What can I do to make this better?

[highvoltz]

First post, very new to photography... love it though. Love shooting landscapes, I love the outdoors. I shot this one morning on the way to work, had to stop. I've been checking out the postprocessing section, and am getting lots of good ideas. How would you guys work with this image?


http://www.tmweber.com/images/index.jpg

http://www.tmweber.com/photos/IMG_5830.JPG


There are a few more, some with ducks and what not here on my website: http://www.tmweber.com/photography.html

Time to learn all the photoshop tricks!

Just a note, this was taken with a Canon S110.. and I currently have the SD300. I may just go out and get a camera specifically for photography..

Thanks guys

Tom

[jfrancho]

I may just go out and get a camera specifically for photography..Me too. Mine just makes burnt toast.

[LadyHawk]

I want to work where you work - what a ride! I especially like that first one. The soft muted tones are nice as is, without post-processing. Where exactly is this beautiful place?
P.S. Welcome to the forum!

[BarbM]

Hi Tom,

I really like the first one - it has a sort of flow (which is cool for such a still scene). Because it's on the soft side I don't think I would do anything to it at the risk of immeadiate oversharpening/prosessing/whatever.

[rammy]

That is a really beautiful scene Tom, you are very lucky to capture it. I really do like the way the clouds are blanketing the distant hills, and kinda appear as if they are moving over the hills. Very nice!

What did you focus on 'cause it is blurred at the horizon, but building on right is sharp?

Anyway, There is some post processing you can:

1) Certainly, for any water shot, you should try and make sure the horizon is level, otherwise it appears as if the water is kinda slanting, which it never does in real life. Its self leveling.

2) Some slight adjustments to the levels and tones can add some atmosphere to the sky and thus some to the water as well, which is reflecting the sky. I would not saturate it at all. A polariser on the sky would have been good, but you can fake this in PS :)

3) By using the dodge and burn neutral overlay layer (In PS go to Layer | New Layer... in dialog, choose overlay for the MODE and check the "Fill with Overlay-neutral color" box. Now, on that gray layer, use a white brush to burn and a clack brush to dodge (I think that is the right order ;) )

Now use the white brush and paint slowly along the horizon line to bring out the colour in the distant hills and to highlight the clouds better. Use black brush on the water to add some density.

4) Some slight sharpening at a very low level, radius of 0.5, no threshold and about 33% sharpening can bring out a good edge on the dark building on the right.

Here is the image that I did all the above to.

[mal]

I like the original pictures better. The post-processed one has been over sharpened. The softness of the original shot sets the mood far better.

[highvoltz]

Hey guys, thanks for the comments!

The picture was taken on the shore of Pontoosuc lake in Pittsfield MA early one fall morning last year.

I like the brighter colors in your picture, but I agree it looks a little too sharpened. I'll have to tinker with it a bit, but thanks for all the good tips!

Tom

[LisaMarie]

I like the panoramic PS in the 1st one. That with a level water surface would make it even better. Using a polarizer at the scene next time will help you too.

Here is some pre dawn color on this side of Massachusetts ( although I admit I like the western part of the state better ! )

March 2005

http://www.geocities.com/lmaphotography/kignstonshorepotn.jpg

April 2005
http://www.geocities.com/lmaphotography/duxburybeach1potn.jpg

[rammy]

I like the original pictures better. The post-processed one has been over sharpened. The softness of the original shot sets the mood far better.

I think I would agree, although I did the post processing one ;-)

The levels and USM seem to have added some additional digital noise as well. Probably because of the JPG file.