Couple of Photos for Critique

[jrg]

Here are a couple of Travel/Landscape Photos I've taken over the last few weeks. The first one is close to home, Maine and the second one is a bit further away in Kyoto Japan. I'm curious what I could have done better...

Both were taken with a 300D and a Sigma 18-50 f/2.8

Cape Elizabeth, ME
Shot in Tv about 1.5 sec

http://img13.echo.cx/img13/7180/ph17wa.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us/)

Kyoto Japan
Shot in Idiot Mode (Green Box)

http://img13.echo.cx/img13/226/japan16vv.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us/)

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
JRG

[Lagged2Death]

I like the water in that first one. The only thing I could imagine doing to improve it would be to tame the sky/land contrast somehow, so some clouds or color was visible in the sky, while still getting detail in the rocks and that ghostly-water effect. You'd probably have to take two shots with two different exposures from a tripod, and merge the land from one and the sky from the other in Photoshop. I've never managed to do that myself, but it can be done.

The second one is great, I like it just the way it is!

Those trees must be pretty old to need crutches, huh?

[Titus213]

I really like #1. I'll bet that sky could be saved with some fancy PS work. I brought the levels way down and there seems to be some color in the sky in spots. Nice capture.

[roanjohn]

The first one would've been a great shot!!! Maybe its time to invest in some graduated filters :-)

The 2nd shot looks good.........Not spectacular..........but good.

Ro1

[BottomBracket]

the first one is spectacular, but the rocks in the upper half need a bit of contrast or less exposure. roan's suggestion of grad filters may do the trick. I like the second shot, although the reflection of the unseen tree throws me off somewhat.

[mrclark321]

Newbie question.....what are graduated filters :oops: The first one would've been a great shot!!! Maybe its time to invest in some graduated filters :-)

The 2nd shot looks good.........Not spectacular..........but good.

Ro1

[Titus213]

Gradient filters will help - if you can go back and re-shoot. Have you worked it in PhotoShop?

[Michaelmjc]

The water in the first one looks cool, but it looks a little light. the second one is nice, but looks a little dark.

[roanjohn]

Newbie question.....what are graduated filters :oops:

Hmmm............they are filters (usually rectangular) where the top part is darker than the bottom part..........This usually allows your camera to properly expose both the sky and the foreground by eliminating most of the light from the sky.

RO1

[jrg]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I will have to look into the graduated filters, does anyone know of online resources where I can do a little studyin' up? These photos are stright from the camera, no Photoshop whatsoever (I have the program, just don't know how to use it). What sort of filters or layers in Photoshop would help?


Lagged2Death - For some reason everywhere I looked in Japan the trees were using crutches. I have photos of a few more... I was almost hard to believe since in the US we'd just let the thing fall over and then use it for laminate flooring.

jrg

[Titus213]

Photoshop is phun:

Hope you don't mind this...I just got Harry's Filter package for Photoshop.

[Titus213]

Hmmm............they are filters (usually rectangular) where the top part is darker than the bottom part..........This usually allows your camera to properly expose both the sky and the foreground by eliminating most of the light from the sky.

RO1

BTW - Doesn't the final element turn for focus on a Canon? I would think that would present a huge problem with a graduated filter. I have a couple from my manual film days and may give them a try but it sounds tough to get the exact effect desired. And they can be used either way depending on the effect desired, filter up or down...

[jrg]

Titus 123 -

That look great. A couple questions though, who is Harry? and how do I get his Filter Pack?

jrg

[Titus213]

Free stuff:

http://www.thepluginsite.com/

I just started playing with them. It's all trial and error, mostly error. But fun!

[RbrtPtikLeoSeny]

Love the shots! The edit is kind of cool how it's so blue!