p.1 #1 · First Landscape Photo of Interest...Am I on the right track?
Hi all. Long time lurker, and very infrequent poster here on FM. I'm slowly trying to take more dramatic/interesting pictures, and 'd like to get some feedback.
The shot below is a crop from a wooded area in Oscoda, Mi. Could be anywhere in the world, I guess...no landmarks are shown . Anyhow, I obviously played around with color/tones, and while I find this shot rather impressive, my wife does the "whatever, hon, does nothing for me, thing. Not trying to compete with pros, or suggest that this matches the awesome stuff frequently seen around here, but what do you think? I have thick skin, and since you don't know me from Obama, I can't take anything personally...
p.1 #2 · First Landscape Photo of Interest...Am I on the right track?
Nothing is more difficult to shoot than a forest scene, that is for sure. Trying to make order out of chaos. I like this. I like the hi key tones with the overall exposure. And I'm also a sepia fan
Not to mention excellent detail.
p.1 #3 · First Landscape Photo of Interest...Am I on the right track?
As Brian said woods are challenging. The colors are nice but the background lake and the harsh highlights do not work with me. Keep shooting, keep posting, in my book the fun is to make the photos :-)
p.1 #7 · First Landscape Photo of Interest...Am I on the right track?
Hey Jeff,
Thanks for posting, it's a great way to grow! Now to Milan's point, I think you have some blown highlights here, quite a few infact, but that is actually very typical of shooting a forest scene like this. Even bracketing and blending can be a challenge. Now myself, I think you choice of going with a toning of sepia was a stroke of genuis! That alone saves this shot. If you had left it a color shot, with the burnt out highlights it wouldn't have worked... so good job on your choice. This is a good composition too, not an easy task to do.
So overall, I like it. Keep shooting, I would say that you are on the right track.
p.1 #9 · First Landscape Photo of Interest...Am I on the right track?
You are definitely on one of the several right tracks. It seems you have taken a subtle approach. Figure out what it is that you like about the photograph and reshoot or shoot more that tries to enhance that.
The blown highlights don't bother me, though I'd be tempted to shoot it as a three exposure HDR depending on the actual condition on scene. The light overall treatment (light tones) makes the image a little more delicate than these scenes are often rendered, and I think that is a point in favour of this photograph.
p.1 #10 · First Landscape Photo of Interest...Am I on the right track?
Thanks for the feedback and suggestions. I really hadn't paid attention to the blown highlights...so I went back and toned it down a bit. I agree that the new version adds depth, and detail...not sure, overall, though, that the pictures does for me what the original does...
And, sorry for the long time between replies, the work I do to pay for this hobby has a few major milestones in the coming weeks...