Deal with a cloudless sky

Janners

Janners

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I like this image, but I feel something is missing. There was not a cloud to be seen anywhere, is this what I am missing? Or am I looking too hard and thus not really missing anything?
Landscapes for me are really difficult to see an image of interest. This was more an abstract shape that just happened to be a landscape. I saw an arc from the trees that led in from the lower left and rose to a peak as it headed to top right.
Am I overthinking things?

20230904 Wembury Trees V1 Web.jpg
 
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Off the bat - nice composition. Half the battle right there.

I think you are right in terms of the cloudless sky. The light is very flat, by which I mean the sun is high in the sky and so the shadows don't model the shape of any features on the ground or in the trees. If you are able to, I would suggest you reshoot the scene when the sun is lower in the sky in the so-called blue hour around dawn and dusk. Alternatively, choose a day when there are more interesting clouds in the sky. Or both. It is then easier to see the difference in your own photography.

The other thing I would suggest is to watch this documentary by Fay Godwin and then perhaps go and have a look at images from her book "Land" online.

 
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20230904 Wembury Trees V1 Web.jpg

20230904 Wembury Trees V2 Web mid tones lifted.jpg

@max49. In the second image I lifted the midtones using the curves. It does appear to give a bit more "ping" to the image.
 
@max49 I can see changes but not really sure what to do with them or exactly what I am doing. Good call as it will force me to explore Affinity further. I feel that the trees now pop out of the sky, I am intrigued!

20230904 Wembury Trees V3 Web mid tones lifted.jpg
 
I think you've gone too far. Having said that, I really think you ought to return, if you can, in better light. There's potential in the location for sure.
 
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