Thoughts on 2 images

Just wanted to get the opinion of viewers on 2 of my images. I like 1 of them and am not sure about the other. I will get some opinions then let everyone know my insight, but don't want to feed any info to form a bias.

I find the clouds in the first one appealing but weak as a primary subject. To me the second one is void of any subject.

One of the hugest biggest mistakes we as amateurs do sometimes is we forget to have a subject for our photo. We've all done it too.

What, if anything, would you have made the subject in the pictures above?

th33ch0 said:

What, if anything, would you have made the subject in the pictures above?

Click to expand...

That's the problem. What was the subject you were after?

In the first, it was the contrast of the mountain in the foreground vs the appearing flat ground behind and in the second was the seemingly endless hillsides.

That is to abstract. We don't know what we are supposed to be looking at. The clouds? Sure they look good but how do they relate to the composition? Is it weak or is it strong? Is that the subject? That first one has this huge hard shadow that is just harsh against the sky...yes lots of drama but such a sharp note! If you would have shot that at sunrise it would be a drastically different snap!

Some different angles and different compositions playing with how the light is hitting the landscape would have served you well here.

The subject is indeed there you just haven't brought all the elements of light and composition and such to bear in order to define the snap decisively.

Thanks so much for the feedback thus far! I really appreciate the assistance and look forward to learning from here!

What camera/lens are you using? These types of shots really do well with an ultra-wide lens to convey a sense of the vast view before you.

With an ultra-wide in this setting you would get a sense of being WITH the clouds, instead of shootuing AT them.

I was using a Nikon D5100 with the Nikkor 35mm Prime f/1.8 lens.

35 on a crop sensor at that kind of landscape range is not a good strategy IMO.

You need to be way down there at 24 and preferably lower to get to what you are trying to get. Plus you need to shoot at sunrise or sunset.

Ok, that's a great combo, as Jeff said, a bit narrow. If you have the kit lens, try a scene like this at 18mm, with only a third or less ground in the shot. Below 18mm, an ultra-wide will really give you a greater feeling of being there, in the shot.

Currently the lens I have are a 35mm prime, a 55-200 kit, an 18-55 kit, and a 70-300mm. I will have to try a shot like this on 18mm and look into picking up a wide angle as well.

Try it on about 21mm and don't be afraid to stop down...remember let the light define the snap...remember your subject...take a reading of the shadows and take a reading of the highlights and average them and make the snap bracketed by an EV or either side...LOL Most important part - get the right angle and light and composition. If the mountain is your subject make the mountain your subject. If the skyline is your subject make the skyline your subject.