Canyonlands National Park

I'm new to photography and digital photo editing, and I'm looking for

helpful advice. Thanks!

Generally my first advice (especially when you're new to something but posting pretty good work) is not to say you're a 'newbie', because a few members seem to take that as license to downrate or otherwise denigrate one's work. It may not prove so in your case since this is quite a good photo in a variety of respects.

It shows a foreground, the foreground leads one to the background and the background finally to infinity.

Detail is excellent, as depth of field is stopped down properly for a landscape photo such as this, and the subject is quite interesting, AND it is INTERESTINGLY PRESENTED with a fine eye toward composition.

In the main, that's most of the battle and all the rest is nits.

You might boost the contrast somewhat, as all digital photos suffer somewhat from 'digital dullness' a phrase that I picked up several years ago from 'Shutterbug Magazine', and which I don't know its exact origins, but some substantial work is required in 'image editing' (not Photoshop, but Image Editing and Photoshop is an image editor, though for many it has become a synonym for image editing, like Kleenex for 'facial tissue' or 'Scotch tape' for 'cellophane tape'. In truth many image editors can perform most of the functions of Photoshop, though it is one powerful and well put together program (but very expensive).

So, I might try to add some 'contrast' overall and it it's a 'raw' capture edited in a 'raw' editor (not jpeg or other 8-bit compressed capture), then you might have a chance to do some other 'magic' to it in image editing to give it a little boost, but beware: One famous and highly placed expert's advice to me (which I already long practiced: 'Some people use Photoshop (image editing) just because they can, not because they should'. In many cases, 'image editing' for a photo such as this should be to make it appear as it would in reality with maybe the slightest enhancement, but nothing obvious or clear.

Many Photo.net members produced sparkling landscapes that are Photoshopped (image edited) to death, but their captures are more digital art that photography in many instances, and it appears that does not seem to be what you are aiming at, and if you decide I am right, then my advice is well aimed and to be considered strongly at the outset.

I'd work a little on the clouds, if this were my photo, as they are pretty gorgeous, but in the main, if this were intended as a black and white presentation, I'd have taken it twice, once as a color photo for color showing and ultimate B&W conversion in an image editor (e.g. maybe Photoshop or maybe another) and as well with a 'red filter' in front of your camera intended solely for conversion into black and white with the intention of bringing out the wonderfully cloudy sky.

Why not use a color slider in the digital capture photo editing? Well, although I can't say for certain, what I have seen by trying to move the sliders (or any one color slider in editing 'raw captures' far to one side or the other (adding or subtracting color) is it tends to add a lot of digital 'noise' which I hope can be avoided by using a 'red filter' in the first place in front of the lens, or maybe by adjusting one's 'color temperature' even in the camera (would require experimentation, and since it's a landscape and if your camera has in-camera B&W conversion you might be able to 'see' right away the success (or failure) of your efforts in adjusting the color temperature (expressed in degrees Kelvin) if your camera has that adjustment. (I haven't looked at your equipment as I write this).

Red filter is a standard for all landscape black and white film photographers that show cloudy skies used for decades, even using panchromatic film, I believe, and I see no reason it can't fulfill that place in digital as well, as digital has essentially the same characteristics regarding color, until someone shows me how and why I am wrong.

Of course, digital acts essentially like transparency film rather than 'negative' captures, so there is a point for consideration, and so my theory requires a field test, and I hardly ever do landscapes (that may change however).

If you do such test, please write me the results or give me a link to a posting, would you? (My e-mail is on my bio page and also my name is easily found in the member directory or simply by Googling me.)

I didn't rate this, but this is an admirable capture (or I probably would not have bothered with this discussion at this level. It is clear you know what you are doing, and if you are new to digital, it appears you are not new to photography (I haven't tried to view your portfolio because, as you say, you are 'new'.), or you have discovered wonderful, latent talent (I still post a photo from my first roll of film ever, and hope to exhibit that photo 'at the highest levels' - it has withstood the test of time for almost 40 years so *latent talent discovery* is not as unlikely as it may seem.)

Best wishes.

Welcome.

John (Crosley)

Welcome to PN! I hope you find this community of photographers as helpful as I have. It is their gracious advice and critiques that have helped me improve my photography and post processing skills.

You may get a comment that does nothing to improve your skills, such as "Not impressed". Don't let these words discourage you. There are many others on PN who truly have the gift of critiquing. It is from these wonderful people you learn and grow.

I have visited a few National Parks, but I haven't made a trip to Canyonlands. I really need to put this on my bucket list. It looks so beautiful. Your image here is very nice. Lots of tones and textures. I love those billowing clouds coming up over the rocks. You might try darkening them up just a bit. Also one other suggestion would be to crop a little from the bottom so you take out that single piece of brush and also that little brush in the foreground. You could also try to clone these little items out as well.

Katherine, I look forward to seeing more of your work and once again welcome to PN

Best Regards,

Debra