My First Landscapes -- C&C, Please

So I've really been more into people for a long time. I've done some urban environment stuff; but candids have been my focus. I've *appreciated* landscapes for a while. I've just never really done them (okay, I did on film a looooong time ago ... though not in a disciplined way). Over the past couple/few weeks, I've been noticing things (trees, objects, etc.) outside as I've been driving around town.

This afternoon/evening, I made the decision to go walk around outside my neighborhood and snap some photos. I planned on photographing this dilapidated structure in the tall grass just off the road; but when I got there, it was a bust. I kept walking around, snapping pictures of the grass, trees, etc., as I made my way to a small creek and then came back home and snapped away as I went.

These pictures are all taken with a T1i, 24-70L, and the EXIF data should be intact (though I can provide it for any photo if it isn't). PP in ACR, mainly for WB, a little exposure, and color (I bumped up vibrancy and saturation). I added vignetting to some of them because I thought it looked nice, though I'm not always a fan and have some mixed feelings about it in these.

All of that said, any comments and criticism would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks for taking a look.

#1

Well the one i liked the most is probably #7. The problem is, i think u have to find more interesting things to shoot. These subjects just dont do anything for me. I have the same problem sommetimes. I want to shoot so bad that i end up shooting boring subjects just to shoot something.

I think u should spend some more time on finding more interesting things to shoot, and then youll start coming up with some interesting shots.

chomish wrote in post #9361488
Well the one i liked the most is probably #7. The problem is, i think u have to find more interesting things to shoot. These subjects just dont do anything for me. I have the same problem sommetimes. I want to shoot so bad that i end up shooting boring subjects just to shoot something.

I think u should spend some more time on finding more interesting things to shoot, and then youll start coming up with some interesting shots.

Definitely. Sadly, it's not the most exciting time (visually) in Texas and I'm still new to the area. There are a couple of lakes nearby and I was thinking of heading out at sunrise sometime soonish (if I can stand the cold -- brrr). I'm really looking forward to things turning green again soon.

Are there generally good or bad times (of the day and/or the year) to shoot outdoors?

BTW, I think #7 is my favorite, too.

Nicely saturated colors and some interesting shots. Here are a few thoughts -
#1 - either too much ground or too much sky in this one; personally, I'd get rid of the ground so that it's tree and sky. The vignette may work here because it complements the rounded shape of the top of the tree.
#2 - nice colors but not a really interesting composition.
#3 - more interesting with a nice color contrast between the warmly-lighted branches and blue sky; I think I'd crop to concentrate more on the upper branches and emphasize their interesting shapes and color contrast with the sky.
#4, 5, & 6 - very nice shots; again, it might be worth cropping off the less interesting bottom parts of the image to emphasize the branches against the sky.
#7 - my favorite of these because of the great spread of interesting branches; I'd crop closer to the tree on the left so the image will be tree against sky without the open blue on the left.
#8 - OK as a black and white but I don't think there's enough contrast for it to be really interesting.

stsva wrote in post #9361512
Nicely saturated colors and some interesting shots. Here are a few thoughts -
#1 - either too much ground or too much sky in this one; personally, I'd get rid of the ground so that it's tree and sky. The vignette may work here because it complements the rounded shape of the top of the tree.
#2 - nice colors but not a really interesting composition.
#3 - more interesting with a nice color contrast between the warmly-lighted branches and blue sky; I think I'd crop to concentrate more on the upper branches and emphasize their interesting shapes and color contrast with the sky.
#4, 5, & 6 - very nice shots; again, it might be worth cropping off the less interesting bottom parts of the image to emphasize the branches against the sky.
#7 - my favorite of these because of the great spread of interesting branches; I'd crop closer to the tree on the left so the image will be tree against sky without the open blue on the left.
#8 - OK as a black and white but I don't think there's enough contrast for it to be really interesting.

Wow -- thanks for all the specific feedback! I'll post up a cropped example from your suggestions later.

Did you add a blue gradient to the sky because the sky is unatural and the blue is bleeding into the trees. Look at the blue fringing on the tree branches in # 5,6,7.

williejr wrote in post #9361569
Did you add a blue gradient to the sky because the sky is unatural and the blue is bleeding into the trees. Look at the blue fringing on the tree branches in # 5,6,7.

No gradient; but I see the fringing you're talking about. I probably kicked the saturation up a wee bit high. Try this on for size (with crop suggested by stsva and USM applied):

Dokk wrote in post #9361511
Definitely. Sadly, it's not the most exciting time (visually) in Texas and I'm still new to the area. There are a couple of lakes nearby and I was thinking of heading out at sunrise sometime soonish (if I can stand the cold -- brrr). I'm really looking forward to things turning green again soon.

Are there generally good or bad times (of the day and/or the year) to shoot outdoors?

BTW, I think #7 is my favorite, too.

I usually like my pictures best before the sun comes up, and before it gets dark and the sun is down.

chomish wrote in post #9362370
I usually like my pictures best before the sun comes up, and before it gets dark and the sun is down.

Well *there's* my problem!