Could use some C&C on these

HowitzerHowitzer Registered Users Posts: 94 Big grins
edited July 5, 2009 in Landscapes
not very happy with the way they turned out. 1st time shooting a sunset since I bought a DSLR.. I shot in manual mode for everything and tried a ton of different settings to get the right look.. they just look very snap shotish to me.

1/25 f/25 19mm ISO 200

this one turned out OK.. I tried to let the shutter open longer but it just blew out the sun.
582242899_WGuHP-XL.jpg


1/160 f/5.6 ISO 800 85mm.. had to zoom in to get rid of some power lines. this turned out grainy.. not my favorite shot.

582243019_Ht97S-XL.jpg


1/1250 F/3.8 ISO 800
The sky was alot more blue than the pic shows.. I read a polarizing filter would help, all I had on was a UV one.

582242681_fJaKb-XL.jpg

thanks in advance for the comments.

BTW these are all taken from Bald Peak in Hillsboro Oregon
http://3dogphotos.smugmug.com

Equipment: a whole bunch of black cylinders full of polished glass that cost way to much that I just had to have...

Comments

  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited July 5, 2009
    What I notice is that there is not a strong subject in these shots. Basically, if there were not a good sky or great colors, would this be a well-composed photo? If not that will always be missing even though you get the exposure right.

    So give some thought to the composition beforehand and use the skytones to help improve it.
  • IanJIanJ Registered Users Posts: 32 Big grins
    edited July 5, 2009
    I quite like them. They're good for first attempts.

    On the first two photos I'd try cropping them a little. On the first to remove the dark edge at the bottom and the branches on the left. On the second one I'd try and remove most of the foreground. If you shoot in the same place again for the second one, try and get more sky in rather than the flat ground in front of the camera.

    Ian
    http://ianjohnson.smugmug.com
  • thapamdthapamd Registered Users Posts: 1,722 Major grins
    edited July 5, 2009
    15524779-Ti.gif You have some great potential here. Ian and rainbow have given you excellent advice.
    Shoot in RAW because memory is cheap but memories are priceless.

    Mahesh
    http://www.StarvingPhotographer.com
  • HowitzerHowitzer Registered Users Posts: 94 Big grins
    edited July 5, 2009
    yes very good advice, thank you all very much. I cropped the 1st one like you said too.


    582482456_Pcz6t-XL.jpg


    I had one of the 2nd with more sky and less wheat, but it was grainy and the colors werent as sharp. Can I ask what are the best camera settings for low light sunsets? Should I shoot in manual mode? I was most of the evening.

    thanks again for the tips.

    Chuck
    http://3dogphotos.smugmug.com

    Equipment: a whole bunch of black cylinders full of polished glass that cost way to much that I just had to have...
  • dlplumerdlplumer Registered Users Posts: 8,081 Major grins
    edited July 5, 2009
    I'm assuming you are shooting RAW. If so, turn up the vibrancy on your sunsets and reduce the exposure in PP for a more traditional sunset look.

    Back to Wimbledon wings.gif
    Dan
    http://danielplumer.com/
    Facebook Fan Page
  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited July 5, 2009
    thapamd wrote:
    15524779-Ti.gif You have some great potential here. Ian and rainbow have given you excellent advice.


    I would look at other pictures that are posted here to learn from them. Mahesh has posted some beautiful shots here recently.
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