very least they are nice to look at in person. When I get my images out of camera and through camera raw and do some tweaks in photoshop (levels, curves/ contrast, dodge & burn etc)
they dont look particularly impressive or even eye catching to me. I dont know if im being overly critical, but they just dont seem to be punchy or attention grabbing.

I've started to use Luminosity Masks to try and get more control over the shadows, mids and highlights but I dont think my understanding of using them is quite there yet.

Be as brutally constructive as you can, please - I'd like to improve and I'm pulling my hair out! To give an example of the aesthetic I'd like to be in the same area as Mark Littlejohn
with his processing.

Thanks in advance,

MW

 

[mattwalkerncl]

Apologies - I realise links wont work. I will post additionally so i can get some visibility!

 

[mrtoad]

Apologies - I realise links wont work. I will post additionally so i can get some visibility!

are you using Flikr?

 

[kendo1]

Hi everyone, I'm making a concerted effort to get out and about - shoot more, post and assist where I can. 2016 is going to be the year of improvement!!

Could I start by asking for some critique of the attached images please? I'm shooting what I feel are engaging scenes, in reality they look either powerful (eg cascading water/ threatening clouds)
or at the very least they are nice to look at in person. When I get my images out of camera and through camera raw and do some tweaks in photoshop (levels, curves/ contrast, dodge & burn etc)
they dont look particularly impressive or even eye catching to me. I dont know if im being overly critical, but they just dont seem to be punchy or attention grabbing.

I've started to use Luminosity Masks to try and get more control over the shadows, mids and highlights but I dont think my understanding of using them is quite there yet.

Be as brutally constructive as you can, please - I'd like to improve and I'm pulling my hair out! To give an example of the aesthetic I'd like to be in the same area as Mark Littlejohn
with his processing.

Thanks in advance,

MW

You are using the image URL. You have to copy and paste the BB code from Flickr.
Click on image from Photostream.
Click on share (right pointing arrow at bottom right of pic)
Pop up box appears, adjust to required size in drop down menu, click on BB Code.
Copy and paste BB Code

Some decent pics there...