Random Beach scapes, do they work?

[Nancy Moran G]

Hi,
I have no filters as of yet. I got PSE 11 and am still on the tutorials. These have been edited with Windows program that comes with the Gallery.
Besides composition, now that I have PSE, what types of 'fixes" would be appropriate to these types of photos?
I feel I try to get low for angles. I have yet to figure out my histogram correctly, and keep reading the Forum, but need to post more of my own for critique.

1- Incredible sunset colors. 1/40, F 9, ISO 250, 16mm


2- 1/50, F5, 16mm, ISO 400


3- 1/15, F9, ISO 200, 35 mm.


Thank you all. I could always stay with my birds
Nancy

[Bobobird]

Nice, nicer, very nice.

[Stagecoach]

Hi Nancy,

My first comment would be that you should not be looking for 'fixes' in PP with shots like these but 'enhancement'. It's also pretty critical that you learn to use the histogram to limit clipping with these lighting conditions and the subjects suggest that you have time at the location to take a few shots to nail exposure correctly.

I like the fact that you have got low to emphasise to wide angle but find with No 1 & No 2 there's not enough impact from the foreground subject.

No 3 is a different story, excellent, and if it were mine I would possibly (not totally convinced) crop the bright part of the sky at the top and correct the horizon distortion in PSE.

Thanks for sharing this series and I look forward to seeing more !

Grahame

[Otavio]

Hi, Nancy. Nice images here, IMHO. I am surprised they were only retouched using the standard windows image program (whatever this program is). Now, with your PSE11, you will be able to improve these images a lot. Some aspects that I would start with are the contrasts and the sharpening. Increase the contrasts and apply sharpness (here is a CIC sharpness tutorial https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tu...sharpening.htm). After that, look at the image and try to exercise what else could you do for it (that might include increase/decrease saturation, convert it to Black&white/Sepia, etc). It is amazing what we can do with PP.

I have nothing to say about composition. I lilke them the way they are.

I am guessing you tried to use longer exposures here (and this is very nice with water!), but was limited by the amount of light. If am I right (if not, please disconsider this), you should buy ND filters. They block a certain amount of light, allowing you to use longer exposures. That is one of the purposes of ND filters. A ND2 blocks 1 F-stop, while an ND4= 2F-stops, ND8 = 3F-stops, etc (F-stops = Logarithm, base 2, of the number that follows the ND ). There is also the Vari-ND, where you turn the filter and set the desireable ND factor.

Just my 2 cents. Cheers,

[Andrew1]

Nancy, if you are just starting out with this, a good way to learn some hands on stuff is to go into the Quick or Guided editing tabs. Play around and see what you can do. Shadows, midtones and highlights sliders will make some pretty quick changes for you. Play around and keep what you like.

[Brownbear]

Hi Nancy,

I adore all the compositions, very creative.

I can't be much help here except to say that the 1st shot seems too soft or not in strong enough focus but I adore the shells in the foreground.

I like #2, and I really like #3 for the gorgeous light and I think it is a gorgeous image! (and agree with cropping just a wee bit off of the top)

[Nancy Moran G]

Thank Grahame. Agree that there's not much impact with my little shells in the foreground. I was trying to practice as I see sooooo many great shots here using my Tokina 11-16 lens.
I am starting to use the tutorials on my IPad while using PSE on my laptop and following along with a real photo to experiment on.

[Nancy Moran G]

Octavio,
Thank you for your link and info. Yes, I see filters in my future!
If I import the files I have already "fixed" in the Windows program, will it mess it up by "sharpening, contrast" etc in a PP product?
Nancy

[Nancy Moran G]

Thank you Andrew and Christina for your critique. It all helps!
Nancy

[Otavio]

Hi Nancy,

I can't be much help here except to say that the 1st shot seems too soft or not in strong enough focus but I adore the shells in the foreground.

Well, sorry to disagree, but it just does not seem, to me, that #1 is out of focus, as the larger shell is pretty much on spot. As it is a 1/40 seconds, looks like the wave moved the branch (or whatever it is) and the smaller shell. It would have been a good option if noticed and tried again, after removing the thing out of the scene. Just my view...

[Otavio]

Octavio,
Thank you for your link and info. Yes, I see filters in my future!
If I import the files I have already "fixed" in the Windows program, will it mess it up by "sharpening, contrast" etc in a PP product?
Nancy

Well, I would save these "fixed" files and start over from the "Original" files (unless you dont have them anymore). This would be good even for your comparison between PSE11 ones VS "Windows program ones" .

We usually dont have any space issue in our computer, nowadays (HDD drives come in hand here). So, it is good to save the various "versions" of your best shots. Then, after you are done, you can compare the versions and pick your favorite. I do that for what I consider my good shots.

Cheers,

[Nancy Moran G]

Thank you BoBo, you shouldn't "talk' so much.
Nancy

[Nancy Moran G]

Aaarrrrggg. Octavio, I do not think I saved it as another version!!! Lesson learned ;(
i have 'enhanced' some others and did give those a different name, but I will have to check if it is a copy or the original ;(
thanks for that lesson,
Nancy

[Shadowman]

Colors are a bit too cool in the first two, however the foreground subjects make for it, third is on the cool side but the subject is accentuated by the tones.

[Dave Humphries]

The number one thing to correct on all three (with PSE) would be the sloping horizons Nancy.

That said, when shooting, try a narrower aperture for more DoF - 'up' the iso and/or use a Tripod to keep camera steady if a lower shutterspeed results.

Also, get yourself one of those cheap three axis hot-shoe levels - I find it invaluable when shooting with my 10-24mm
Mind you, it still sometimes takes me 2 or 3 shots to get one level (handheld)