Is it boring ?

[Marija]

Hi all!

Took this photo few months ago.
I like it because it seems to me that there is a balance between the clouds (would like to be more of them ) and the hill ... but I've been told by a person that it is boring photo...so please tell me: what do you think about it?
I did some processing with GIMP but don't know exact steps...sorry

Is it boring landscape? worth keeping it? can it be improved somehow?

Thanks in advance!

camera: Olympus E-520
lens: 14-42 mm
Focal length: 42 mm
F number: F/8
Exposure time: 1/160 sec
Exposure Compensation: 0 step

[Erica.P]

This picture follows many of the traditional rules to photograph composition, diagonal lines, rules of thirds and whatnot, but it could be more dynamic.
I would prefer to see the moon jump out more and be the focal point of the picture. If that is not doable then try to locate a different focal point, to bring into your composition. I think you will find that gives the picture the wow that your viewers are looking for.

Erica

[Aegea]

I like the shot, it has a calm and serene quality, but it looks a little underexposed to me, some of the shadows seem blocked. Perhaps some more pp to bring up the brightness of the landscape while keeping the detail in the sky? I agree with Erica about the moon, as it stands it's more of a distraction than a focal point. Either clone it out or somehow put more emphasis on it (but I am not sure how to do that!).

[Marija]

Originally Posted by Erica.P

This picture follows many of the traditional rules to photograph composition, diagonal lines, rules of thirds and whatnot, but it could be more dynamic.
Erica

This is much better than I expected and I'm glad also about evoking calm and serenity.. of course I agree about dynamics ...

Thanks a lot for replies!

Maybe, just maybe it isn't that boring after all?

Tried what you've said...enhance some brightness and...
Focal point: the moon - the problem is that the moon is to small and when I try to make it bigger it doesn't look real (cause: my skills in PP ) This time I copied the moon from original photo few times and here is result... not sure is it ok now? have it made any difference?

[Erica.P]

It is definitly an improvement. I think the colors are working for you now especially in the upper third. Keep at the PP thing; practice and experimation make perfect... or at least thats what I keep being told as I transition from film to digital.

Good luck.

Erica

[Aegea]

Looks significantly better to me.

[Marija]

so...I'm keeping it

Thank you, I appreciate your thoughts and advices!

If there is any issues still, anyone, please tell me...

[kencaleno]

Does this look better?-If you like it, i'll explain the procedure (not for the faint-hearted) Ken

[Marija]

I like it and would like to know the steps. I presume if I apply steps on my original photo it will give better results than on this one.
Also that means a lot for my learning...
And...because you're a pro can you answer the question Is this boring landscape?


Thank you Kencaleno for your time and effort!

[kencaleno]

Originally Posted by Marija

I like it and would like to know the steps. I presume if I apply steps on my original photo it will give better results than on this one.
Also that means a lot for my learning...
And...because you're a pro can you answer the question Is this boring landscape?


Thank you Kencaleno for your time and effort!

"Is this a boring landscape?"- Without the clouds it would be.

The steps taken to get the result shown:

Dynamic Range Extender Basic set up

1.Image>Adjustments>shadows/highlights

Shadows :amount 50%
Tonal width 45%
Radius 44px

Highlights :amount 67%
Tonal width 65%
Radius 46px

2. Ctrl+J; blending mode: color dodge

3.Duplicate background layer again
This time set blending mode to: Linear burn
Click “D” to get foreground color to black
Select ”Color range”-fuzziness 100
Click on “add layer mask” button in layers palette
Click on mask of layer and Set Gaussian blur at 5 px

4. Duplicate Linear burn layer, set blending mode to Overlay
Click on layer mask and press ctrl+I
Set overlay to 40-45%; set linear burn to 55-60%
Change foreground color to white
Select Color range-fuzziness 100

5. Duplicate base layer again, take it to the top
Click on add layer mask, add Gaussian blur at 5 px

6. Flatten and save

I actually recorded this as an action in photoshop, but I adjusted the opacity sliders on some of the layers, and didn't note what I did, so you will need to experiment a bit to get the same effect that I have.


Regards, Ken