Sunrise

Please critique. I'm trying to work on composition and would love any suggestions to improve. Thanks in advance.

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Couple more.

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What do you see in the shot? What are you saving to have others see? Lastly, would you enlarge any of these to hang on your wall to show others?

Because you have asked, my opinion (for what it's worth):
There isn't anything to see in the shots other than the colors you are trying to capture. Nothing that really catches my eye or leads me into the shot.
The birds in flight are so small they appear to be specks on the lens or sensor.
Horizon is in the center for all shots except #3.

If there was anything in the scene to make it more interesting would help (such as a boat, person(s) walking the shoreline, larger birds,etc).

Look for ways to incorporate something into the shot and allow the colors to express feeling or make the shot vivid.

Keep shooting.

Gart

I like the first best because the sunset glow reflected in the water is brightest and extends closest to the bottom of the picture. However, I agree with Gart that there needs to be more, an interesting foreground. I vaguely remembered a quote from Galen Rowell, so I dug up this passage from Outside Magazine -

He often spoke of finding the light he liked – and then running around trying to find a subject worthy of it. His best pictures, and everyone else’s for that matter, are those that marry great light with a graceful or surprising landscape.

Galen was immensely talented, and to my mind, changed color landscape photography forever. But even he was not immune to what I call “Sunset disease.” He often encountered beautiful light, particularly in his beloved Owens Valley, but failed to balance it with a strong, earthbound subject, resulting in a poorly organized, uninteresting foreground. Maybe it was because he couldn’t find a composition in time, or maybe he was simply so determined to capture the light that he was less fussy about what he put in front of it . The end result was invariably pretty, but those pictures rarely became his best-selling icons. His truly memorable images had great light – but also a strong visual structure.

Makes sense. Thank you very much.

I think I was just trying to capture the colors in the sky. Nothing was out there on the waters except for all the birds (which do kind of look like specks).

Hi Patrick,

Thanks for the feedback. and for sharing the passage. When I saw the morning sky i just had enough time to get down to the shoreline and shoot. Now, after getting the feedback, I think I shall scout the area a bit more to see if I can find something interesting to capture along with the colors in the sky.

I looked at that top photo again, I liked it more this time, kind of minimalist, nice colors, recognizable foreground, check out this picture that sold for $4 million, maybe you are on to something. (imagine if someone posted that in this forum and asked for comments)

The emperor's new clothes.

I would be thrilled if I can sell this or any of my photos for a tiny fraction of that.

smallick wrote in post #17456838
Hi Patrick,

Thanks for the feedback. and for sharing the passage. When I saw the morning sky i just had enough time to get down to the shoreline and shoot. Now, after getting the feedback, I think I shall scout the area a bit more to see if I can find something interesting to capture along with the colors in the sky.

This is the way to go IMO. For places that are close, find a number of spots so you can get to the one you think will do best with the specific sunset you have.

I agree with the other comments so far. I do think you were close in the third photo of having some interest. The poles that lead out into the water could have been made to look like a leading line that could draw the eye through the photo to the sunrise? If you got closer, they could have been a foreground interest item too. Or even something as simple as footprints in the sand (that you can put wherever you like ) could be used in a photo like this. The colors are very nice, and that added bit of interest would work really well (this is all in my frame of reference, so I hope it helps!)

Keltab wrote in post #17459673
I agree with the other comments so far. I do think you were close in the third photo of having some interest. The poles that lead out into the water could have been made to look like a leading line that could draw the eye through the photo to the sunrise? If you got closer, they could have been a foreground interest item too. Or even something as simple as footprints in the sand (that you can put wherever you like ) could be used in a photo like this. The colors are very nice, and that added bit of interest would work really well (this is all in my frame of reference, so I hope it helps!)

ejenner wrote in post #17459651
This is the way to go IMO. For places that are close, find a number of spots so you can get to the one you think will do best with the specific sunset you have.

Thanks for the comments. I have already driven around looking for a more interesting spot. The forecast for the next few days is cloudy. Now I'm waiting eagerly for saturday.

And I love the idea about footprints. I shall try that as well.

a tripod and a long shutter speed would keep the small waves on the lake from showing up and would likely give the very surreal look that i think you are looking for.

up the f/stop and slow down the ss. first thing i googled: http://www.popphoto.co​m …-photography-embrace-blur

Nice. I shall give that a try as well. thanks a lot.