Posted by Rob Howard on August 17, 2007 at 4:55 PM
Hi All,
One from the archives, as I'm being inspired to try more landscapes with all the brilliant posting's on here at the moment. I do really love sunsets and sun rises I think they are best free shows nature has to offer, although seeing my three fledged Barn Owl chicks flying within feet of me tonight comes a close second .
I would like critique on this as to where I may be going wrong with landscape images and how I will be able to improve.
Regards
Rob
Posted by Tom Perkins on August 17, 2007 at 5:40 PM
Hi Rob,
There are a couple of issues I have with this image, firstly the black line along the horizon which looks like a sloppy mask in PS. Also, the foreground looks kind of hazy and noisy, as if you've tried to lighten it.
The curve of the road leads your eye into the picture, but I might have tried moving to the left to see if you could position the sun where the road is "pointing".
Posted by Rob Howard on August 17, 2007 at 5:43 PM
Hi Tom,
You are right the FG has been lightened, from memory though no mask in PS so not sure what the line is on the horizon . This is one of my favourite areas so will try another sunset here more to the left.
Regards
Rob
Posted by Mike Smith on August 17, 2007 at 5:45 PM
I'm not the greatest expert, but 3 things immediately come to mind
1 - the end of the gravel pull in bottom right is distracting and pulls you away from the sunset element
2 - the road sweeps the wrong way, it leads you away from the sunset and does not draw you towards it - it is almost an anti leading line
3 - there is too much nothingness to the left half of the image, The interesting sunset and cloud formation is crammed into the right side third and truncated, There is noting to hold attenton to the left, neither is there anything to lead you to the sunset element,
The image is half way house lacking contrast and punch and neither being moody and misty
positives
there is a hint of a moody mist rising which needs exagerating,
so hope you don't mind, here is a quick crop to remove the lay-bye overspill and to place the road to be shorter and more central, it now leads into the picture more rather than into and away, A simple curves adjustment (exagerating S shape into the dark half to exagerate colours and deepen the blacks) and a quick "contrast" sharpen pass, 20%, 30R, 3Threshold bring some zing to the image- (Needs refining but took 30 seconds, but gives you a flavour of the image trying to be released )teh bonus is that the now exagerated diagonal cloud line now leads you into the sunset element, before it was a bit weak to act as a leading line
Mike
Posted by Stuart McCrae on August 17, 2007 at 5:50 PM
Suffolk,I think is a difficult land scape subject,I like your sky just needs more interest in the middle to lead you to it.
Would like to meet up some time,allways good to meet people and find new areas of interest.
Stu.
Posted by Tom Perkins on August 17, 2007 at 5:55 PM
Hi again,
sorry I presumed that you used the levels/curve plus a layer mask trick to lighten the foreground, but cant you see the edge of the horizon is too dark compared with the rest of the land?
In my experience, ND grads are a much better way of correctly exposing both the land and the sky.
Posted by Rob Howard on August 17, 2007 at 6:07 PM
Hi All,
I think mike is right re the mist rising as I have done no layering. I agree the left is a bit lost, I will look for a better location as I really want to do more landscapes.
Regards
Rob
Posted by Andy Astbury on August 18, 2007 at 3:58 AM
I like the sky in this Rob
Image looks a bit soft and your sensor could do with a clean
Posted by Rob Fisher on August 18, 2007 at 5:02 AM
Rob,
What brilliant light.
Mike's tweak has certainly brought out the colour and shapes in the clouds, which is important. I think a slightly different position may yield a better lead in line for the foreground.
You've got some good elements together here and it would not take many changes to get a really good shot. First thing I'd suggest is graduated netural density filter to hold back the sky so that you can expose for the land. I agree with Tom that it would be much better if you could get the road pointing more towards the sun. You could also try using walls, patterns in the fields etc rather than a road to provide foreground interest and lead in lines. Tristan
Discussion
9 repliesOne from the archives, as I'm being inspired to try more landscapes with all the brilliant posting's on here at the moment. I do really love sunsets and sun rises I think they are best free shows nature has to offer, although seeing my three fledged Barn Owl chicks flying within feet of me tonight comes a close second
I would like critique on this as to where I may be going wrong with landscape images and how I will be able to improve.
Regards
Rob
There are a couple of issues I have with this image, firstly the black line along the horizon which looks like a sloppy mask in PS. Also, the foreground looks kind of hazy and noisy, as if you've tried to lighten it.
The curve of the road leads your eye into the picture, but I might have tried moving to the left to see if you could position the sun where the road is "pointing".
You are right the FG has been lightened, from memory though no mask in PS so not sure what the line is on the horizon
Regards
Rob
1 - the end of the gravel pull in bottom right is distracting and pulls you away from the sunset element
2 - the road sweeps the wrong way, it leads you away from the sunset and does not draw you towards it - it is almost an anti leading line
3 - there is too much nothingness to the left half of the image, The interesting sunset and cloud formation is crammed into the right side third and truncated, There is noting to hold attenton to the left, neither is there anything to lead you to the sunset element,
The image is half way house lacking contrast and punch and neither being moody and misty
positives
there is a hint of a moody mist rising which needs exagerating,
so hope you don't mind, here is a quick crop to remove the lay-bye overspill and to place the road to be shorter and more central, it now leads into the picture more rather than into and away, A simple curves adjustment (exagerating S shape into the dark half to exagerate colours and deepen the blacks) and a quick "contrast" sharpen pass, 20%, 30R, 3Threshold bring some zing to the image- (Needs refining but took 30 seconds, but gives you a flavour of the image trying to be released
Mike
Would like to meet up some time,allways good to meet people and find new areas of interest.
Stu.
sorry I presumed that you used the levels/curve plus a layer mask trick to lighten the foreground, but cant you see the edge of the horizon is too dark compared with the rest of the land?
In my experience, ND grads are a much better way of correctly exposing both the land and the sky.
I think mike is right re the mist rising as I have done no layering. I agree the left is a bit lost, I will look for a better location as I really want to do more landscapes.
Regards
Rob
Image looks a bit soft and your sensor could do with a clean
What brilliant light.
Mike's tweak has certainly brought out the colour and shapes in the clouds, which is important. I think a slightly different position may yield a better lead in line for the foreground.
Rob