Wheat Fields

[BulldogMom]

The wheat fields around my neck of the woods are beginning to ripen. There's not much green left in them and I'm sure in the next week or so they will be that gorgeous golden color and the combines will be out in full force.

So I thought I'd go out and get a few nice landscape shots.

Now I see just how much help I need with this.

So here's one of my best first attempts. I did crop a little to cut out some power lines to the left and some not so pretty weeds at the bottom.

I'll take all the advice I can get on taking great landscapes so that I can try this again and hopefully get much better results.



Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/1600)
Aperture: f/4
Focal Length: 17 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
Exposure Program: Aperture priority
Metering Mode: Partial
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM

Thanks for the help.

[imagesbyjk]

I think the key to good landscapes are as follows:

1. Light
2. Depth of composition
3. Light (that's how important light is)

In this shot we have light. But is it the best light? Its not bad but it could probably be better. What time of day was this?

Composition with depth: Often its nice to have a foreground element to lead the eye into the shot and like a good story a middle and an end to lead you through the image. Well, you have some foreground object but the fact that they're blurry just makes them annoying. And you have a middle and end (wheat and sky) but not a lot of visual interest in either. What about the wheat field draws you to shoot it? Decide what the most important thing is about it and try to express that with the photo.

[dmmccarthy]

I wonder what this might look like around sunrise or sunset?

[Bentwing]

I like the composition I get a good sense of the feeling you are trying to capture. If you wanted to sharpen up the image you need to use a higher f setting. F11 or higher. A tripod or some way to stabilize the camera would help as well.

[BulldogMom]

Thanks guys,

I tried again a couple days later, this time from a lower angle. I did think to change the aperture, it's a bit better but still not quit what I was looking for. I'll keep trying!

I'd like to catch the combines out there at sunset but I don't know if I'll be that lucky. Seems like I never have time to go out and shoot when I want too.

The new shots in the critique section if you've got time I'll take all the advice you've got for me there too.

[Brave_ulysses]

my only problem with it is the tip of the wheat just to the right of centre in the foreground
the one on the left is good and gives good DOF but the one on the right is just distracting
otherwise its a nice shot with lovely colours.
and maybe try other times of the day with diffrent light