Sunset - Feedback wanted on test shot

Phenomenological

Ok, I'd like some feedback on this image from a few people. But first let me outline why it's a test shot.

What I want to do is go back to the same location, set my camera up in a portrait orientation on the tripod, and take a series of shots along the horizon to stitch into a panorama. I went down and found some locations at sunset last night, of which the one below gave the most expansive view. However...It just seems a bit bland to me. And I'm not quite sure how to make it more interesting. Any comments you have would be appreciated!

Miguel Delinquento

50/50
Phenomenological, as a panel in a long pano spread across a wall I can see the attraction as is: it's colorful, simple, and a sunset. It would suffice as a piece of decorative art (small "a") for many folks.

As an individual photographic Artwork, however, it falls short to me. I like the colors, but there is little drama to the shot either atmospherically or structurally. Clouds at sunset add exponentially more depth and interest. They are harder to fake, so to speak, so they feel more authentic and unique. This sunset has been seen before.

Equally important are the objects silhouetted. The trees are too small and spread out and dense. They don't cast many interesting forms that can provide drama to the shot. Part of this can be solved by using a less wide angle lens--a telephoto would give more prominence to the trees and flatten out the background. I also don't like the amount of black in the shot--it takes up a quarter of the frame--I'd prefer 10-15%.

So the good news is that you can take the shot one way and succeed, and you can improve it the other way and succeed again. Not bad.

M

thapamd

The colors are beautiful but there is just too much bland sky and the FG is uninterestingly dark. I'd say go back to this spot if you can and try it again with a little more detail in the FG and wait for some interesting cloud formations.