Critique for my 4x5 landscape photos

[kuparikettu]

Hi everyone,

I have been trying to advance my landscape photography (esp. LF) shooting skills this summer. I'm still somewhat beginner, both in LF and landscape photography -- I have less than three years (and 30 exposed sheets) of experience shooting LF.

Thus I'd appreciate it if you could offer some comments, insight and critique on the following photos I have taken in June and July (click to see them larger in Flickr):


A Breeze from the Lake by Heikki Repo, on Flickr


Landing Strip by Heikki Repo, on Flickr


Fields of Mist by Heikki Repo, on Flickr


Longing Embrace by Heikki Repo, on Flickr

[Jim Becia]

Heikki,

They all are well exposed and well composed. If I had any critique to offer and it really is not a critique, it would be on #3, I just happen to dislike the power lines, but there is really not much one can do about it. Otherwise they are very nice pastoral and woodland images.

[Bruce Barlow]

Power engineers at electric companies are all frustrated photographers, intent on ruining good compositions by placing lines in precisely the wrong locations.

[kuparikettu]

I guess the next step for me is buying the book "Photoshopping Power Lines Away for Dummies"

[Bruce Barlow]

My son tells me it's actually pretty easy, but don't ask ME to explain it...

Can someone enlighten us?

[vinny]

The top half of the first one looks like you over-used a grad filter or something else. The trunks are darker as they go up, the opposite of what I'd expect.
The foreground in the last three isn't very interesting and those shots would make good panos if the foreground was cropped out.

[Jim Jones]

Certainly the foreground in the last one could be cropped some. The foreground in the 2nd and 3rd does add to the sense of location. The second one feels tilted.

[kuparikettu]

Thanks Vinny!

The first photo has seen some "photoshopping" with an added vignette to make eye focus in the middle of the photo. I wasn't too happy with the original so that photo has been worked most.

As for the rest, I'll try cropping. It's just so hard decision when one is infatuated with having those sharp, in focus plants in the foreground.

[kuparikettu]

Here's the new version of #4: I cropped it and cleaned the power lines (not difficult, just tedious...). Certainly looks better! Thanks


Longing Embrace (final version) by Heikki Repo, on Flickr

[Alan Gales]

There is an old saying in photography. If your image isn't working then get closer which is essentially what you ended up doing by cropping the last photograph.

This saying has probably helped my photography more than any other.