Ardvreck castle, Assynt

[SteveWilko]

First attempt with a bridge camera. Any comments welcome.......

[CharlieV]

Steve, Welcome. I have yet to post a picture for comments so congratulations and take my comments with a grain of salt.
Looks like a interesting subject, but too much foreground and back ground that dont appear to add a lot value. Maybe a closer image of just an interesting feature of the wall.

[Polar01]

Steve: I have to disagree with Charlie, it would depend on your post procession skills and vision. I believe that you have something, my vision would be to desaturate the foreground some (that green), but not completely, and that sky has magic in it and begs to be given a life.

Cheers:

Allan

[Geoff F]

I agree with Charlie.

I would try cropping to a different size ratio, possibly 5 x 4 ratio or square, and lose some of the sky. You could probably get away with the current amount of foreground; but a slight crop is possible if necessary to create the best balance.

Then you might get away with very slightly brightening the highlights. Foreground may need a little work, as Allan suggested.

[Donald]

Steve

I like the composition, but note Charlie's point about a crop maybe at the bottom. I tend to take the middle road of the comments above and would at least look at the idea of a crop at the bottom, but would not crop the sky. I love skies like this. And that is where my main comment lies.

I don't know what knowledge and skill you have in post processing and what software you have available for the job. But I just see there being so much detail you could bring out of that sky.

By way of illustration (and tell me if you'd rather I didn't post this), I've done this. it's just an example of what could be done. Spend a bit more time on it and it could really be made to buzz. I did this using the Detail Extractor tool on Nik's Colour Efex Pro4.

[davidedric]

I'm with Donald. This is a good image. I think I would crop a little more from the bottom. It also seems that your camera was pointing upwards, so there is a bit of slope on the verticals. Again, depending on your pp software you could correct this.

Keep shooting!

Dave

[splashy]

>>I<< think leave the bottom, because the up going path is nice, but crop a bit from the top.
I like the picture btw.

[Polar01]

Steve: I used the image Donald used and adjusted it slightly to my way of seeing, similar but with a different vision. If it is not agreeable with you let me know and I will remove.

Cheers:

Allan

[SteveWilko]

Hi Allan, I think what you've done is amazing! The only editing software I have came with the camera, so I'm not sure if it's capable of this. Can you explain what you have done and how?
Kindest regards.
Steve.

[SteveWilko]

Hi Donald, I have no knowledge or experience in post processing, is the software that comes with the camera suitable or should I be looking to purchase some?
Kind regards
Steve.

[Polar01]

Steve: it is not that hard, however I have had practice doing it. I do not know what software you are using, it can be done in Light Room, Photoshop Elements or Photoshop CS, I use PC CS6 like Elements it gives me layer masks. As to how I did it I will try to explain.
1) opened it in Adobe Camera Raw and adjusted to get a sky I liked
2) opened in CS (could use elements)
3) made a copy to a new layer
4) added an adjustment lay (saturation) and adjusted it to change the foreground
5) added a mask to the adjustment layer and inverted it to black (you can not see the adjustment you did if mask black)
6) used soft brush changed to white to remove black of mask to allow the adjustment layer to come through, only removed black to show those areas that I want to be visible. With layer masks black hides and white reveals what was done.
I think I know what you are thinking now, WHAT? HOW?
You have a great eye as the image shows, however you need to improve and practice post production skills and that means getting a program for that. Now there are 2 basic camps (I said basic guys so please do not jump all over me), Light Room and Photoshop, in both cases keeping it simple one of them does something better than the other LR is better at something, CS is better then LR at another different item. I would suggest Photoshop Elements as it takes something from both LR and CS, it is not as good as either, however is a good learning tool until you decide what you want to do.
As you have seen, if you have a good image, it can only take a few small changes, that alter it from good image to amazing in your eye. If it was a weak image it may no matter what do, always be a weak image.
Hope this may have been of some help.

Cheers:

Allan

[Donald]

Hi Donald, I have no knowledge or experience in post processing, is the software that comes with the camera suitable or should I be looking to purchase some?
Kind regards
Steve.

I don't know what software you have with the camera (don't know what make of camera you have). But whatever it is, yes, it will allow you enhance your images.

Most of us on here hold very strongly to the view that making a picture is a two-stage process. The first ends when you press the shutter. That's you captured the information in a wee box (camera) using a bit of glass (lens) and onto something that records the information (sensor or film). The second and to many of us, equally if not more important stage, is making the picture through post processing. In the days of film, that was in a darkroom. Some of the masters, like Ansel Adams, spent days and weeks in the darkroom developing and then working on negatives. People who today tell you that they feel that post processing is 'cheating' are, with respect, talking nonsense. You either let the camera make the image, or you take control of the process. That's the choice.

Today, instead of having to work in a darkroom, we work at a computer screen to 'develop' our photos and make our pictures. But, essentially, the idea is just the same as in darkroom days.

Now, you can carry on as you are and not go on to explore post processing. That's fine. But if you want to get serious about photography and start seeing it as an art form in which you are giving expression to scenes that you capture, then you would need to start thinking about learning post-processing.

As I say, whatever software it is that you've got, will help. There are dozens and dozens of options for software out there. Some are very expensive. Some are free. If you haven't already done so, have a read of this tutorial here on CiC. It serves the purpose of introducing you to what post processing is about. If, after reading it, you think, 'That's for me', then the place to start is with the software you got with the camera.

The secret is - Don't try and become an expert in 24 hours. It does take time to learn. And you do have to take it one step at a time.

And, remember, everyone else on here who you might think is terribly knowledgeable was once in exactly the same place that you are now. Just over four years ago I had never heard of a raw file or about post processing. If I can learn it, anyone can. And, let me tell you, the first time you post process a photo and get the result that you want, it is a major buzz.

[pasusan]

Hi Steve - this is a great image! I really enjoy seeing what folks can do to an image to improve it, that helps all of us. I especially like Donald's version - still very realistic, but with more punch to the sky.

[Werner]

Great shot.
As for composition: Crop from the bottom, and shift the tower to the left.

[SteveWilko]

Hi Donald, I have silkypix developer which came with my Panasonic bridge camera so I'll have a mess about with that and see what it can do. Possibly might look at purchasing elements soon. Thanks for the advice, I think I've been trying to take pictures as the finished article and couldn't understand why I couldn't achieve results like you guys.
Regards Steve.

[Digital]

I don't know what software you have with the camera (don't know what make of camera you have). But whatever it is, yes, it will allow you enhance your images.

Most of us on here hold very strongly to the view that making a picture is a two-stage process. The first ends when you press the shutter. That's you captured the information in a wee box (camera) using a bit of glass (lens) and onto something that records the information (sensor or film). The second and to many of us, equally if not more important stage, is making the picture through post processing. In the days of film, that was in a darkroom. Some of the masters, like Ansel Adams, spent days and weeks in the darkroom developing and then working on negatives. People who today tell you that they feel that post processing is 'cheating' are, with respect, talking nonsense. You either let the camera make the image, or you take control of the process. That's the choice.

Today, instead of having to work in a darkroom, we work at a computer screen to 'develop' our photos and make our pictures. But, essentially, the idea is just the same as in darkroom days.

Now, you can carry on as you are and not go on to explore post processing. That's fine. But if you want to get serious about photography and start seeing it as an art form in which you are giving expression to scenes that you capture, then you would need to start thinking about learning post-processing.

As I say, whatever software it is that you've got, will help. There are dozens and dozens of options for software out there. Some are very expensive. Some are free. If you haven't already done so, have a read of this tutorial here on CiC. It serves the purpose of introducing you to what post processing is about. If, after reading it, you think, 'That's for me', then the place to start is with the software you got with the camera.

The secret is - Don't try and become an expert in 24 hours. It does take time to learn. And you do have to take it one step at a time.

And, remember, everyone else on here who you might think is terribly knowledgeable was once in exactly the same place that you are now. Just over four years ago I had never heard of a raw file or about post processing. If I can learn it, anyone can. And, let me tell you, the first time you post process a photo and get the result that you want, it is a major buzz.

Amen