Primitive Baptist Church, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains

[tanya1970]

OK, I started out really liking this photo. The longer I look at it, the more I wonder if it's all that good.
I used a circular polarizing filter and the sky seems too blue. I am also having problems getting the look I want. I sharpened it, but I want that "glossy" look. This almost looks grainy-ish or matte to me. How do I get that smooth look?
And while we are at it....Any opinions on the composition?
Thanks!


Exif data
Camera Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
Exposure 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture f/4.5
Focal Length 18 mm
ISO Speed 200
full manual mode

[rmettier]

Ok, I'm an almost total beginner myself, so don't take my comments too seriously. Here are my thoughts:

Technical:
why did you use ISO 200 when it was bright enough for a 1/500th exposure? I doubt doubling the exposure time to 1/250th would result in any detectable blur, and you'd get a small decrease in graininess (admittedly, the difference from 100 to 200 is tiny on most modern DSLRs).

Lighting: Maybe a little touch of fill flash would have given a bit of detail on the front of the nearest headstone or two, instead of the complete black that is there now. The church and the trees are far enough away that this wouldn't have affected them. Don't know if it would have worked, but I seem to keep struggling to see what's on those headstones when I look at the picture.

Composition: I like the headstones in the foreground contrasting the light colours of the church, and also the perspective and the natural framing that the trees provide to the church. Maybe a bit of cropping could put an interesting detail in the sweet spot and really make the image 'pop'. I'm thinking maybe take a little off the left side (not too much), so that the bell tower is at the 1/3 point horizontally. Maybe even take a bit off the top and put the center of the bell tower (not the tip) right in the top left crosshairs of the rule of thirds.

All in all, a nice shot. Well done.

[Michael_2010]

I've been in search of that "glossy" look some shutterbugs seem to produce so effortlessly as well. Still haven't figured that one out.

It is a nice shot, but I understand your feeling. I go through the same thought process. What takes a technically good capture from being a snapshot to something with a little wow factor? I'm still workin' on that one too.

Personally, I would like to see this same composition taken at different times of the day. Elongated shadows coming off those gravestones would enhance the mood, imo. I would also like to see what would happen if the lens was at a much lower elevation, looking up across the tombstones toward the little church building.

[Krusty79]

From looking at my own images, I learned that just because I use a polarizer, that doesn't mean I have to crank it up to maximum effect for it to be useful. It does produce a sky that is artificially blue when overused.

When I have tried to sharpen images in post processing, it does not produce that "glossy" effect for me either. Someone with more knowledge will have to explain how to get that effect. Not sure if it is established when taking the shot or through processing.

It looks like you took the shot in the middle of the day. If you look at a histogram of your image, you'll see your image has light across the whole spectrum, from the blown out top of the steeple to the dark shadows where the detail is lost. There are a lot of dark areas in your shot. There is more dynamic range in there than your camera sensor can handle, so this could be an HDR candidate. If you took the shot later in the day as Michael suggested, you probably would not have this problem. I tried to edit your image, but I was not able to bring out the detail in the shadows without blowing out the light areas.

I also see you shot this at f/4.5. I would like to have seen this shot at a smaller aperture for greater DOF. As far as the composition goes, you have the subject right in the middle of the shot, which usually is not ideal for landscape shots. I would have like to seen the shot from other angles, like low to the ground or closer to one of the tombstones.

Greg

[Michael_2010]

Post-processing sharpening is a great tool, but it is easy to take it a little too far and make the capture look artificial. It does not uniformly improve the quality of a photograph. It tries to add brightness to pixels along edges, which can work or it can ruin the look you're after.

I know good glass goes a long way in getting that "glossy" look I think we are all talking about, but some other ingredients have to be in the mix as well.

[RLucas]

The biggest problem is that it is mostly underexposed. This poses a problem because of the church being white, and in very high contrast to the trees around it. It looks to be at least a 3 stop difference to me. If you are close to this scene and can reshoot, you may want to try going later in the evening when the sun is lower in the sky, or in the morning. The light is so much better at those times of the day. It will lower the sharp contrast quite considerably and give you more latitude to play with your exposure. If you shoot RAW, and use the histogram, try to expose with the spikes to the right of the center, or slightly overexposed, then when you edit you can pull the exposure back and retain more shadow detail.
When sharpening, especially underexposed shots, be careful, as it can sharpen any noise that may be present and create that grainy look that you are trying to get away from.

I hope this helps. I tend to have the same problem myself. I get lucky, and 1 out of 100, I can get to have that "glassy" look.

[tanya1970]

THANK YOU ALL!!
I believe that I'm going to start over on this one! My big mistake was not being patient and shooting in the middle of the day. Thank you again for all your insight!

[Michael_2010]

People are just trying to be helpful and give you something to think about the next time you are framing a shot. That doesn't mean that it was not a good picture.

The exposure issues mentioned by RLucas are exactly why HDR is becoming so popular. You can bracket a series of shots, exposing for each element in the frame and then work with those at your desk to create a very pleasing outcome.

Like everything else, HDR has been pushed to the max by some which can create interesting, but unrealistic results. However, when used as another tool in the arsenal to make a good picture better, it can be very powerful indeed. If you have a tripod, bean bag, or some other method to keep your camera steady between shots, give it a try.

[tanya1970]

Originally Posted by Michael_2010

People are just trying to be helpful and give you something to think about the next time you are framing a shot. That doesn't mean that it was not a good picture.

The exposure issues mentioned by RLucas are exactly why HDR is becoming so popular. You can bracket a series of shots, exposing for each element in the frame and then work with those at your desk to create a very pleasing outcome.

Like everything else, HDR has been pushed to the max by some which can create interesting, but unrealistic results. However, when used as another tool in the arsenal to make a good picture better, it can be very powerful indeed. If you have a tripod, bean bag, or some other method to keep your camera steady between shots, give it a try.

HDR is something I have been looking at. I really like the results and I would like to learn more about it. I really appreciate everyone's time and input. I don't know why I couldn't see that it was underexposed. I guess I was just looking at the church and the sky. I shouldn't be so hard on myself!
I can't wait to get back out and shoot some more! I love landscapes and being outside in this beautiful world!
Thank you all again, and any other comments are extremely appreciated! ~Tanya

[Michael_2010]

Most of us have run into similar circumstances along the way and that is how one learns, if learning is the goal. In fact, I was driving down some back roads a few weekends back just looking for something interesting and came across a little white church. Took several shots, but never could get the end result I wanted.

Those stark white buildings against a deep blue sky, or dark green vegetation can be hard to capture. Adjusting exposure for them will leave everything else dark and almost distracting. Ajusting for the background will blow out the church in a big way.

Bracketing the exposures will allow you to expose for the church, the background and the sky. Then you can merge the three files and tweak it until it represents what you saw and felt while at the location.

Best of luck with your photography and keep at it, because you have a good eye.