Bondi-this picture needs your help!

[PinkLens]

Hi Everyone,

New member here (havent posted much but spend a lot of my time seeing, learning and reading about everyone work here).

I need your help with this picture please. This was taken at Bondi Beach, Sydney on a very cloudy, windysaturday morning. Now, I love this picture (for the clouds and that little patch of sunlight seeping through I think) but otherwise, it seems absolutely dull Ive tried all I can (the little knowledge I have gathered with Photoshop, Lightroom and Picasa) and NOTHING seems to make it look better/different.

Im still learning about composition and everything else, so forgive me if this looks terribly bad!

Any suggestions would help, dont want to think its a lost cause until you guys tell me it is!

Many thanks
Priya

[DPphotographer]

This is a pretty good photo. I like how you've set that little island off to the left. That's a good rule of composition to follow. I would try straightening out the horizon line a bit. I do this by using a tri-pod with a built in level. As far as color is concerned... I would just wait until sunset or sunrise and take the picture again when there is better natural light. That is much better than using software to manipulate the color. Good photo, though.

[knixpix]

I think the shot is great and the clouds are awesome.

Two things you could experiment with are in Picasa bring up the shadows a bit (finer tuning) to make the clouds and sea more moody then save it, in photoshop or whatever your using, use the dodge tool set on 2 px to bring up the reflection in the back slightly. Not a lot , jst a tiny bit.

This is an example of what I mean using your shot. Just so u can see what I am on about.

[windrider86]

Did you mean to remove your photo?

[PinkLens]

Originally Posted by DPphotographer

This is a pretty good photo. I like how you've set that little island off to the left. That's a good rule of composition to follow. I would try straightening out the horizon line a bit. I do this by using a tri-pod with a built in level. As far as color is concerned... I would just wait until sunset or sunrise and take the picture again when there is better natural light. That is much better than using software to manipulate the color. Good photo, though.

Thanks forr that Yeah, still not good with holding the camera straight (dont know why!). But it was one of those weekends where it rained and I was only there for a few days!!

[PinkLens]

Originally Posted by knixpix

I think the shot is great and the clouds are awesome.

Two things you could experiment with are in Picasa bring up the shadows a bit (finer tuning) to make the clouds and sea more moody then save it, in photoshop or whatever your using, use the dodge tool set on 2 px to bring up the reflection in the back slightly. Not a lot , jst a tiny bit.

This is an example of what I mean using your shot. Just so u can see what I am on about.

I loved how you did that-will play around with the Picasa tonight and see how I can do that. I try not to used too much of post production magic because I feel it defeats the whole purpose. But thanks so showing me how to do that, absolutely blessing on cloudy days!

@windrider86-No not at all! dont know how I did that!!

[PhotoPhix]

Originally Posted by PinkLens

Hi Everyone,

New member here (havent posted much but spend a lot of my time seeing, learning and reading about everyone work here).

I need your help with this picture please. This was taken at Bondi Beach, Sydney on a very cloudy, windysaturday morning. Now, I love this picture (for the clouds and that little patch of sunlight seeping through I think) but otherwise, it seems absolutely dull Ive tried all I can (the little knowledge I have gathered with Photoshop, Lightroom and Picasa) and NOTHING seems to make it look better/different.

Im still learning about composition and everything else, so forgive me if this looks terribly bad!

Any suggestions would help, dont want to think its a lost cause until you guys tell me it is!

Many thanks
Priya

The best advice you can get is find a program and practice practice practice, the possibilities are endless with each shot.


Armando