What’s Your Preference?

simplyjoed · #1 (**permalink**) 08-28-2009, 02:40 AM

Hi,
Can somebody help on how to improve this image?

"Look at the bright side"

Thanks.
I appreciate it.

JoeD

barabe · #2 (**permalink**) 08-28-2009, 10:44 AM

I Think it would be hard to do any better than you have already done. This picture has such a big contrast between two sides, it would be hard to change one side without ruining the other side.

rawHulk · #3 (**permalink**) 08-28-2009, 11:19 AM

if you are talking about improving while post processing.. then I am the wrong person..

However, if you are talking about retaking the picture but in a better way.. then try HDR.. it is perfect for such shots..

Also.. I think you could increase the exposure a little.. It looks like a little under-exposed to me right now..

irieness · #4 (**permalink**) 08-31-2009, 09:36 AM

I agree with Barabe here, you pulled the most out of this picture already. Maybe it's time to move on and look for a new subject

simplyjoed · #5 (**permalink**) 09-03-2009, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barabe

I Think it would be hard to do any better than you have already done. This picture has such a big contrast between two sides, it would be hard to change one side without ruining the other side.

Barabe,
Thank you for your comment. I appreciate it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rawHulk

if you are talking about improving while post processing.. then I am the wrong person..

However, if you are talking about retaking the picture but in a better way.. then try HDR.. it is perfect for such shots..

Also.. I think you could increase the exposure a little.. It looks like a little under-exposed to me right now..

rawhulk,
Thanks for your suggestion. I'll do it next time. I'll increase it a little bit. Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by irieness

I agree with Barabe here, you pulled the most out of this picture already. Maybe it's time to move on and look for a new subject

irieness ,
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate it.

NetG · #6 (**permalink**) 09-03-2009, 04:16 PM

I wouldn't change the exposure at all on that!

Have you tried cropping it to see what it looks like? Since you didn't link to the full size (or I missed it) I couldn't get a real grasp of what cropping could do, but I would try making it portrait instead of landscape. Are you looking for the focus to be on the clouds or the reflection in the water? Right now, my eyes shift back and forth - I would either lower the horizon to 1/3 from the bottom or 2/3 from the top to shift eyes toward whichever you'd like to have be the focus.

It is a really beautiful photo as-is, though! I love the rays of light and the sun playing behind clouds like that.

mhewatt · #7 (**permalink**) 09-10-2009, 01:31 AM

It would be great if you could re-shoot the photo and compose it a little more to the left, right or focus on either sky or water. It feels too centered for me.

One of the problems your running into is a common challenge with landscape photography, your camera wants to either expose for the sky, or for the ground. A camera sensor can't normally reach the dynamic range of your eye.

So, you could go out and buy some gradient filters, and a polarizer and take this shot again to fix some of this stuff. Or, the possibly easier route if you have access to some photo editing software, like Photoshop, is shoot one image exposing for the sky, and another for the water. Composite in your editing software to get something with a more correct exposure.

If you can't retake this shot then attempt some cropping to shift the focal point. You can try some dodge and burn techniques to possibly bring out some light in the ground. If you shot this in RAW you can also mess with exposure there as well.

Well, I've yacked enough to probably bore you to tears. Great job!

simplyjoed · #8 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NetG

I wouldn't change the exposure at all on that!

Have you tried cropping it to see what it looks like? Since you didn't link to the full size (or I missed it) I couldn't get a real grasp of what cropping could do, but I would try making it portrait instead of landscape. Are you looking for the focus to be on the clouds or the reflection in the water? Right now, my eyes shift back and forth - I would either lower the horizon to 1/3 from the bottom or 2/3 from the top to shift eyes toward whichever you'd like to have be the focus.

It is a really beautiful photo as-is, though! I love the rays of light and the sun playing behind clouds like that.

NetG,
Thank you for your suggestion.I'll try to crop it H and V see how it's going to look like or whichc is better. I appreciate it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhewatt

It would be great if you could re-shoot the photo and compose it a little more to the left, right or focus on either sky or water. It feels too centered for me.

One of the problems your running into is a common challenge with landscape photography, your camera wants to either expose for the sky, or for the ground. A camera sensor can't normally reach the dynamic range of your eye.

So, you could go out and buy some gradient filters, and a polarizer and take this shot again to fix some of this stuff. Or, the possibly easier route if you have access to some photo editing software, like Photoshop, is shoot one image exposing for the sky, and another for the water. Composite in your editing software to get something with a more correct exposure.

If you can't retake this shot then attempt some cropping to shift the focal point. You can try some dodge and burn techniques to possibly bring out some light in the ground. If you shot this in RAW you can also mess with exposure there as well.

Well, I've yacked enough to probably bore you to tears. Great job!

Mhewatt.
Thank you for replying back. I have a polarizer. I guess I did not thought of that at that moment(beginner). I'll try to shoot RAW also. Never tried that. I have only photo element. Will it have a big diff. even if I use photo element in RAW?
Thanks again.