First "not so bad" landscape shot

[Colm Noonan]

Camera: Olympus E-410
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/14
Focal Length: 22 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0/10 EV

Hello,
I'm kind of happy with the image all except for the sky and water, not sure how I could improve while taking the shot, but considering I don't have a tripod yet that might be the solution. Any advice though would be nice. (I did some PP with Olympus Master on this shot, +2 on exposure, switched off noise reduction and +2 on saturation and then a little cropping).

Any C+C would be nice to have.

Thank You.

[aadam_21]

Like you mentioned, the sky and the reflection of the sky are a bit much. When you have that much sky on an overcast day, it's really hard to expose properly. A polarizer would help cut down the reflections on the water, but there's not much that I know of to do with the sky. You could try replacing it's color, but you'd have to tweak the reflection as well.

In the large version, you can just make out a house at the end of the lake. Maybe if you have a chance to revisit, you could try a shot of that house over the lake with a bit less sky?

[Colm Noonan]

Thank you aadam_21,
I went back to that location today but it was foggy and misty, couldn't see much at all.
Maybe try again in the next few days.
Thanks for your advice.

[Colm Noonan]

Camera: Olympus E-410
Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/400)
Aperture: f/11
Focal Length: 17 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0/10 EV

This is my Second attempt, I had to do some cloning in the sky to eliminate an over exposed sun on the top right (it was a big white blob originally).

[redeveloped]

almost dreamy... great color all around and reflections, i really like it, do you have a lens hood?

[velvet4269]

Don't forget, too, that you can adjust your Exposure Bias. I often find that a -.3 to a -1.0 will do the trick with my E-500. My typical (pre-Circular Polarizer) walkabout settings are:

WB: Daylight
ISO: 100
Aperture Priority Mode
EV: -.3 to -1.0, depending.

I'll adjust my aperture anywhere from f/5.6 to f/11, depending on how close I am to the subject & how much I want to attempt to get in focus. I've also found, since getting the polarizer, that it makes it much easier to get dramatic (and, at times, more accurate) skies without the blow out; which isn't to say it's 100% fool proof. Without the polarizer, I'd recommend taking a few shots while adjusting the EV setting. You may like what you get.

[Colm Noonan]

Thank You for your advive velvet4269, weather here in Dublin is pretty crappy now, not much opportunity for getting out. But, maybe in the next few days I can put your advice to use. Thank You.

I like your Grasshopper on Flickr, nice shade of green.

[jollence]

Great Shot! Colm Noonan. I like the color

[Colm Noonan]

Thank you Jollence for your kind words.
I had a look at www.jollencephotography.com,

WOW

[Nathan deGargoyle]

Sorry Colm but I prefer the first one. The second is way overstaurated (which I am also prone to, pot meet kettle etc.). Take the first one and use GIMP ( or P$ if you must to put in a sky and reflect it in the water and that's a mega image.