GAS strikes again

[rtbaum]

I've been a bad boy....After a year and a half of virtually no photography, I am trying to get the juices flowing. I picked up a reconditioned Tamron 15-30 and am attempting to learn new techniques. This shot is one of a few that I consider to be somewhat worthy for posting here on CiC


Please help me in learning to capture a decent landscape, be kind...or brutal, if you must.

By the way, Hi Guys....I've missed you all.

[Donald]

Randy, it's good to see you back.

I think there a some things that need attention in this image:-

Horizon needs to be be horizontal. The shore line of the land in the background is sloping down to the right. That just needs a slight rotation.

Exposure. Not so much the exposure, but the time of day at which you captured it. It is a very harsh light. The trees in the background are fine, but the sky is partly blown and is lacking any structure. Remember that everything in the frame is part of the image. We need to give as much attention to the sky as we give to the pier and the boats.

The foliage at the right hand side. I think it's maybe in there because it got in the way rather than being a designed part of the image. Again, everything in the frame needs to be a deliberate choice to include it. If it doesn't contribute to the image then it shouldn't be there.

Elements in the composition - The twigs and leaves coming up through the pier in the foreground are competing with the boats for what is the main subject. If you take your hand and cover up those twigs and leaves, then you might find that there is a much greater attention on the boats.

There is also a flare spot, or something else causing the mark, just to the right of the largest pole on the right hand side of the pier.

Hope these comments help.

[rtbaum]

Thank you for your input, Donald. I hope that you are doing well. I am finding that shooting landscape is whole lot different than birds and flowers. Thus far, my shots have been more for practice than anything. I am not real excited about the centering of the dock, either. I knew that the weeds coming through the pier were a problem, as was the time of day. I captured the image as I worked, thus had no control over either. I want to practice with the genre and the lens until I can capture something to be proud of. I find that I will need to be very careful to avoid flare with this lens.

I want to thank you for your input, as I know that you are quite adept in this genre.

[FootLoose]

I can't add to Donald's remarks, but I will just say this is a good effort if you are only just starting landscape work.

[mugge]

I like the composition but as Donald pointed out the foliage should go and the horizon straightened. When that is done it will be a lot stronger scene.
Cheers Ole

[Donald]

I knew that the weeds coming through the pier were a problem, as was the time of day.

And that is the most important part - thinking yourself. It's fine me saying what I think, but it's the fact that you had already thought about these things ... and were willing to be critical about your own work, is what's really important. By doing that, you'll improve.

[dem]

About the horizon. It is very difficult to tell if it is staight or not, because we cannot see it. What we can see is a lake that extends to the left more than it extends to the right. Look at the size of the trees - they are bigger on the RHS.

There are no well-defined verticals in the image either.

The best thing to judge the camera alignment is the boat to the right of the bridge. It looks perfectly level to my eye.

[billtils]

Good advice randy, but I'm gong to chip in with a possible different view on the horizon.

The sky and water are separated by a strip of land, perhaps an island. Whatever it is, it is (or looks to be) running through the scene at a slight angle, and someone standing on the jetty will see its lines as captured in the image, and not horizontal. Similarly the lines at the top of the land are defined by the trees and the extent to which they have grown. This means that there is no true horizon present in the scene; however, there are poles which are mostly leaning to the right. If the image is straightened so that they are vertical, the water line may play ball and become horizontal .

[MrB]

I like the composition but there are two points for my own curiosity, so whether they are critical depends on the answers! Is it better to post web images in SRGB rather than ARGB? Were there lots of insects flying around or does the sensor need a clean?

Philip

[NorthernFocus]

...I am finding that shooting landscape is whole lot different than birds and flowers...

One thing that is fascinating(to me) about photography is how much there is to learn about shooting different genre. I'm always amused when people assume that once you know how to use a camera you can shoot anything.

[rtbaum]

One thing that is fascinating(to me) about photography is how much there is to learn about shooting different genre. I'm always amused when people assume that once you know how to use a camera you can shoot anything.

You mean there is more to it than pushing the button?

[xpatUSA]

I like the composition but there are two points for my own curiosity, so whether they are critical depends on the answers! Is it better to post web images in SRGB rather than ARGB?

Theoretically, it should make no difference but with the proviso that 1) the browser is color-managed and 2) that images posted have embedded ICC profiles.

How do these look on your screen?

[MrB]

Theoretically, it should make no difference but with the proviso that 1) the browser is color-managed and 2) that images posted have embedded ICC profiles.

How do these look on your screen?

Thank you Ted - all look the same.

Philip

[TonyW]

I agree with Dem about the horizon. It is a common mistake to mistake a water line for an horizon.

While I understand the desire to try out a newly acquired lens in lots of circumstances, I don't think a short lens is appropriate here. It gives too much prominence to the close up boards on the pier when the main subject is towards the far end. Otherwise, it is quite a pleasant scene although as already noted a different time of day would give better light,

[xpatUSA]

Thank you Ted - all look the same.

Philip

Good to hear! BTW, the last one was saved with a ProPhoto profile - a good test of your system indeed.

[ucci]

And, after all the expert critiques above, a word from the peanut gallery. What would be the effect of moving down the walk way much closer to the leading poles to frame the shot, to broaden the width of the sweep of the pier leading the eye into the moored boats which would be seen in closer detail. Just a thought.

[george013]

To me it's ok that picture. I just wonder if there's some lens corrections done in pp. The only line in the pictures that bothers me are the line of the boards of the pier. They're horizontal but the first does give a spherical line. But on the other hand they could be like that.
How do you like that lens?

George

[rtbaum]

To me it's ok that picture. I just wonder if there's some lens corrections done in pp. The only line in the pictures that bothers me are the line of the boards of the pier. They're horizontal but the first does give a spherical line. But on the other hand they could be like that.
How do you like that lens?

George

I like the wide perspective and am looking forward to some clouds and starlit night shots. It is a large chunk of glass, it feels heavier than my 300 mm. I need to learn the peculiarities of using an ultra-wide, but I think I will adjust. It will be fun.

[george013]

I like the wide perspective and am looking forward to some clouds and starlit night shots. It is a large chunk of glass, it feels heavier than my 300 mm. I need to learn the peculiarities of using an ultra-wide, but I think I will adjust. It will be fun.

It's big, yes. And for the short length sensitive for perspective distortion.
I bought it for inside.
I corrected my pictures with this lens using DxOViewpoint. Very impressive. Not knowing how other software is dealing with it, but this program mimics the lens rotations thus correcting not only the vertical lines when tilting the lens. It works in 3 dimensions. My trial is over and I forgot to buy it for the reduced price.

George

[bambleweeney]

I did the same randy. After two years of not touching the camera I bought a new full frame and a couple of lenses to get the juices flowing again. Juices now flowing and have added a new exposure meter and tripod. I suggest you let the wife hang on to your credit card for a few months. The photo, sure it has its faults as others have pointed out but the most important thing is that you enjoyed taking it and learning from it. Two days after my new camera arrived I got invited to shoot a wedding. I'm a landscape photographer and I learned a lot (including never to shoot a wedding again)