If you have the time for a few critiques

[Rene11664880918]

It's been very quiet here in the past few days. I would appreciate your critiques and advices, if you have the time. I am not a landscape

shooter but I would like to try it every time I can. I took a few foliage shots today. Basically everything was taken with a D300 / 17-55

combo. Aperture priority f8, Matrix, ISO Auto (First mistake but I found out when I got back home), Picture control landscape and vivid,

Sharpening 0,

Sharpened on NX2 (Usually I set the camera at 5, this time I wanted to try to do it on NX), in some shots (a few) I used D-Lighting on NX.

That's about all. Please, really, if you have the time point at everything wrong you can find and advice will be really well taken. Thank you!

Rene'

 

I almost forgot the link:

 

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=870287

[thomas_fiege]

hi Rene,

 

Over all you have made some realy nice pics.

 

First of all did you use a pol. filter? I think that the polfilter also can help when there is no sky in the picture. But with sky it can make the difference.

 

The first 6 pics are the best as there is somthing going on in the picture. You have some guiding lines going from the corners to 1/3 and 2/3 of the other side. That maks the picture interesting for the viewer and guides him trough the picture.

 

the 7th picture is a bit dull (sorry) but there is a fixpoint missing. The eye is searching for a point of interest. The bridge is to low at the botton and the hill is yust a plane backgrount without strukture. Same for the pics 9, 15 and 20.

 

I do realy like the two closeups from the leafs. The red leafs are a bit to much in the middle but the other one realy work. I would have made the fokus more on the right leafs but that is also good.

 

The other pictures are nice but there is missing the speacial kind. I cant say what is missing. They are ok but ....maybe some one else can answer what is missing.

 

If you have a bit time to read some stuff

 

http://www.photozone.de/rule-of-the-thirds

 

and the following are going to give you some idea how to get good landscape pictures. Hope I was not to harsh with my comments ;-) Go out you are on a gode way. For me it is as difficult to get goo pics even I knew what is missing sometimes ther is yust not the right POI in the pic

 

Have a nice week

 

Thomas<div></div>

[photo5]

I love them. Probably because they are taken in Japan. I thought at first they were taken in Arashiyama in Kyoto. I am impressed with the colors, we can't get that colorful display around the Seattle area, or anywhere in Western Washington that I know of. I didn't zoom in on any of these, but just looking at the thumbnails, I am impressed.<P>

 

<center><img src="http://hull534.smugmug.com/photos/113265907_mpzWp-M.jpg"><P>

Kyoto, November 2006, D80 + Nikon 18-70mm.</center><P>

 

I like the way the colors of the houses matches the colors of the surrounding nature.<P>

[joseph_smith3]

Hi Rene, I try and shoot comparable images at ISO 200, white balance cloudy, aperture priority, RAW, Picture Control Standard, active D lighting, Off, Color Space, Adobe RGB. I process in NX2, and then add whatever I need. The adjustments I make in NX2 are usually confined to Color, booster; Color, LCH; sometimes Active D lighting; then Focus, Sharpening. Joe Smith

[Peter_in_PA]

Rene,

 

There are three that jumped out at me.

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/8044746

http://www.photo.net/photo/8044729

and especially

http://www.photo.net/photo/8044730

 

Foliage photos normally do not so much for me, because they all get to be the same washes of golden color after a

while, but those three did it in a new and interesting way for me.

 

I just love the last one.

[ShunCheung]

A big difference between the average landscape image and the good ones involves composition.

If you have time, I suggest you take a look at David Muench's work:

http://www.muenchphotography.com/prints/gallery_thumbview.jsp

 

A typical landscpe image involves the contrast between the subject, which is frequently in the background, and the foreground. I was back to the Harriman State Park last week, but my trip was timed for the foliage peak in New England, and it was a bit early for New York. Instead, this image I captured 2 years ago seems to be better than the ones I got from the same location this year.<div></div>

[robert_hooper1]

Hi Rene',

 

For the most part, you have a firm grasp of the strong compositional elements that draw a viewer into these image.

However, after being drawn in, there is no central object or subject to lock onto visually. Overall, a good effort. Just work

on providing a central object of interest in your compositions, Rene'.

[robert_hooper1]

Example of what I mean.<div></div>

[elliot1]

Nice shots René. Living in South Florida we don't have a change of seasons or mountains. Your photos bring back warm memories of fall when I lived well North of here. To me, any picture that evokes emotion is a good one. Great job!

 

I see you used several different lenses yet the beautiful colors remain consistent from lens to lens. Do you find you get different (better or worse) results from one lens to another aside from the obvious difference in focal length (did you have to make adjustments to the images on your computer)?

[Rene11664880918]

Good morning! Wow! i didn't expect to find that many replies, thanks! Uhmm!

 

Thomas... First of all you are not harsh at all. I really like a honest comment or critique since that's the only way to learn.

I was using a PL filter but the day was so bright. Picture number 10 was like a mirror until I started to turn the filter. I've

heard something about the rule of the thirds. thanks for the link, I will get to it.

 

Dave... I am in the North and since it is much colder here we really get beautiful colors. This is just the beginning, last

weekend was all green. Everything will turn completely red within 2 weeks.

 

Joseph... The ISO was the biggest mistake I found out about. I had been shooting some birds and that's why I had it in

auto. Some of the shots are at ISO 1600, ah! Frustrating! :)

 

Peter... The first one, I like it but I had to apply D-Lighting coz the left side was too dark against the Sun. The other two,

well, I think they don't qualify as landscape, which means I am supposed to do a better job! :)

 

Shun... You on the other hand are being harsh! (joke) Thanks for the link, I will check it out and try to work in the

composition coz i know there is so much to improve.

 

Robert... we all agree on that! :) I didn't know landscape was that hard! :) Lovely picture by the way.

 

Elliot.... Florida and CA are almost the same, mostly green. Well, Ca can be yellow coz of the desserts. Here every

season is a different color. In a few months it will be all white. I'll be berried in 10 feet of snow for 3 months!

 

Well, thanks a lot! I really appreciate it coz besides people here I have no one to guide me at all. All the people I know

they would just say they are great pictures coz they don't know about it. Uhmm! i guess there is a very thin line between

getting a nice shot or a dull one. Hopefully I'll improve! Thanks for your time and your words! Rene'

[tri-x1]

Robert hit it right on the head with his comments:

 

"there is no central object or subject to lock onto visually. Overall, a good effort. Just work on providing a central object of interest in your compositions, "

 

Even a landscape needs a central object or subject. If you don't have that point of focus the eye wanders around.

[Rene11664880918]

Elliot... i forgot. About the lenses, usually i use 2 or 3 every time. In this case, as you can see, I had the 17-55, 180, 105

and Tokina 11-16. I don't see much difference in colors. the only one I know the change is very noticeable is my 35-70

f/2.8 which gives me a bit cooler colors. Then i use a 300 f4 which gives me some kind of cloudy looking on my shots,

maybe the word is not cloudy, maybe hazy when i use it to shoot anything other than birds. It is weird coz with birds it is

great! maybe I am not using it right. also i have a 35 but I haven't really try it that much so i can't say for sure but so far

I think it is right there with the first mentioned glasses. I also don't manipulate my shots, this is the first time i even

sharpened them with NX. I use D-Lighting only on NX. So that's about the glasses!

 

Wayne... OK! take their side! :) I really agree and I'll work on that. I was looking at the shots after I downloaded them

and I know they look boring. I'm finding out landscape is not that easy. I need to work and look harder

for that objective point. thanks for your words! Rene'

[rene gm]

Maybe, instead of telling you which I like, here is one that I do not like:

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/8044724

 

I think the forground branch spoils the image.

 

Keep on with photography and continue the good work! (Maybe even improve it?)

[studor13]

Rene', repeat this mantra over and over until it's in your subconscious.

 

"Foreground, mid-ground, background".

 

Sometimes you can leave out the foreground, but the mid-ground needs to be fairly close.<div></div>

[jose_angel]

I`m certainly not qualified for critiques, but I want to say two things. After looking at your images, my first thought

has been the same than Robert. IMHO, and it is what I usually look for (without any sucess on my work), an eye

catching point or subject is a must on landscape photography where usually beautiness is the "only" subject.

Composition is involved.

 

Another issue, again IMHO and something almost impossible to get to me is about the tonal range on your linked

gallery images. The tonal range is usually short, only at the middle without highlights and deep shadows. It seems to

me that the lack of this get the "emotion" out of usual landscapes. It is a visual tool that you have not used on most.

This could make that images look flatter. They doesn`t look like a "closed" or "round" image, they

are "opened", "unframed". This is part of composition, too.

 

All this is pretty subjective. Each photographer` liking tells the rules.

 

David Muench is a master on landscape photography. He and some of his books (e.g. Colorado) are partially guilt of

my photographic and mountaneering passion, and also of my Linhof and Leica purchases.

 

I shot just a few landcapes because I feel so clumsy. I think it`s soooo difficult. I like your images more than mine...

[malcolm_farrow]

Hi Rene'

 

Some nice pictures there, and you certainly seem to have some good raw material to work with - looks like an interesting landscape.

 

I don't really subscribe to rules when it comes to what makes a successful landscape photograph. Sometimes I see a picture I like and note that it obeys the 'rule of thirds', but at other times pictures I like seem to flout all the conventions, so I guess it pays to keep an open mind and not be afraid to try things. Judging by you pictures I'd say you already do that - there's a nice mix of compositional approaches going on in your images.

 

To produce landscape photographs that are really compelling, rather than just good, I'd say think harder about the subject itself. What is it you really like about this place, and what is it that really interests you about it and makes it unique and compelling enough to want to photograph it? Once you can answer that, you're half way there. Then you need to use you photographic craft to express what it is that's made the place interesting to you. Think of it the same way you would a portrait and try to find a way to capture its personality. And, as in portraiture, lighting is often key to landscape photography. In fact you can make almost anywhere interesting if the lighting is good enough.

 

The attached picture demonstrates what I mean. It's just a quiet, unremarkable stretch of river, but choose the right time of day and it's transformed into a magical, mysterious place, full of atmosphere and drama. Pick the right time of day, and the right weather and... bingo!

 

All the best

 

Malcolm<div></div>

[Rene11664880918]

You guys are great! OK! I've received so much advice. Thank you! Your time won't be wasted, I promise. I'll make it work.

After I publish my first landscape book each one of you will receive a free copy to thank you for your help! Don't hold your

breath! :) really thanks!

 

Foreground, mid-ground, background - Foreground, mid-ground, background :)