Lake Del Valle, Livermore, CA.

[PrevailingConditions]

I was on a Boy Scout campout and managed to get up fairly early (with help from the boys ) so I went around the lake to take some shots.

I'm not sure what to think of these, but wanted to share these to see if I could get some feedback from the group here on what could be done to improve for next time around.

Many thanks in advance,

PC

#1


#2


#3

[OldClicker]

I really like #1. The post processing gives it a bit of a surreal look, but that's not bad. Also, there is a bit too much purple coming through for my taste. This is probably just me because I often have this complaint. – TF

[Anbesol]

I really like both 1 and 2, good work. Sorry though don't much like 3.

[armando_m]

Very nice!

#1 looks like the scene of a movie, the water seems to bright and white
#2 awesome! great light, I have no critiques
#3 a boat just went by ?
the foreground trees seem to have to much sharpening
the background, seems like the contrast was increased and looks strange

[Greg McCary]

I have been following this series on flickr. Well done pc. Well done.

[PrevailingConditions]

OldClicker, Anbesol, Armondo, & Greg - Thanks for commenting. I too think that the third is the weakest of the set. I didn't really notice it too much, but it also looks like it got sharpened too much when I uploaded it to flickr from Lightroom. I'll have to revisit that when I get home later.

I was really trying to capture the still morning with the mist forming over the lake, but I wasn't as successful as I would like. Mostly I'm hoping for tips for the next time I have a similar situation.

Thanks again,

PC

[daq7]

I think they are all gorgeous. The tree colors in the last one are fantastic. The first successfully makes the entire landscape the subject and does not suffer from the lack of a clear focal point.

[PhilF]

#1 is like painting.... sweet

[amorton1437]

I like #1 and #2 pretty equally but #3 does appear to be a bit over-sharpened. And to me it looks like the trees in the foreground are super imposed onto it, and not really a part of te picture.

[PrevailingConditions]

Thanks Daq, Phil, & AMorton1437.

Here's an updated version of #3 that isn't sharpened as much. I'm still not sure that I like it too much, but here it is.

Thanks,

PC

#3a & one from the night before.

[Big Earn]

Photo 1. Bit purple, but excellent. Wish I was there!
Photo 2. Maybe if the boat was in the left third of the pic?
Photo 3. Try a large crop off the top of the pic, down to almost to the top of the tallest tree in the foreground? Crop to the top (or bottom) of the house in the center of the background? I think the 'panoramic' look may be the ticket for this pic/subject, IMO. Thx for posting. Gotta visit someday!

[GB1]

Wow, very powerful images PC. I like # 2 of the original posting the best, where the fog is coming off the lake and creating a layers look in the trees. I think your choice of larger images via links rather than 800 pixel images was a smart one here, as is the neat shadow effect to create dimensionality (I may borrow on that technique). # 1 is very nice too but somehow the contrast is too much on this monitor, with some of the brightness on the lake seeming blown out. The boat is a tad horizontally centered, but not bad - have you considered cropping some off the right side, just to see what you get? Experiments are good

-GB

[PrevailingConditions]

Big Earn & GB - thanks so much for commenting. I disappeared there for a few days, too much work and other stuff happening.

Big Earn - Interesting idea on the cropping. I kind of like the panoramic approach, but doing so tends to put the water line right through the middle of the shot and I'm not sure about that.

GB - I have not tried cropping, but I may do that if I decide to do anything more with this shot. The lightness on the water is probably a reflection of the sky. I had a graduated ND to darken the top of the frame, but it didn't cover the water. Maybe I can address it in post somehow.

Thanks again,

PC