Spencer Butte, new to forum

[Radian]

Hi all!

I've been browsing all the fabulous articles on this site for quite a while, but never posted anything. Photography has always been a love of mine, but mainly of family/ friends and trips. My goal is to learn more about light, composition and how I can tell a story with pictures. There's a lot to learn!

Here are some pictures I'd love to get feedback on. Edit: I should've read the rules... my bad. Changed my post to just one picture, with links to the other 3. They were taken on a hike I took on Spencer Butte here in Eugene, OR. A great landmark and I was lucky to have the hill shrouded in fog, with sun peeking behind it. Any comments would be welcome! These are all taken with my Nikon D5000 with stock 18-55 lens, with some Lightroom and Photoshop adjustments. I'm looking for suggesions on composition, lighting, processing (too much vignetting?).



1/50 sec at f/ 7.1, 18mm, ISO 280


http://www.flickr.com/photos/39244814@N06/6469828709/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39244814@N06/6469785453/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39244814@N06/6469785283/

[KristaLGHT]

Those are awesome!!! I love the presence that the fog has in all the shots. In the 3rd shot though, it seems that it's just a bright spot in the middle. Not that the fog is rolling thru or that there's a break in the trees and the sun is shining thru. Not sure what suggest to make for that though on how I'd change it.

[milosh]

Great photos! Welcome to DPS!

I like all of them, especially the one you posted here and the first and the last in your links.
You did a great job including foreground in all of them, which is something that most beginners miss.
I think you can go easier on the vignette in the photo you embedded here. You usually add vignette to help focus attention to the main parts of the scene, but I think even a lighter one will do (especially since the forest is already darker than the rest of the frame).

[flytyer57]

I really like the photo you posted here. You have managed the feeling of depth quite well. Almost looks 3D.

[Radian]

Thanks for the comments!
@milosh: thanks for the suggestion, that makes sense... the surrounding forest already does some of the work. I'll keep a lighter touch in mind in these cases

[shruggy63]

Been messing with your pic, while listening to sport on the radio. Hope you don't mind, it's a learning curve for me too.

[Krusty79]

I'll just talk about the one image posted. The eye naturally is drawn to the lightest part of an image. In this case, it's part of the bright sky showing through the trees. Unfortunately, the visual interest is not in that area. The vignette is contributing to that, so I don't like the vignette. To me, it is directing attention to the blown out area and away from the interesting scenery.

I do love the fog-shrouded colors in the rest of the shot and I would suggest another composition that directs the focus there instead of the bright part of the sky shining through.

A definite subject, or focal point would help as well.

[Radian]

Appreciate the suggestions. See these are the things I need to start keeping in mind When the eye gets drawn to the lightest portion of the image, and there's really nothing there... it doesn't work that well.

I'm new to landscape photography so will need to read up on how I can include a subject in the photos. Also, I didn't spend too much time composing these shots. If I really take my time and see what works best, I imagine that'll produce better shots also.

[EOBeav]

Don't listen to Krusty; he's way out of his mind.

This is a really cool image, and the vignetted bright spot just draws me in. Nice work.

[Lembi]

Surfing at Tofino, BC | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

This photo was taken at Tofino in BC on Nov 19, 2011. The air temperature is at the freezing mark bu that does not deter surfers from one of the most popular beaches on the West Coast.