JGunn wrote in post #14947368
I appreciate your opinion. Any suggestions?
Don't do HDR. It's a crutch and you don't need it. I find it limits your learning process. If you want to bracket, go ahead and bracket, but don't always run to HDR as the solution because there are far better solutions out there such as filters, etc. I find that the new people to landscapes start to lean on HDR instead of learning exposure better, and that they tend to over-do the HDR processing. I do use HDR myself - but only sometimes and only with purpose and I work hard at making it look natural and not look like typical overprocessed HDR shots. Or I will do it manually by layering and working on particular areas in Photoshop. But mostly these days I am using filters and getting my exposure correct when taking the shot. Then it's easier to pull out a little detail here and there, do a bit of dodging and burning to add some depth and dimension.
You are going to need a tripod for landscapes. I'd suggest against getting a cheap one. You can get a decent one for a few hundred with a head. But don't spend $50 on a whole setup and expect good results.
The photo has some good color, but the composition is lacking. The grass and trees on the left blend together and don't really add a ton to the shot. The sky is nice, but the water looks like the wind was blowing it and I'd like to see it still - nothing you can do about that one but try another day. It could use a good solid foreground subject to help add interest to the photo as well.
