A Series of Sunset at Sutera Harbor...plz help me improve!

[Marnold]

Hi, i was driving around my town yesterday 28 August 2012 evening and notice this view from the sky as well as the sunset photos...plz help me improve, i appreciate your sincere comments..Thanks!
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[John Morton]

These are beautiful images and I can't think of anything they need to 'improve' them! Any suggestion I could make would just be my own taste; technically, they are superb already so I think I'll just mention how much I like them!

[Marnold]

That's good enough John, at least i know that i'm making progress. Thanks!

[dubaiphil]

What equipment are you shooting with? The only thing I'd recommend is:

horizons - there's a wonky one in there, but generally they're straight

ND filters - maybe a Graduated ND filter will help darken the sky and bring out a little more detail. I don't know if you're shooting with a lens that enables ND filters to be attached though. The other option in this regard is to take two exposures, one for the sky and one for the sea/foreground and blend, but I don't know what software you're using either

edges of the frame - there are some distracting elements in some of the images which are cut by the edge of the frame. These are leading my eye out of the shot. I'd consider a crop or cloning out those elements.

[Marnold]

Thanks for the comment...i'm using Canon 40D attached with EFS 18-135 f3.5 IS (this lens has some issues with straight lines-seems to curve a bit on 18mm), Graduated ND 8 Filter with a remote switch. Those are my equipment's.

I'm not a professional by the way, but a quick learner.

Regarding the horizon..i agree that sometimes it looks wired, my lens on 18mm have an issue that tends to curve a little. And i have to live with it...At the moment i'm considering to invest on a Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 without VC due to the good reviews on it's sharpness, color, contrast and etc. I'm not rich, so in other words i can't afford all those high ends lenses and other accessories. Maybe of cause in the future but not for now. I live with what i have and try to produce the best out of what i'm currently using at the moment. I hope that explains my situation.

I'm sure that horizon problem can be fix by using Photoshop, but i'm yet to learn the technique. It would be nice if you to teach me how to do it. You're right as well when you touch on the little details such as edges of the frame. It's my mistake that i forget to crop out or clone out those elements from the picture using Photoshop. I know it's annoying. I will surely remind myself on this little-little things, and improve on my composition.

Yup i do have ND Filter Variable ND2-ND400, ND 8 Grad Filter and a Polorizer. Maybe next time i'll try to combine them.

Thanks for reminding me on those tiny details which i tend to ignore at times.

[alexis88]

Really beautiful pics! I also love shooting sunsets and sunrises!

About the curves that the lens can create, I am using Camera Raw in photoshop and there you just choose the lens you have and it fixes the distortion automatically! I am also not a professional - I m actually a newbie! - but I think that could help!

[davidedric]

Very nice pictures - and agree about the ND filter in some shots

Where are you? Is that Sutera in Malaysia?

You could update your profile so we know a bit more about you!

[Ken Curtis]

Most of my comments are personal preference, so feel free to ignore them. They were just some thoughts as I viewed the images.

#1. I wonder would this look like if you had the camera down closer to the water level so that not as much water shows. There is a lot of water between the horizon and the foreground rocks that contains nothing of interest.

#2. The main objects are the foreground rocks and water. You might consider cropping off 3/4 of sky at top.

#3. The main objects are the foreground rocks and water. You might consider cropping off 2/3 of sky at top. The clouds and the rocks compete for my eye's attention.

#4. Clone out the black object on horizon at the left edge because it is a distraction that pulls your eye toward it. Clone out black rock at lower left corner for same reason.

#5. This is a beautiful image without most of the sky. If it were me, I would crop off 4/5 of it at the top and make a horizontal orientation image.

#6. You might try lightening the foreground rocks and land at lower left a small amount - not much - so we can see their detail a little better.

#7. I don' think you need as much sand in the image and can let the viewer imagine what is there. Consider cropping off 3/4 of sand at bottom below lowest part of driftwood. Also consider cropping off right side of the image beginning half way between the two rightmost rocks on the horizon.

My two cents worth.

[Marnold]

Hi Dave, i had just fill in the details of my bio...feel free to check it...

[Marnold]

Thanks Ken, i appreciate the help. Just for your info i was composing each photos using the rule-of-thirds. Thats the reason why sometimes there was a little to much of a distraction, where i try to fill it up unknowingly making some of the photos uneven. Anyway, thanks for your observation.