Frozen lake sunrise

[Husker]

The subject matter isn't especially interesting. However, the lake is conveniently located by my house. I intended to try some star photos with the clear skies, but I slept in too late..ha. Any suggestions can easily be implemented on my next visit, so no need to hold them back. The image quality really took a hit when I uploaded them. Any suggestions on maintaining image quality on the web?

#1
I think I would have preferred this shot with a longer lens, but I didn't bring it along.

#2

#3

#4

#5

 

[Ben Egbert]

I like 2 and 3 best. When looking for help like this, the critique forum is a good place to post.

 

[JimFox]

You have some interesting photos, I will comment on them a bit later, but as to losing image quality when posting just make sure you resized your photos to 1200pix first, otherwise the forum downsized then to 1200 and unfortunately it’s crunching leaves them a little soft.

If you want to keep them larger then 1200 pix, then start a media gallery and post them in there first. Then in your thread you click on the camera icon at the top of the message to then link them into the thread/post. They will retain their original dimensions in the gallery.

 

[AlanLichty]

I like the light and textures on the ice/shore in #3 - that one stands out for me. #4 is kind of interesting with the grasses up front getting focus and the nice light on the ice behind. I find myself wishing the water tower wasn't quite so prominent in these shots but it's part of the skyline where you are.

 

[JimFox]

#2 and 3 are my favorites here. But I would clone out the plane and vapor trails in both. I think those manmade details distract. You have a basically cloudless sky, I think you want to keep it clear.

A few of these I think I would have gone tighter and not included the sky. Again with no clouds after a bit of shooting it's probably best to eliminate the sky then from your compositions.

I like the potential of #4 but I think it needs more shadow recovery to pull more details out of those grasses.

 

[Husker]

Thanks for all the comments. I went out on the cloudless night with the intention of shooting stars, but there was too much light pollution from the city.

The lake is so man-made that any illusions of being truely in nature are rather fleeting. That is why I find the comments about the water tower and the jet trail interesting. I was leaning towards those being the saving grace of what would otherwise be even more boring. I kind of liked that single trail in the sky balancing out the composition.

I think you might be right about the lack of clouds causing too much open empty sky. I'm not 100% sure what my subject is in these besides good light... (sometimes good light is all you get in Nebraska.. ha)