Why is my photo dull?

[iluv2fly1]

Canon EOS 1100D
1/125, 9.0, ISO 100
(I think I used automatic or landscape mode)


Hello everyone. This is my first post here!

I'm just getting into photography and am only just figuring out my new DSLR. When it comes to landscape photos, I just find my photos to be a little dull and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. So, as an example, I've linked to a photo I took of a tea plantation.

What should I have done differently to make this photo more interesting?

[Nikoner]

I don't think your photo is dull - in fact it's very nice. However I'd crop the bottom part with the grass because it's slightly distracting.

[iluv2fly1]

That is a good idea. I think you are right about the crop.

I suppose I think it is dull because I know how beautiful it actually was and I don't think this does it justice.

[graciousness]

This photos is far from dull. In fact, with a proper edit, it can be brilliant.

I would have a play with post processing with the saturation, contrast, levels, etc, even playing around with filters until you get to a more dramatic effect that you desire. I won't tell you how to do it - just play around in post processing and see what you can do.

[iluv2fly1]

I actually have done some post processing already (I forget exactly what I did) and this is the result. I suppose I'll go back and see whether a fresh look would produce better results.

I have been looking for some filters because I suspect that might be an issue -I travel a lot so I don't always get to choose the time of day, weather, etc. But I haven't played around with them yet so not sure if that would help.

[graciousness]

Originally Posted by iluv2fly1

I actually have done some post processing already (I forget exactly what I did) and this is the result. I suppose I'll go back and see whether a fresh look would produce better results.

I have been looking for some filters because I suspect that might be an issue -I travel a lot so I don't always get to choose the time of day, weather, etc. But I haven't played around with them yet so not sure if that would help.

There's editing, and then there's editing.

What do I mean by that?

I, myself, can't explain it in words, but may I share a website that I discovered recently that just blew me away? Make sure you flick through the before and after and then you'll get what I mean.

Lightroom Tutorials: Lightroom Tutorials : Nature

Here is his flickr account. His photos just blow me away.

Flickr: ?CubaGallery's Photostream

[iluv2fly1]

Awesome, I'll head over there and check it out.

[Neville Bailey]

I think the picture has great potential, with some post processing editing.

I hope you don't mind, but I did a bit of tweaking on Lightroom, with the following result. I will delete it if you don't want me to publish it.

I did a very quick edit (2 minutes) to recover the clouds, add some fill light to the fields, pumped up the clarity and vibrance and did some contrast adjustments.

If you had shot the photo in RAW mode, you can get even better results.

[wal]

A bit of processing and color adjustment.. might pop up the photo.. Try shooting in raw and using a Polarizer filter. Get better results and contrast.

[Doug Sundseth]

Besides the crop, I'd recommend that you try for a more dynamic composition. Currently, you have a very centered comp, with the valley in the plantation, the top of the near hill, and the top of the background hill all very near the centerline of the photo. I'd recommend moving to the left or right and turning to the right or left (respectively) to keep the same elements in the frame but get a more diagonal composition.