Simplicity

[Panama Hat & Camera]

My intention was to register a moment of calm and serenity of two boats on a simple landscape.
What can I do to improve this picture?
Cheers,
Antonio.

[Mike Buckley]

A very nice image that accomplishes your goal. Some people might tell you to increase the contrast, though doing so would take away the very pleasant mood for me. I would probably eliminate the distant mountains.

[dabhand]

Antonio - I'd like to suggest you crop about 2cm from the right hand side and maybe about 1.5cm from the top in order to lose the hills etc as I feel thay are really a distraction.

Otherwise nice image.

steve

PS - I hit post and then saw Mike had suggested similar.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Antonio. I like the image. I would crop all of the land at the top, IMO this would make a simpler composition and emphasize the serenity more

[Donald]

I agree with the comments above about cropping this to eliminate the land and sky at the top of the image. I think this puts more attention onto the boats.

[FootLoose]

Very pleasing composition, Antonio, but I also agree with the others about cropping all the land off the top.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

Antonio - I'd like to suggest you crop about 2cm from the right hand side and maybe about 1.5cm from the top in order to lose the hills etc as I feel thay are really a distraction.

Otherwise nice image.

steve

PS - I hit post and then saw Mike had suggested similar.

Steve,
Thanks for viewing and commenting.
I tried to accomplish your suggestion and I think that the result was good. Please see the photo bellow.
Cheers,
Antonio.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

Hi Antonio. I like the image. I would crop all of the land at the top, IMO this would make a simpler composition and emphasize the serenity more

I agree with the comments above about cropping this to eliminate the land and sky at the top of the image. I think this puts more attention onto the boats.

Very pleasing composition, Antonio, but I also agree with the others about cropping all the land off the top.

Binnur, Donald anf Greg,
Thanks for viewing and commenting.
I tried to follow your suggestions and I liked the result. Please see the photo bellow.
Best regards,
Antonio.

[Manfred M]

I think the crop has done wonders for your shot.

The next time you are shooting outdoors, look at using a polarizer to reduce the glare and reflections. I use one pretty well all the time when I am shooting outdoors (even in overcast conditions). The only time I remove it is when it gets too dark out and it interferes with getting the shot.

[bnnrcn]

Crop works really fine Antonio

Binnur, Donald anf Greg,
Thanks for viewing and commenting.
I tried to follow your suggestions and I liked the result. Please see the photo bellow.
Best regards,
Antonio.

[ied]

It's amazing how cropping can change an image. Something i have to try
doing more often.

Irene

[flashback]

Antonio,
Clearly I'm the dissenting vote here but I really prefer your first image. The mountains (I wish the mountains in the RH background were more complete) to me adds scale to the image. It tells me these two boats are part of a larger environment. In your cropped image I only see two boats and I'm...meh, it's two boats. If I were deciding which of the two I would purchase, it would be your first, I just feel it's a more complete image, IMHO.

[plugsnpixels]

I could go either way with the cropping but the nearly blown-out water tone immediately caught my eye and pulled it upward.

[Mike Buckley]

The mountains (I wish the mountains in the RH background were more complete) to me adds scale to the image. It tells me these two boats are part of a larger environment. In your cropped image I only see two boats and I'm...meh, it's two boats.

Exactly my thoughts. The reason I recommended removing the distant mountains is that I assumed (perhaps wrongly) that there is not a larger image that includes them. So, the solution to keep from feeling that the mountains are "cut off" while also keeping the nearer land that provides the scope of the environment is to remove the mountains and leave the other land as is.

[Otavio]

Exactly my thoughts.

...and mine too!

Antônio, I agree with Jack and Mike. I would crop your image, as you did, but I would not MAKE a cropped composition if I was there. In a future opportunity, try including the beautiful mountains with horizon line place at 20~30% from the top (vertically wise) and I bet you will have a great scene!

That said, I really like your cropped version here, for the reasons stated above. Nice job!

Cheers,

[Panama Hat & Camera]

Exactly my thoughts. The reason I recommended removing the distant mountains is that I assumed (perhaps wrongly) that there is not a larger image that includes them. So, the solution to keep from feeling that the mountains are "cut off" while also keeping the nearer land that provides the scope of the environment is to remove the mountains and leave the other land as is.

Dear Mike,
Finally I came back home and I made the clone out of the mountains (I was traveling and my netbook can't run Elements). I think the result was good. Please see the photo below and tell me your opinion.
Best regards,
Antonio.

[Mike Buckley]

For me, this last version is the best by far for the reason that Jack explained: you are now displaying not just the boats but also the scope of their environment; it's much like an environmental portrait (of the boats).