Recent Landscapes

I live in a rural area - prairie land. It's beautiful to behold, but capturing that in a photo is challenging. Or so I feel. Here are a few recent shots which I would appreciate any feedback. Always interested in stepping up my game! Thanks

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Nice set. They invoke a rural atmosphere nicely.

In the first shot, I would crop about half of the grass foreground out - it doesn't really add much to the shot.

The shot of the header seems a little bright? Reducing the exposure a little might bring out a bit more colour depth as well.

No. 3 is screaming out for a horizon straightening . . .

I like the content of No. 4, but the composition is a bit plain. A looser, offset crop, perhaps? Move horizon up or down?

Overall, good work. Who needs mountains?

I really like that 2nd one. Most probably won't like the angle but I do. Boost the vibrance to get that (wheat?) nice and golden

I don't care for the weird angle in #2, but the crop looks the right color to me. We do corn, wheat, and beans. All of them are dusty and pale at harvest. If they aren't, you get docked for moisture at the elevators.

dodgyexposure wrote in post #17858560
Nice set. They invoke a rural atmosphere nicely.

In the first shot, I would crop about half of the grass foreground out - it doesn't really add much to the shot.

The shot of the header seems a little bright? Reducing the exposure a little might bring out a bit more colour depth as well.

No. 3 is screaming out for a horizon straightening . . .

I like the content of No. 4, but the composition is a bit plain. A looser, offset crop, perhaps? Move horizon up or down?

Overall, good work. Who needs mountains?

Thanks for the feedback and compliments! I tend to overexpose slightly, maybe should think twice about it...

DThriller wrote in post #17858605
I really like that 2nd one. Most probably won't like the angle but I do. Boost the vibrance to get that (wheat?) nice and golden

Bassat wrote in post #17858665
I don't care for the weird angle in #2, but the crop looks the right color to me. We do corn, wheat, and beans. All of them are dusty and pale at harvest. If they aren't, you get docked for moisture at the elevators.

It's Canola. Similar to Rapeseed in other parts of the world. It looks very nice when it's flowering (also smells awful), but turns just a bit more dull than wheat at harvest. The saturation is quite low in the photo, I could have bumped it up a bit. Cheers

1 - Looks like the highlights in the sky are pretty blown out. I'd look to bring those down. The vignetteing and contrast are both a little heavy-handed. +1 @ tighter crop.

2 - I'm cool with the funky angle. It's engaging and fills the frame nicely. It really shows off the entire harvester and how it collects the crops. Definitely looking on the overexposed side. Also could be oversharpened, but that could be some JPG/web stuff.

3 - It's a nice scene, but isn't going to hold my attention for long. Temp looks cooler than I would expect, so might want to warm things up a bit. If you've got space then perhaps a little less sky and a little more foreground.

4 - On the overexposed side - check your highlights for detail loss. Feels a bit cramped, but it might work. I'd be interested in seeing a mono conversion here.

5 - I appreciate that you got down and didn't shy away from getting close to stuff, but this shot has pretty much nothing of interest for me (in addition to looking soft).

Overall like Damien mentioned you've got a nice theme going here and eventually you can put together a nice rural set.

Cheers and keep shooting!

Jeff

I agree with all the others mentioned.

I do like the offset angle for your second photo.

For your over exposer problem you say you have, if you shoot in manual I would recomend shooting at -0.7f if you shoot in auto or some other form set your exposer to -.7f and you shouldn't have any more problems with over exposure. You're images will most likely look better, and you can easily increase the brightness and not have washed out sections. I;m sure you know this but you need +1.0f for your snow to look white and not gray.

Great photos overall keep us posted.
Seth

Bonecollector wrote in post #17860490
I agree with all the others mentioned.

I do like the offset angle for your second photo.

For your over exposer problem you say you have, if you shoot in manual I would recomend shooting at -0.7f if you shoot in auto or some other form set your exposer to -.7f and you shouldn't have any more problems with over exposure. You're images will most likely look better, and you can easily increase the brightness and not have washed out sections. I;m sure you know this but you need +1.0f for your snow to look white and not gray.

Great photos overall keep us posted.
Seth

Exposing to the right some isn't necessarily bad - much easier to reduce exposure than increase it.

Jeff

True I guess it depends on what you're shooting and what time of day... generraly I shoot at -.07 because atlest with my camera it seems to over expose a little. If I'm not sure whitch exposeur I want I'll take 3 exposures 0.0, -0.07, and +1

beavens wrote in post #17859017
Cheers and keep shooting!

Jeff

Thanks for the feedback! I might try a BW on 4, we will see. Funny you mention the softnes on 5, taken woth a $5 lens (Tokina 80-200 M42). It seems like a soft lens all-round, but I personally don't mind it once in a while.

It's not an issue of how to expose correctly, but I just prefer brighter images. Always afraid of under-exposing. Maybe I need to kick that habit

Interesting to read some of the suggestions, shows that we all see things a little bit differently. For number one I think the crop is ok, in my view the cows are a part of a broader landscape and having the foreground is ok. I don't think the last one works, I think I know what you are trying to get at, I've tried about a hundred of those shots myself. Probably you need some unclipped grass versus those hacked off stalks.

Yea there's not alot of consensus, except that 5 doesn't do much for anyone. It's still great to hear what could be improved!

Tyguy wrote in post #17861609
Yea there's not alot of consensus, except that 5 doesn't do much for anyone. It's still great to hear what could be improved!

I like 5. It evokes the atmosphere of a fallow field in winter quite well. I am partial to this kind of shot, though, and it's not everyone's cup of tea.

dodgyexposure wrote in post #17861961
I like 5. It evokes the atmosphere of a fallow field in winter quite well. I am partial to this kind of shot, though, and it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Thanks!

I've made a few PP changes based on the input.


1. Tried to fix the highlight blow-out and vignetting. No vignetting was applied in PP, may have had a couple filters stacked on the lens...

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