My first critque...landscape

[mikepack]

Hey all. Thanks for taking a look at my photo. I am just starting to get into digital photography and would really appreciate your comments on this photo.

Location: Just west of Boulder, Coloardo at about 3:00 pm
Camera: Canon Rebel XSi
Lens: 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
Shot at: ISO 100, 18 mm, f/11, 1/200 sec
Photoshoped: No

Any and all input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

[SwingBopper]

The clouds look nice except for the contrail. The mountains are to dark and lack detail and I see what looks like a streak from the mountain in the center going down its right side into the trees. It looks like a processing artifact of some kind. I don't see any central subject in this photo. I think you need a haze reduction filter or maybe a lens hood because the contrast seems weak. You might get better results at a different time of day with some light on those hills.

[JoYork]

Your camera has exposed for the sky, and there's not enough dynamic range available to get a decent exposure for the ground as well.

There are at least a couple of ways around this. The cheapest option is to rest your camera on a tripod (or a sturdy rock, etc) and use the auto bracketing feature in your camera to take several shots at different exposures. So, you'll have a shot where the sky is exposed nicely (like your photo) but the ground is in shadow, another where the ground is exposed nicely but the sky is blown out, and a third which is probably somewhere in the middle.

Combine the images together to make a photograph which closer matches what you saw with your eye on the day. Most image editing software will allow you to do this, or you could download a trial copy of Photomatix and see how that copes.

Another option would be to buy a filter which you put over your lens which darkens the sky, allowing your camera to capture all of the sky detail AND all the ground detail in one photograph.

You may be able to rescue your image slightly by lightening the ground using your photo editing software. Just make sure you don't overdo it or the ground will look a bit grey and muddy.

Hope this helps. Welcome to POTN by the way!

[mikepack]

Another option would be to buy a filter which you put over your lens which darkens the sky, allowing your camera to capture all of the sky detail AND all the ground detail in one photograph.

Thank you very much for your reply! What type of filter are you referring to?

Also, I like HDR images but I'm really trying to get exposure correctly within one shot for those cases where HDR isn't an option.

[JoYork]

A lot of us cheat when it comes to HDR images and create what's known as pseudo-HDR images.

If you're not doing so already shoot in RAW mode. RAW files contain more information about the scene than a JPG - I've "developed" RAW files using 3 different exposures and then combined them afterwards. It's not as good as 3 separate photographs but it's better than nothing. Here's a pseudo-HDR photograph made from a single RAW file which I couldn't have made if I'd been shooting JPG mode only:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2110/2822615464_201e1f8eb4_o.jpg

The filter you need if you want to do this properly is called an ND Grad filter. There are different types (soft and hard, different strengths, etc) - I'd recommend searching the forum for more info as I can't directly help you because I have never used one (but it's on my to-buy list).

[twiggles]

A lot of us cheat when it comes to HDR images and create what's known as pseudo-HDR images.

If you're not doing so already shoot in RAW mode. RAW files contain more information about the scene than a JPG - I've "developed" RAW files using 3 different exposures and then combined them afterwards. It's not as good as 3 separate photographs but it's better than nothing. Here's a pseudo-HDR photograph made from a single RAW file which I couldn't have made if I'd been shooting JPG mode only:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2110/2822615464_201e1f8eb4_o.jpg

The filter you need if you want to do this properly is called an ND Grad filter. There are different types (soft and hard, different strengths, etc) - I'd recommend searching the forum for more info as I can't directly help you because I have never used one (but it's on my to-buy list).

Cool HDR!

Another way to "cheat" the ND Filter is to recreate the effect in PhotoShop. If you google "PhotoShop ND Filter" there will be tutorials that tell you how to do this. I have done it once or twice with pretty decent results. Works really well with RAW files.

[BrandonSi]

I second (or third) pretty much everything said, but if you didn't shoot in RAW I would check out the shadows/highlights adjustment in Photoshop stat! I think it would really help. Also, check out the clone tool and see if you can get rid of that jet trail. You've got a good image there, it just needs a little bit of work!

[BrandonSi]

Here's a quick adjustment in PS. Also, your profile has an option to tell people if we're allowed to edit your images and post them back after editing (see under my post count, it says IMAGE EDITING OK). I took the liberty of posting this, but if you want me to take it down, just PM me.

Notice the lensflare and artifacts that were mentioned earlier. That will happen without a lens hood and if you're shooting certain angles off of the sun.

[Perry Ge]

GND filters are the most important thing in my bag when I shoot landscapes. If you ever intend to get at all serious about landscapes, you must have a set.

[mikepack]

Here's a quick adjustment in PS. Also, your profile has an option to tell people if we're allowed to edit your images and post them back after editing (see under my post count, it says IMAGE EDITING OK). I took the liberty of posting this, but if you want me to take it down, just PM me.

Notice the lensflare and artifacts that were mentioned earlier. That will happen without a lens hood and if you're shooting certain angles off of the sun.

Brandon, thanks so much for taking the time to edit this image. I have no problem at all with editing it. I will add the IMAGE EDITING OK to my profile.

What steps did you take in this editing? It definitely looks better with the mountain exposure.

[azjoel]

Brandon's edit made a world of difference. I took it a step further...

To me, almost the entire left half of the composition detracted from the image, particularly the sun. My favorite part of the image is the hill in the foreground, on the right. It seemed to be catching some nice warm light from the sun. I cropped the left side off the picture for that reason.

I also cropped below the sky above the top cloud. That extra stipe of bright, blue sky pulls your eye away from the rest of the shot, so framing the upper part of the composition with that cloud seemed appropriate.

I did my best to clone stamp the distracting lens flare out, but wasn't entirely successful. There's still a big blur in the middle.

Lastly, I dodged (lightened) the foreground to draw more attention to that hill I like.

Just a few suggestions that I thought made for a pleasing image.

[mikepack]

Brandon's edit made a world of difference. I took it a step further...

To me, almost the entire left half of the composition detracted from the image, particularly the sun. My favorite part of the image is the hill in the foreground, on the right. It seemed to be catching some nice warm light from the sun. I cropped the left side off the picture for that reason.

I also cropped below the sky above the top cloud. That extra stipe of bright, blue sky pulls your eye away from the rest of the shot, so framing the upper part of the composition with that cloud seemed appropriate.

I did my best to clone stamp the distracting lens flare out, but wasn't entirely successful. There's still a big blur in the middle.

Lastly, I dodged (lightened) the foreground to draw more attention to that hill I like.

Just a few suggestions that I thought made for a pleasing image.

azjoel, thanks for your edit! I agree with you, I think by framing with the cloud really makes the sky much more vibrant.

I too like the hill in the back right and i really think your edit made it pop. Thanks again!

[scorpio_e]

Brandon's edit made a world of difference. I took it a step further...

To me, almost the entire left half of the composition detracted from the image, particularly the sun. My favorite part of the image is the hill in the foreground, on the right. It seemed to be catching some nice warm light from the sun. I cropped the left side off the picture for that reason.

I also cropped below the sky above the top cloud. That extra stipe of bright, blue sky pulls your eye away from the rest of the shot, so framing the upper part of the composition with that cloud seemed appropriate.

I did my best to clone stamp the distracting lens flare out, but wasn't entirely successful. There's still a big blur in the middle.

Lastly, I dodged (lightened) the foreground to draw more attention to that hill I like.

Just a few suggestions that I thought made for a pleasing image.

Nice edit !!! I like how the tree brings you into the frame

[skygod44]

Nice edit !!! I like how the tree brings you into the frame

+1 for this edit. Just goes to show that PP can lift a shot that does have the detail in there somewhere.

To the OP, taking multiple shots at different exposures can also help you develop your eye if your subject isn't moving. Or even if it is, and you're quick enough with those dials!

Beautiful picture, btw!

[BrandonSi]

Brandon, thanks so much for taking the time to edit this image. I have no problem at all with editing it. I will add the IMAGE EDITING OK to my profile.

What steps did you take in this editing? It definitely looks better with the mountain exposure.

You're welcome Mike. Sorry I didn't reply sooner. I adjusted shadows/highlights, a bit of adjustment in levels, contrast adjustment and used the unsharp mask filter.

[theGTIguy]

Had to do one of my own, I love seeing the varying of one persons view of PP to another.
Cheers!

[Bill Boehme]

Hey all. Thanks for taking a look at my photo. I am just starting to get into digital photography and would really appreciate your comments on this photo.

Location: Just west of Boulder, Coloardo at about 3:00 pm
Camera: Canon Rebel XSi
Lens: 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
Shot at: ISO 100, 18 mm, f/11, 1/200 sec
Photoshoped: No

Any and all input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

Like the others have said, you have a nice exposure of the sky. The main technical problem that I see is lack of contrast in much of the image caused by aiming the lens too close to the sun which induced a lot of flare. In this case I don't think that a lens hood would have been of much benefit and if you were using a graduated neutral density filter as suggested by some of the others, it would preclude using a hood, not to mention that it would very likely exacerbate the flare problem.

[mikepack]

Like the others have said, you have a nice exposure of the sky. The main technical problem that I see is lack of contrast in much of the image caused by aiming the lens too close to the sun which induced a lot of flare. In this case I don't think that a lens hood would have been of much benefit and if you were using a graduated neutral density filter as suggested by some of the others, it would preclude using a hood, not to mention that it would very likely exacerbate the flare problem.

How would you recommend I obtain the nice exposure for the sky, which is what I was going for, and also get a decent exposure for the mountains?

[Bill Boehme]

How would you recommend I obtain the nice exposure for the sky, which is what I was going for, and also get a decent exposure for the mountains?

Shooting towards a bright sun is going to be problematic in getting a good exposure. You could shoot the image when the sun is behind you to get an image with much greater contrast and detail. If you are a very experienced Photoshop user, you could try blending multiple exposures, perhaps even taking the terrain shot at a different time of day so that it is not towards the sun, but that would make it almost mandatory to leave the camera on the tripod for several hours so that the position is exactly the same. A simpler approach worth trying is to use a reflector or screen to shade the camera and partially block the sky for the terrain shot. There will still be a bit of flare, but not nearly as much.

The bottom line is that you can't avoid flare when shooting directly at the bright sun.

[Timaphillips]

How would you recommend I obtain the nice exposure for the sky, which is what I was going for, and also get a decent exposure for the mountains?


Ah, the question everyone asks themselves on a daily basis...

I really think it comes down to using filters. But I thought the answer was in using a circular polarizer filter?

[canonnoob]

clouds look good but the foreground tends to be alittle bland and boring.. try and brighten it up and make it pop out more and youll be good to go..

[midnitejam]

Brandon, good job on the edit.

[mikepack]

Thanks everyone for your comments!

[Bill Boehme]

Ah, the question everyone asks themselves on a daily basis...

I really think it comes down to using filters. But I thought the answer was in using a circular polarizer filter?

A CPF is only good when your shooting direction is approximately in a direction that is at a right angle to the location of the sun. They work best early or late in the day and when the shooting direction is towards the north or south, but not east or west. During the middle of the day when the sun is high overhead, the CPF doesn't work as well.

[Joshua P]

Wouldn't a slower shutter speed and lens hood be the answer?

[kanonshooter]

Nice edit. Great pic. Nice clouds always help make a great pic.