CC Please

Couple of shots taken around Sunrise. Would appreciate CC please.

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IN the first, I feel like I want to see what's just off to the right. In the second, I feel that there is no subject, nothing to draw my eye. It's a great background waiting for something to happen.

GDH wrote in post #11584260
IN the first, I feel like I want to see what's just off to the right. In the second, I feel that there is no subject, nothing to draw my eye. It's a great background waiting for something to happen.

Thanks for your input. I see what you mean in the first photo.
I should have moved back a little so I could get more of the clouds to the right. In the second image I was trying to capture the fall scenery. What type of subject would have made the photo more interesting?

I like #2. As a pure scenery shot I think it works. One suggestion -- crop the bottom just a bit to draw the eye more toward the island/point of land. Here it is with the crop, just a bit more saturation to bring out the yellows, and a slight burn applied to the sky and water.

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First shot. I'd prefer a comp further to the left to include the road to draw in the eye. Too much light fall off on the left side.

For me no1 has missed the ideal shot, ie the road leading into the hills which a portrait view would've captured. The second looks an interesting location assuming that the wind would drop low enough for reflection shots. As it is the choppy water just make this look a little messy. Don't be disheartened by my comments and keep on shooting.

GDH wrote in post #11584260
In the second, I feel that there is no subject, nothing to draw my eye. It's a great background waiting for something to happen.

That's a really good way of putting it, and I think it's true for both photos. Neither has a really clear place for the eye to "land", something to anchor the photo and serve as its subject. The light is pretty good, though.

I actually like the first photo. Yes, the cut off lake is unfortunate, but I think it's geometrically pleasing.
Some things to do different (in addition to all the great suggestions above), would be to change your perspective. Instead of taking it standing, crouch down a bit, maybe kneel on the pavement. Stand in the reeds and include them in your foreground to give the photo depth, etc.

Well, I have to provide a contrary view here, and I think that Lonestarlady61 and I have similar tastes in this area. Sometimes nature itself in all its glory is enough of a subject for me. Both of these images work for me and encourage my eye to wander throughout and explore.

For #2 I start with the nearby cottonwoods and then wander to the base of the hills and think about what appear to be distant structures. I pass over the hills and speculate about the grasses and whether the darker areas are juniper or sage or something else. I notice the power or telephone poles and wonder if there is a road there. I even find the rip-rap engaging. I look at the clouds and notice the color of the lowest band of the atmosphere and wonder if it isn't colored by pollution from a nearby populated or industrial area.

For #1 I agree that there may be other compositions that might work better, but I still enjoy the rabbit bush in the foreground and the color of the light on the distant grasses. I like the early morning light breaking on the distant hills. I notice the tread tracks on top of the dam and wonder about those couple of delineators on the left side and what they are marking, and why there is a tuft of grass growing on the road. I see a hint of color in the small trees across the water and wonder if they are maples.

In short, I find both of them to be interesting and engaging. Not saying that they couldn't be done better, but I think they work for what they are.

Hey ... I just noticed that #1 does violate a composition "rule" in that the road on top of the dam "flows" into the corner of the image. Don't recall where I learned that one, but it is supposedly more appealing to have roads, paths, arms, legs, etc. "flowing" into the side or bottom (or top) of the frame.

Thanks for all the wonderful CC on these photos. I will keep all this feedback in mind for future photography outings.

jtschell wrote in post #11585785
I actually like the first photo. Yes, the cut off lake is unfortunate, but I think it's geometrically pleasing.
Some things to do different (in addition to all the great suggestions above), would be to change your perspective. Instead of taking it standing, crouch down a bit, maybe kneel on the pavement. Stand in the reeds and include them in your foreground to give the photo depth, etc.

Thanks for seeing a little bit of what I did in the photo. I liked the contrast between the golden grass and the blue in the lake. Great suggestions for how to get a better shot. Will try that next time I get out for a photography trip.

So maybe like this:

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Rimmer wrote in post #11584799
I like #2. As a pure scenery shot I think it works. One suggestion -- crop the bottom just a bit to draw the eye more toward the island/point of land. Here it is with the crop, just a bit more saturation to bring out the yellows, and a slight burn applied to the sky and water.

You did a great job with the crop and increasing the saturation. Thanks again for your input and invaluable help.

From all the input I received on number 1. I think that I should have stepped back to the middle of the road and taken a wider shot. Not sure if I should have placed the road in the center. I think that would go against the rule of thirds. Still having a hard time imagining those lines though. Any way I can use the focus points instead?

The 'Rule of Thirds' could just as well be phrased as the Rule Against the Center. Don't worry too much about hitting exact intersections of the thirds, but do keep your subject well clear of the center and far enough from the edges of the frame that it doesn't get marginalized. There are always exceptions to this advice, but it's best to break the rules when you have a really good reason to do so. Of course, first you need to decide what your subject is and what you can do to keep it distinct from its setting, to give it proper emphasis. All other decisions follow that one: decide what your subject is, where you want the eye to 'park' between explorations of your frame, and the rest should be more clear to you.

Hope that helps.