Trees, trees, trees!

[TNH]

I took this photo with my COOLPIX S3000 from Nikon.
So it is definitely not a fancy and expensive camera, but it is the only one I have! I can't change the Aperture, Shutter speed, or Lens or anything like that, so it is a pretty basic camera, definitely not one a photographer would use. But I do the best I can with what I've got!


Exif info:
Taken on June 20, 2010
Camera Nikon Coolpix S3000
Exposure 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture f/5.9
Focal Length 19.6 mm
ISO Speed 100
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Auto, Did not fire
X-Resolution 300 dpi
Y-Resolution 300 dpi
Orientation Horizontal (normal)
Software COOLPIX S3000V1.0
Saturation 0

What I would like to know is this: Do you think that the way the trees in the front are blurry is a distraction and should be in focus, or does it make the picture more interesting?

And also, is there a way I can make the sky blue-er, because it looks really boring and white. Is there any photo-editing program where you can change the color of the sky?

I know that this picture really needs some help, and those are the two main things that I was wondering about.

This is my first time posting in the Critique section, so be hard on me, be very hard! Thanks in advance for your thoughts and critique-ing. I really appreciate it!

[Jim Bryant]

Did you take this photo shooting out of a speeding car or was the wind blowing?

[TNH]

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

Did you take this photo shooting out of a speeding car or was the wind blowing?

Yes, I took this picture in my moving car.

[Doug Sundseth]

First, I think it's unlikely that the foreground trees are significantly out of focus. That camera has a very short hyperfocal distance at that f stop. What you are seeing is primarily motion blur. FWIW, I think it's distracting and doesn't add to the interest of the photo here.

Second, was the sky blue when you took the shot? If so, you're seeing overexposure of the sky caused by filling most of the frame with a much darker subject. The auto-exposure algorithm in the camera will try to average out the picture to a medium exposure, which can blow out highlights or block up shadows if you aren't careful. You can reduce the effect with a graduated ND filter, but please let me know if you're going to try to use one while you're driving, so I can avoid the city you live in.

(Nearly any photo editing program can change the color of the sky in one way or another.)

The big problem I see here, though, is that there isn't a very interesting subject in the photo. Jim Richardson, a National Geographic photographer, said, "If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff." With a more interesting primary subject, you can get away with many things. Without that, even the best technique will not give you an interesting photo.

[TNH]

Originally Posted by Doug Sundseth

First, I think it's unlikely that the foreground trees are significantly out of focus. That camera has a very short hyperfocal distance at that f stop. What you are seeing is primarily motion blur. FWIW, I think it's distracting and doesn't add to the interest of the photo here.

Second, was the sky blue when you took the shot? If so, you're seeing overexposure of the sky caused by filling most of the frame with a much darker subject. The auto-exposure algorithm in the camera will try to average out the picture to a medium exposure, which can blow out highlights or block up shadows if you aren't careful. You can reduce the effect with a graduated ND filter, but please let me know if you're going to try to use one while you're driving, so I can avoid the city you live in.

(Nearly any photo editing program can change the color of the sky in one way or another.)

The big problem I see here, though, is that there isn't a very interesting subject in the photo. Jim Richardson, a National Geographic photographer, said, "If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff." With a more interesting primary subject, you can get away with many things. Without that, even the best technique will not give you an interesting photo.

Motion blur-I never thought of that.
That's what I thought most people would think-it's distracting. Is there anything I can do about it? In a photo-editing website or something?

I'm actually not sure if the sky was blue or not. From what you say, it probably could have been. I changed the sky color, and you can see it here: Trees-edited | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Does it look fake, and can you tell that the sky is not actually blue?

I never noticed that there was not an interesting subject in this. That must be why it's a kind of boring picture.

Thanks for that quote. I'll remember that next time I go out to take pictures...
And thanks for your advice and critique. I really appreciate it

[Krusty79]

You're NEVER going to get the ideal composition shooting out of a car. If you want to take a serious shot, not a snapshot, you'll have to get out of your car, find an interesting subject and figure out the best angle and time of day to shoot that subject. You can try adding some color to the sky, but I'm afraid it may look fake. The vast majority of great landscape shots are taken in the golden hours, not during the afternoon. The light is softer and you can sometimes get great colors in the sky.

[TNH]

Originally Posted by Krusty79

You're NEVER going to get the ideal composition shooting out of a car. If you want to take a serious shot, not a snapshot, you'll have to get out of your car, find an interesting subject and figure out the best angle and time of day to shoot that subject. You can try adding some color to the sky, but I'm afraid it may look fake. The vast majority of great landscape shots are taken in the golden hours, not during the afternoon. The light is softer and you can sometimes get great colors in the sky.

Yes, I know you're right. We were on a BUSY highway, and really couldn't pull over or stop, so I had to take it through the window. I took it because I loved all the trees in the background.
I tried adding color to the sky. I can't decide whether it looks fake or not. Here it is if you want to take a look: Trees-edited | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Are the "golden hours" the morning and evening, when the sun rises and sets?
Thanks for your critique and opinions.

[Krusty79]

The sky looks noisy in your edited image. You probably have some other shots with a less noisy sky that you can use instead. Or you can go and take another shot specifically for that purpose. Unfortunately, our camera sensors only see a range of about 9 stops of light while our eyes see about 20. So, your camera cannot capture what your eye sees. So, if you shoot in the afternoon, it is difficult, if not impossible sometimes, to get the bright sky and the ground correctly exposed. In your shot, the sky was blown out to get the darker trees exposed. That's why serious landscape shooters use the golden hours, which are the hours around sunrise/sunset because there is less dynamic range of light to deal with and the light is not as harsh.

[TNH]

Originally Posted by Krusty79

The sky looks noisy in your edited image. You probably have some other shots with a less noisy sky that you can use instead. Or you can go and take another shot specifically for that purpose. Unfortunately, our camera sensors only see a range of about 9 stops of light while our eyes see about 20. So, your camera cannot capture what your eye sees. So, if you shoot in the afternoon, it is difficult, if not impossible sometimes, to get the bright sky and the ground correctly exposed. In your shot, the sky was blown out to get the darker trees exposed. That's why serious landscape shooters use the golden hours, which are the hours around sunrise/sunset because there is less dynamic range of light to deal with and the light is not as harsh.

Ok, thanks! I didn't think the sky looked right, either. I tried one more time to change the sky color, and it looks a little better, but still not very good.Trees | Flickr - Photo Sharing! I guess it's just a hopeless picture.
I'll try shooting in the golden hours from now on, and see if I can get any better photos trying that way. Thanks!