Framing (And a confession)

Let's do the confession first.
I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing when it comes to shots like this. I can't even chimp, because I can't even tell if they're good! I'd like to know if I'm on the right track, though.

I like them myself. the only thing that I wonder about is the mountains themself seem to have haze or something like that to them. though I'm very envious with that as here in idaho we wouldn't even see the mountains right now.

rx7speed wrote in post #6009139
I like them myself. the only thing that I wonder about is the mountains themself seem to have haze or something like that to them. though I'm very envious with that as here in idaho we wouldn't even see the mountains right now.

And I was thinking "wow that's a pretty clear mountain". Some of the shots I've been getting lately have a blue film over everything. We're finally getting some rain after a dry spell so the atmosphere should clear up a bit by the end of the week.

On to the shot... I like it, but it may have more impact had it been in a landscape format. As it is, the portrait orientation makes the foreground tree seem much larger, and more impressive than the moutain ridge itself. Watch the processing a bit too, you've come right up to the edge of creating an undesireable halo around the edges of the sky. Back off a touch on any processes that are using high radius sharpening. If you were using Shadow/Highlight in CS3, try increasing the radius of the effect.

lol maybe I just don't know what a clear mountain is anymore it's been a while since we have seen them.
though my wife seems to think there is no haze so maybe it is just me.

Well I wouldn't worry too much about rules. There are really only a couple of them for large landscapes the rest is what looks good to your eye.

Let me see if I remember the "notes" I mumble to myself when I try landscapes.

- Don't cut the pictures in half with the horizon.
- Try not to center/center.
- Keep the camera straight with the horizon, if not tilt it way out.
- If doing hyperfocal - keep something local in focus to give it more 3D. But keep the local subject somewhat interesting.
- Put the local object on the opposite side of the frame, relative to the sun.
- Use a ND filter if more than 40% of your picture has a blue sky.
- Go 2-3 stops down from full to best results.
- Try to keep a local ISO.
- Tripod, Tripod, Tripod - also don't forget to lock your mirror.

And I try to break at least one of those if not more in ever shot.

Except for the dominance of the tree I like it. The colors are great, well exposed. As LeuceDeuce says, right on the edge with the halo, maybe even crossed it a bit.

I see the child at the bottom