Trying my hand at landscape....CC Appreciated

[TxPhotoShooter]

I decided to try my hand at a different type of shooting;landscapes. I thought about entering a local contest and shot this pic this morning. I would have liked a more linear crop but the rules dictate an 8x10. The photo may not be that great but it was sure enjoyable shooting the scene.

I forgot to change critique to CC.

[scottbuckel]

I like the serenity in the image and you have nice light and the image is very sharp with loads of detail.

If I was thinking of trying to compete with the image I think I would crop the image such that you have the geese (or are they ducks?) close to the bottom edge of the image so that you have something in the foreground.

Many judges looking a landscapes will look for a definite foreground, middle ground and background in the image, with the middle ground being the least critical. If you are using photoshop, select the rectangular marquee tool, set to fixed ratio, set ratio to 8 x 10. I would then play with different crops with the fixed ratio. I would choose to have the geese in the foreground and work from there.

I hope you find this to be useful,

Scott

[Stargazer77517]

Like the subject, and the sharpness. Scott has a great point tho.

[wclavey]

If you are willing to alter the aspect ratio, I think you can emphasize the geese in the foreground by cropping the water off below the geese, probably at the point where the color of the water changes from dark to light. That crop makes the geese more prominent as the foreground and I think the whole picture reads better.

[TxPhotoShooter]

Thanks everyone. Here are 2 crops a little tighter. One has the geese centered somewhat but the houses bother me. The other has the white and red boat where it seems to catch my eye and the houses are more balanced but the geese are on the left side. But they are swimming to toward the right.

[dmcantrell]

I agree with the above comments, and I just want to add one small thing : the horizon line seems to be slightly skewed.

[MichaelW]

Very nice shot. I like the colors and the focus looks dead on.

[TxPhotoShooter]

Thanks for the advise and comments Scott, Fred, Westley, David and Michael. I went back today and found all the boats were gone as well as the geese. So after a round of golf, I went back home, tweaked the horizon of the first recropped photo and made a print. Looks pretty good to me.