I live near a river which to my eye looks pretty but have yet to get a decent shot. On my PC they look very very green and boring. Is this typical of this type of scene or are there any tips to get more from the oh so green looking shots?
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Engish landscapes with fields and trees
- Thread starter Itsjustme
- Start date
You didn't post any images to comment on, so I'll just give you some of my (general) thoughts:
If you're shooting from an everyday angle (say from that bend in the road you pass every day) then the result will likely be an unsurprising pic. Try a more uncommon point of view.
Include some foreground, a middle and a background. Evaluate your photos and see if the lack in this area.
Include a subject in your photo. (e.g.: a gnarled tree.) Give the viewer something to look at.
Play with the position of the horizon. Emphasise the sky or the ground/water. Shoot in the evening, just before dusk to get a soft light.
Perhaps someone can continue/complete this list?!?
Hope this helps,
Alvatrus
If you're shooting from an everyday angle (say from that bend in the road you pass every day) then the result will likely be an unsurprising pic. Try a more uncommon point of view.
Include some foreground, a middle and a background. Evaluate your photos and see if the lack in this area.
Include a subject in your photo. (e.g.: a gnarled tree.) Give the viewer something to look at.
Play with the position of the horizon. Emphasise the sky or the ground/water. Shoot in the evening, just before dusk to get a soft light.
Perhaps someone can continue/complete this list?!?
Hope this helps,
Alvatrus
Felixity
New member
I'm no expert, but I've taken some quite ordinary landscape pictures recently which look quite good, mainly because the sky was interesting and took up about 80% of the frame. We've had some good fluffy cloud skies recently...might be worth a go.
Also, try getting up early or going at dusk to get some interesting shadows and a different quality of light. Later evening when the sun's turning everything golden can look lovely.
Oh, and try it when the weather's bad too...
Also, try getting up early or going at dusk to get some interesting shadows and a different quality of light. Later evening when the sun's turning everything golden can look lovely.
Oh, and try it when the weather's bad too...
I was playing this morning with one image and using differing tweaks. Then got my pal and wife to take a look. They agreed on what to them was the most pleasing one which was using curves, satuaration and sharpening.
In the end I had tweaked with PSP & Ulead ending up with six differing shots. Making me realise that no matter how good the camera some PP work can make a huge difference.
But learning fast at a slow rate!!!
In the end I had tweaked with PSP & Ulead ending up with six differing shots. Making me realise that no matter how good the camera some PP work can make a huge difference.
But learning fast at a slow rate!!!
I must start putting some shots up and will need to take a look to see the options.You didn't post any images to comment on, so I'll just give you some of my (general) thoughts:
If you're shooting from an everyday angle (say from that bend in the road you pass every day) then the result will likely be an unsurprising pic. Try a more uncommon point of view.
Include some foreground, a middle and a background. Evaluate your photos and see if the lack in this area.
Include a subject in your photo. (e.g.: a gnarled tree.) Give the viewer something to look at.
Play with the position of the horizon. Emphasise the sky or the ground/water. Shoot in the evening, just before dusk to get a soft light.
Perhaps someone can continue/complete this list?!?
Hope this helps,
Alvatrus
Chris R-UK
Forum Pro
To add to what some of the others have said, you also need patience to wait for the ideal conditions.
These conditions may be stormy skies with sunlight streaming down through gaps in the cloud. They may be a brilliant sunset with the whole sky red. They may be a sunrise with mist over the landscape. They may be a winter scene with snow on the ground. They may be autumn colours.
If you are lucky enough to live nearby you can experiment with all sorts of different conditions and wait until everything is perfect. Remember that winter is often better than summer because the are sunrises later and the sunsets earlier.
--
Chris R
These conditions may be stormy skies with sunlight streaming down through gaps in the cloud. They may be a brilliant sunset with the whole sky red. They may be a sunrise with mist over the landscape. They may be a winter scene with snow on the ground. They may be autumn colours.
If you are lucky enough to live nearby you can experiment with all sorts of different conditions and wait until everything is perfect. Remember that winter is often better than summer because the are sunrises later and the sunsets earlier.
--
Chris R
Very true and I have retaken the same batch of shots in bright sun which are the worst looking. Rainy day with lots of white clouds and blue sun in between which are the best looking. Finally on a dull day which are like the full sunny day not good.To add to what some of the others have said, you also need patience to wait for the ideal conditions.
These conditions may be stormy skies with sunlight streaming down through gaps in the cloud. They may be a brilliant sunset with the whole sky red. They may be a sunrise with mist over the landscape. They may be a winter scene with snow on the ground. They may be autumn colours.
If you are lucky enough to live nearby you can experiment with all sorts of different conditions and wait until everything is perfect. Remember that winter is often better than summer because the are sunrises later and the sunsets earlier.
--
Chris R
Patrick T. Kelly
Senior Member
boring but landscapes are way up on the list for me. I occasionally see a landscape that really hits me but it's rare. In an exhibit here I saw a shot of oaks in a Louisana bayou with fog drifting around the Spanish moss. It was great.
But, a landscape can be as boring as a picture of your baby sleeping or your dog jumping in the air.
For landscapes the critical ingredients are, for me, the lighting and the atmosphere. Blowing dust or sand in the desert, mist rising from the river, fog on the coast. Clouds are a big thing, too. The same shot with thunderclouds or white puffy clouds or absolutely no clouds are quite different.
--
Patrick T. Kelly
Oaxaca, Mexico
But, a landscape can be as boring as a picture of your baby sleeping or your dog jumping in the air.
For landscapes the critical ingredients are, for me, the lighting and the atmosphere. Blowing dust or sand in the desert, mist rising from the river, fog on the coast. Clouds are a big thing, too. The same shot with thunderclouds or white puffy clouds or absolutely no clouds are quite different.
--
Patrick T. Kelly
Oaxaca, Mexico
David Hughes124436
Veteran Member
Hi,
As others have suggested, try walking around and looking at the river from different view-points, including high and low; just don't fall off the step-ladder.
And I'll add that at different times of the day the sun will have moved around and the shadows will give more or less contrast. Ditto the angle you make with the sun. F'instance dead behind you makes things a bit flat.
And different times of the year means the sun at different angles etc.
I've one or two views I take with every new camera, film etc and over the years you'd be surprised how different they can appear. And nothing is done for artistic effect, just a comparative shot to file away when testing the camera, repair or film.
Regards, David
PS This is my post number 6,001 since 2002. I hope you appreciate the honour.
As others have suggested, try walking around and looking at the river from different view-points, including high and low; just don't fall off the step-ladder.
And I'll add that at different times of the day the sun will have moved around and the shadows will give more or less contrast. Ditto the angle you make with the sun. F'instance dead behind you makes things a bit flat.
And different times of the year means the sun at different angles etc.
I've one or two views I take with every new camera, film etc and over the years you'd be surprised how different they can appear. And nothing is done for artistic effect, just a comparative shot to file away when testing the camera, repair or film.
Regards, David
PS This is my post number 6,001 since 2002. I hope you appreciate the honour.
David Hughes124436
Veteran Member
Nearly forgot, well, I did, but um, with landscapes the exposure is often altered by the sky (too much light) but with the river, perhaps, reflecting the sky it would pay to experiment with the exposure and how the reading was taken.
Getting the exposure wrong can subdue a lot in a landscape.
Regards, David
Getting the exposure wrong can subdue a lot in a landscape.
Regards, David
Thanks David for your help - and with a drum roll - many congratulations on your 6001st post. You must be a typoholic ;-)Nearly forgot, well, I did, but um, with landscapes the exposure is often altered by the sky (too much light) but with the river, perhaps, reflecting the sky it would pay to experiment with the exposure and how the reading was taken.
Getting the exposure wrong can subdue a lot in a landscape.
Regards, David
You didn't post any images to comment on, so I'll just give you some of my (general) thoughts:
I must be thick but how do I post one of my shots in this type of message????Hope this helps,
Alvatrus
Thanks and I will get this sorted ut in the next day or two.Host it online somwhere (imageshack, flickr, etc) and then just paste the link
Naively I thought I just needed to 'browse'my PC and pick the shot.
Again thanks
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