My 1st attempt at a landscape shot

[pinotnoir]

This is basically my 1st go with my new 500D. I took this handheld today as the sun was beginning to set. It seems a bit blue to me.

I'm thick skinned by the way, so please let me know how to improve. Thanks


Sprouston by pinotnoir@btinternet.com, on Flickr

EOS 500, f11@28mm, 1/25, ISO400

[MiniChris]

I did some color balancing and bumped the contrast a bit (maybe too much)...there are others on here with far more experience in post production who might yet give you more, or better advice.

[MiniChris]

It is a bit too overdone now...but I think it is more in the direction you were looking to go.

[Donald]

I did some color balancing and bumped the contrast a bit (maybe too much)...

I think it maybe is a bit too much, Chris.

Just rushing out George, so just let me say I think there are things that could be done contrast wise. BUT, I think the composition is very good. It's a nice low viewpoint and you've angled yourself well to get the sweep of the river going away into the distance. There's a classic feel to it (if that makes sense), which I like.

Now got to rush out and drink lots of alcohol at a friend's house. Life's tough!

[Geoff F]

The way I see it, George, is that the whole scene needs a bit more 'zip' but a lot of the area consists of a rather pale wintery sky which can easily be lost if you try to process the whole photo in one setting.

What I would consider is: Create a layer from the background and adjust brightness etc for the river/bank. Possibly adjust the original background image for the sky. Add a 'See All' mask to the layer and gently remove the sky area (with a suitably set brush) to reveal the original sky on the background image.

I'm not aware of what software/editing knowledge you have so this is a bit basic; and there are other ways of obtaining the same result.

The basic photo composition is OK; I suspect that it would have been difficult to obtain a better result under those lighting conditions without 'losing' the sky. Possibly the use of some filters might have helped but we are entering a different area altogether now.