# Ohio sunset C&C



## MaoZeBong (Dec 16, 2011)

sup everybody, im a bit new at photography, and even newer at digital. i shot film for about a year before finally springing for a d5100. the picture below has zero editing and is a jpeg straight off my camera. let me know what you guys think and tips to improve myself. i love shooting sunrises/sunsets, and any tips i can get to improve my shooting is very welcome.


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## Joel_W (Dec 16, 2011)

For a straight out of the camera shot, it's very good.  I would have composed it some what differently. Lower angle so that the road exists the full frame on the bottom, but not past either side. The amount of angle to the left would have still given you the option of keeping the road on the right side. Last thing is to correct the tilt which is high right/low left. 

Later pictures with the sun actually below the horizon will yield more saturated sky tones. 

Joel


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## bazooka (Dec 16, 2011)

You captured a great mackarel sky.  Because the sky is much brighter than the land, you've lost most detail due to major underexpose.  Using an ND grad filter would have allowed you to bring more detail back into the earth portion of the photo.  They are used quite a bit in landscape photography.

Secondly, some of the detail could have been saved had you shot in raw, so it's something you might want to look into.


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## spacefuzz (Dec 16, 2011)

wow love it when the sky does that, beautiful.  I concur with the comments of joel and bazooka on ways to improve.


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## prakhardeep (Dec 18, 2011)

bazooka said:


> You captured a great mackarel sky.  Because the sky is much brighter than the land, you've lost most detail due to major underexpose.  Using an ND grad filter would have allowed you to bring more detail back into the earth portion of the photo.  They are used quite a bit in landscape photography.
> 
> Secondly, some of the detail could have been saved had you shot in raw, so it's something you might want to look into.



+1


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## MaoZeBong (Dec 18, 2011)

i don't own any photo editing software, tips on what i should look into?



yes, i agree with you on the composure of the shot 100%. i definitely didnt notice the tilt till you mentioned it.


only problem is composing a shot going 55mph down the road it has its difficulties. notice it seems to be at the angle of slightly out the drivers window? 


thanks for the advice guys. i was kinda nervous my transition from film to digital would look like ass. i love this forum already, good advice from good people.


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## cgipson1 (Dec 18, 2011)

MaoZeBong said:


> i don't own any photo editing software, tips on what i should look into?



Permission to edit photo and post it?


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## naptime (Dec 18, 2011)

MaoZeBong said:


> i don't own any photo editing software, tips on what i should look into?




gimp is a free alternative to photoshop. of course, not nearly as feature packed, and not as many tutorials out there to get you started. but if you aren't editing for a profession, it's a cost effective alternative, as photoshop is pretty pricey.


also, googles picasa does a decent job with basic editing. 

and, piknik has a free version, as well as a paid version.


not the same as photoshop of course, but more user intuitive for beginners.

i like picasa. my daughter likes piknik.


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## MaoZeBong (Dec 19, 2011)

cgipson1 said:


> Permission to edit photo and post it?



sure, go for it.



naptime said:


> gimp is a free alternative to photoshop. of course, not nearly as feature packed, and not as many tutorials out there to get you started. but if you aren't editing for a profession, it's a cost effective alternative, as photoshop is pretty pricey.
> 
> 
> also, googles picasa does a decent job with basic editing.
> ...



i think ill take gimp for a whirl. i know how to use it, i took some graphic design/photoshop classes in high school. im familiar with what to do... i just never have edited my own work. i read up a bit on using raw, so i guess ill have to take that plunge.


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## Frequency (Dec 19, 2011)

I liked it too. But i would drive more ahead to get a vantage point from where i get the source point of light and from where it appears the clouds have spread out. You should have taken the pain to step out onto ground and that would have given a more appealing result. I too make basic adjustments in Picasa. I feel tired of Gimp for lack of expertise 
Regards and best of luck


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