A Muskoka Sunset

Hello all

This photo was taken up in Muskoka Ontario. I was playing with my variable ND filter and shooting the sunset head on. This was one of the last photos I shot and just happened to forget to dial down the ND after the sun dropped below the tree line.

My goal was to cause the empty chairs on the dock to become part of the story along with the water and sky.
However, that amazing sky took over the picture so I did not want to mess with it too much in Post. I only used a little healing and sharpening. I didn't shoot in Raw this time either so again, did not want to modify it too much.

So, I'd like to hear any thoughts on making this a better shot next time. I will say, next time I will use my L glass as I think it is not quite as crisp as I would have liked.

I know something is not quite right with it besides being a tad too dark, but just cannot put my finger on it though I do have some ideas.

ISO 800 - f/5.6 - 1/200th @ 60mm with a Rebel T3i & a 15-85mm

The sky is nice, but there isn't a whole lot else to the photo. You say you wanted to make the chairs a part of the story, but they are way too small in the photo to even be really noticed. This lacks a good subject, foreground or middleground. An ND isn't as helpful here as a graduated ND would be. You would want to darken the sky and lighten the other parts to bring them more in line and get more detail out of other parts of your shots instead of just black silhouettes of trees - silhouettes can work but in this situation it does not.

Yes I agree that parts are too dark, which is why I am here. To find out what I could have done differently to balance the photo and still keep the sky as is. The only thing I accomplished was to preserve the sky as it was at the time which was my priority at the moment.
Maybe not the best plan upon reflection.

I suppose HDR might have been an option, but didn't know how to do it then. Come to think of it, that would likely be the perfect ticket.

Had I zoomed in to get the chairs better I'd have lost the sky.
Had I exposed to get the surrounding area, I'd have ruined the sky's colors. HDR would fix it I think.
I had the full ND on because I was shooting directly into the sun and did not have time to change it before the moment was lost.

I was kind of thinking that the sky WAS the subject, or the setting at least, but yes I understand what you mean about no clear subject.

If you turn on "image editing ok" I have an idea for you, and I'm sure others will as well....

Oops, my bad. Thought it was on.
I was playing with it in PS cs6 and was able to pull out some detail, but not much and too grainy.
Wish I shot it in Raw

mabye getting a meter reading off of the dark parts in the trees, locking it and recomposing? the composition is good just the lighting is what i would've tried differently

John Marks wrote in post #15585133
Yes I agree that parts are too dark, which is why I am here. To find out what I could have done differently to balance the photo and still keep the sky as is. The only thing I accomplished was to preserve the sky as it was at the time which was my priority at the moment.
Maybe not the best plan upon reflection.

I suppose HDR might have been an option, but didn't know how to do it then. Come to think of it, that would likely be the perfect ticket.

Had I zoomed in to get the chairs better I'd have lost the sky.
Had I exposed to get the surrounding area, I'd have ruined the sky's colors. HDR would fix it I think.
I had the full ND on because I was shooting directly into the sun and did not have time to change it before the moment was lost.

I was kind of thinking that the sky WAS the subject, or the setting at least, but yes I understand what you mean about no clear subject.

HDR is not the magic "fix it" that most tout it as. As I said, a graduated ND would allow you to get the sky and foreground exposed in the same single shot. The problem then becomes the foreground and lack of interest in it. HDR may have allowed you to get a more even exposure with the equipment you had with you, but it won't fix the other issues.

Zoom in on chairs and lose the sky - get lower. If you can't, it might be best to look somewhere else for a shot.