ADVERTISEMENT
Comments
Hi Dan.
I see your issue here, you have a good overall composition, but it lacks a wow factor. In this case there simply isn't a point of focus that we can settle on. The foreground detail is there, the mid-field is nicely done with the river but the backdrop we arrive at as we explore through the picture is basically just lots and lots of leaves. Think of it as being a bit like a great joke without a decent punch line.
Having said that, looking at your overall composition, I actually don't think you in any way lack the ability to produce a really great image, but with landscapes you basically have to wait for the image to come to you rather than you go out to snap it. What you can do is learn to recognise the conditions and the locations that will, at some point, yield that image to you. And when it does, you will know the moment you press the shutter button, that you have it.
From a technical perspective I would like to see more use of the full range of tones in the image, and to illustrate that I have posted a mod. Mostly I have just applied a curves adjustment to darken the shadows and lighten the highlights. In addition I used the burn tool to bring out the textures in the foreground rocks and darken the top of the image to stop the viewers attention wandering out of the top of the frame. Finally I have tried to control a number of very bright highlights where the sun is shining through, but which relentlessly draw the viewers eye.
I hope you find my comments helpful
malcolm
I see your issue here, you have a good overall composition, but it lacks a wow factor. In this case there simply isn't a point of focus that we can settle on. The foreground detail is there, the mid-field is nicely done with the river but the backdrop we arrive at as we explore through the picture is basically just lots and lots of leaves. Think of it as being a bit like a great joke without a decent punch line.
Having said that, looking at your overall composition, I actually don't think you in any way lack the ability to produce a really great image, but with landscapes you basically have to wait for the image to come to you rather than you go out to snap it. What you can do is learn to recognise the conditions and the locations that will, at some point, yield that image to you. And when it does, you will know the moment you press the shutter button, that you have it.
From a technical perspective I would like to see more use of the full range of tones in the image, and to illustrate that I have posted a mod. Mostly I have just applied a curves adjustment to darken the shadows and lighten the highlights. In addition I used the burn tool to bring out the textures in the foreground rocks and darken the top of the image to stop the viewers attention wandering out of the top of the frame. Finally I have tried to control a number of very bright highlights where the sun is shining through, but which relentlessly draw the viewers eye.
I hope you find my comments helpful
malcolm
