Are these any good or nearly average? Please C&C

[Tigerkn]

I read and practice a lot but so far nothing turn out as a wow image yet. I know it takes time, but I am just wondering if these are any good at all? Please share your C&C and/or help to edit them better. Thanks!
Kevin

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2424/3796852095_495401cb21_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3572/3796852623_f00d35e9b6_b.jpg

[Drowned]

The first one looks nice, but the mountains in the back look kind of washed out... I also would work a bit on the composition, since all the boats make it kind of busy, specially were the water meets the mountain, something in my head can't stand the way the boats are right at the edge of the mountain...

The second photo I I would crop it something like this, to make it a bit more interesting... I find the mountains on the sides distracting for some reason... like they're not helping out with the composition... just a newbie's opinion... ;)

http://www.upitall.com/Public/Pictures/tower-crop.jpg

[crashthenet44]

I like the first very much. Pretty good exposure, DOF and B&W conversion. I think its pretty close to a wow image. Then again I'm a sucker for anything with a boat in it.

Second one(or the crop) just isn't doing it for me. Exposure looks decent. It seems a bit fuzzy to me, but maybe that's just the jpg compression. Composition though is where this falls down. I wish the cable cars made up more of the frame. I would try a landscape crop of the original. Crop to the left of the tower and include the landscape. Helps tell the story some more. After all these are cable cars going somewhere.

[snyderman]

#1 is really nice, IMO. Looks old and film quality.

dave

[HappySnapper90]

#1 the amount of boats takes away from this photo as there are just too many in a cluttered fashion. There also seems to be a lot of shadow lightening going on.

#2 is ok, but taken with too short a focal length. It is also very under exposed, just look at the histogram.

[Tigerkn]

Thanks all!!

[Adam Jones]

From a total amateur's perspective:

I really like the composition of #1; I can see where others may be coming from with the "cluttered" comment, but it doesn't bother me personally all that much. It's too bad that the sky looks a little overexposed on the right, as I really like the clouds; I think one of those GND filters would have gone a long way here.

[Tigerkn]

Thanks AJ.
I had a CPL filter on and captured the cloud nicely in the color version but the FG and mid-section turned out a little too dark and there was not much colors from those boats and water. Therefore, I coverted it too B&W.

[Tigerkn]

Drowned, I really like how you cropped it. Thanks.
........
The second photo I I would crop it something like this, to make it a bit more interesting... I find the mountains on the sides distracting for some reason... like they're not helping out with the composition... just a newbie's opinion... ;)

[Tigerkn]

Thanks for the kind word Crashthenet!!
Good points on the 2nd one. Don't know why I took those in jpg instead of RAW :(
I like the first very much. Pretty good exposure, DOF and B&W conversion. I think its pretty close to a wow image. Then again I'm a sucker for anything with a boat in it.

Second one(or the crop) just isn't doing it for me. Exposure looks decent. It seems a bit fuzzy to me, but maybe that's just the jpg compression. Composition though is where this falls down. I wish the cable cars made up more of the frame. I would try a landscape crop of the original. Crop to the left of the tower and include the landscape. Helps tell the story some more. After all these are cable cars going somewhere.

[Tigerkn]

Thanks Dave.
#1 is really nice, IMO. Looks old and film quality.
dave

Yes, #1 for sure was busy and as for #2, I wish I had the Tokina 11-16 :)
#1 the amount of boats takes away from this photo as there are just too many in a cluttered fashion. There also seems to be a lot of shadow lightening going on.

#2 is ok, but taken with too short a focal length. It is also very under exposed, just look at the histogram.

[LeuceDeuce]

I have the same shot of Vinpearl, but it never made it into my gallery. It's a nice memory trigger for your trip, but that's all.

I would have left the fishing boats in colour. The conversion makes them all the same tone, and the individual boats become lost in the jumble.

[jetcode]

In #1 I think a slightly higher or lower POV would eliminate the ships intersecting the distant shoreline (not all that significant). I personally would split contrast this print to brings some contrast and depth into the background.