Cloud formations pic?

[kriaraki]

I'd like serious opinions/critique on this please... I took this picture in the evening about 1/2 hour before sundown. I'm curious what others might have to say about it being a better picture... for me it's overly dark in the lower 1/3 but then again it has a nice gradient in a way...I thought that the leading lines were successful although could perhaps be a bit lighter/emphasized/highlighted. What opinions are to be had with regard to the whole "silhouette" issue (i mean the trees etc)...does it just create a black "void" or does it add to the photo? This is a more general question that I find myself thinking about fairly often.

This was taken with the CANON REBEL XTi, I don't much care for making too many "adjustments" on the computer... even where cropping is concerned I prefer trying to capture the image the way I want it the first time... anyhow that's one of my idiosyncrasies I guess ().

Here's the info:

focus 18mm
ISO 400
aperture f/10
shutter 1/250

many thanks!

[Sterling]

Please read the forum rules.

[danbaileyphoto]

I love the way the clouds hang over the road, they have a really interesting shape that compliments the curve of the road. The lower part of the image is a little too dark, using a graduated neutral density filter would help bring that into the realm of acceptable exposure.

I don't think that this would work well as a silhouette, because a large part of the appeal for me is the curve of the road. However, it would work if you were able to find a different foreground element to play off of the cloud, such as a dramatic shape in the landscape where you weren't so concerned with showing detail and instead concentrated on form.

[kriaraki]

Well, i tried lightening up the lower area (esp the left corner)...it does seem to bring out the curve more.

my "silhouette" question really was about the trees/bushes being in silhouette on the left and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. Of course, now that it's lightened up a bit maybe there's a more "mass" and volume to that area...?

[EOBeav]

Originally Posted by kriaraki

I don't much care for making too many "adjustments" on the computer... even where cropping is concerned I prefer trying to capture the image the way I want it the first time

I believe that every digital image can benefit from at least a little computer editing, even if all you do is boost the contrast a little bit. Many people shy away from editing because it seems too difficult at first. If that's the case for you, try something like Picasa, which is fairly user friendly but can still make some important adjustments. Or, try uploading a shot to Picnik and see what that can do for you. Both are free.

You have some great clouds here, and you caught them just at the right time.

[kriaraki]

I'm pretty familiar with photo editing programs (I use Aperture myself). I agree with what you have to say and I'd like to add that cropping, filters and other techniques for improving or altering a photo have been around just about forever (I did them myself back in my photo developing days ha ha ha ) and the digital medium allows us to do these alterations much more easily, cost effectively and flexibly.

I guess that, for me, I just draw the line at using these methods to make a "bad" photo "good" or to make a mediocre photo "great". For me that takes away a lot of the inspirational aspect of "art"--i mean that, for me (and I emphasize that), art has a lot to do with the moment and the inspiration and the success of that rather than just learning rules of composition and methods&mediums of creation.

I think the rules need to be learned and then broken in order to create something wonderful... and, for me, this is applicable to life in general not only for photography or art or anything else.

Ok I got off my soapbox now...