Hi guys, I need to know your insights on my photos. I'm into landscape photography but I have yet to acquire those expensive filters. I only used CPL on these shots. I'm still reading more about hyper-focal distance settings as essential knowledge in landscape photography. Please post your comments and critiques and help me improve my photography... If anyone can teach me more about hyper-focal distance, I will greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2393/2262426004_1842d87519.jpg
Photo#1 "Currimao Coral Formations"
EXIF DATA: F3.5| 1/400sec | @ 18mm | ISO 200 | Metering Mode: Pattern
>>> I noticed that my foreground here is a bit blurred... So I guess F3.5 is really no good for landscape photography...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2188/2261886235_0d94044d18.jpg
Photo#2 "Kapuluan Beach"
EXIF DATA: F11 | 1/200sec | @20mm | ISO 200 | Metering Mode: Pattern
>>> But on this shot, the background remained blurred even at F11...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2097/2261855739_f1aa266038.jpg
Photo#3 "Bangui Wind Farm:
EXIF DATA: F11 | 1/125sec | @18mm | ISO 200 | Metering Mode: Pattern
>>> The same goes in this photo... Blurred background.. ~_~

So how can I produce tack sharp photos using hyper-focal distance? Can anyone explain the concept? Thanks... :D

some points you may want to consider on your next shoot.

image#1
> including people on your landscape is a neat thing to do. breaks the monotony of of having the same elements... rocks, sea and skies. making them accent of the image. having said that, its also a good practice to have a 'clean' accent - less clutter i mean (dont include the van). for this image, experimenting on different compositions cuold be an option.

image#2
> what time of the day did you shoot this? colors are muted. at least to my taste,it lacks the 'ump' factor =)

image#3
> strong potential. love how you played with the blues. like the contrast of the clouds and sky. i'd say good on the play of DOF... you were able to capture the layering mountains the background. you could again experiment on composition, reflections, details.. to have a more unique image.

just my 2cents... hope the above helps.

good luck.

some points you may want to consider on your next shoot.

image#1
> including people on your landscape is a neat thing to do. breaks the monotony of of having the same elements... rocks, sea and skies. making them accent of the image. having said that, its also a good practice to have a 'clean' accent - less clutter i mean (dont include the van). for this image, experimenting on different compositions cuold be an option.

image#2
> what time of the day did you shoot this? colors are muted. at least to my taste,it lacks the 'ump' factor =)

image#3
> strong potential. love how you played with the blues. like the contrast of the clouds and sky. i'd say good on the play of DOF... you were able to capture the layering mountains the background. you could again experiment on composition, reflections, details.. to have a more unique image.

just my 2cents... hope the above helps.

good luck.

Thank you sir for taking your time to comment on my shots. The 2nd picture was taken around 7am and without the CPL. (Felt really bad that time, I should have brought that thing... Grrrr...)

Rai pare... I like photo number 3!.. I like the colors and the composition... you use filter?

I like photos #2 and #3.

The elements in Photo #2 are very strong, even without the photographer in the distance. I think there's a better shot there somewhere.

I like Photo #3 best. It's unique because most of the Bangui Windmill photos have sand in the foreground.

Cheers!

photo no. 1

what are you photographing? the image doesn't work because there's a lot of disparate elements that don't jive together to make a coherent statement. having been to this place, i know there's more to it that this view.

photo no. 2

better, but no sense of drama. light still too harsh and colors are not as vibrant as they would be is you shot this scene some 2 hours later. i would have shot this in infrared....otherwise, i'd shoot it at sunset!

photo no. 3

best of the lot thought still shot in drab light. and why did you crop out the reflections in your composition. sayang. the reflections is the visual killer in this scene.

understand that the best landscape shots are about working the light.

great view / landscape + harsh light = boring photo
simple subject / ordinary landscape + dramatic, soft, magic light = dynamic landscape. very dramatic.

hth :)

also, for a digital slr / camera, with small sensors, hyperfocal focusing is not an essential skill. autofocus and knowing where to put the focus point is sufficient to getting tack sharp images.

@ Sir Jay. Thanks for the comments. I do think that the first picture needs improvement, and also, it was so cluttered. So as the second photo. I believe it lacks interesting visual factor. But I thought adding a human element (the woman sitting) would improve this image (does it?) and yet, its all about the light. ~_~ Regarding the third photo, I did not crop this image... I had the picture of this on portrait orientation showing the whole setup. I wish I had that space to capture the whole reflection on landscape orientation since I want to include the clouds.. Or maybe, I should have taken a little step more to find that perfect spot... (sayang!)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2371/2262647556_cfb8db214f.jpg
Another shot of the third picture in portrait orientation... (showing the whole reflection) Which is better? ^_^

Again, Thank you sir for taking your time to comment on my photos. I do have a lot to learn about lighting. ^_^ Thank you sir.

@Cedric and Henry. Thanks guys for the comments. ^_^

I just realized, the reflection of the bangui wind farm in vertical orientation was cut out. Damn... ~_~ I have a lot to learn...