HDR Critique...

[svndmvn]

I'm not sure if HDR is really necessary in these circumstances, you could do with a smaller aperture and a longer exposure, probably combining this with an ND grad or a polarizer. Of course don't expect good results from cheap filters but they could do the job.
What's the metadata of the pictures you posted? Sec, aperture etc?

 

[acearchie]

Top picture is f13, 28mm, ISO 100 at varying shutter speeds due to it being HDR but ranging from 1/4000th to about 1/250th

Bottom F11 and all other values the same!

 

[Ruahrc]

I think the biggest things to remember is that "HDR" doesn't make boring pictures good and is only useful in extreme lighting cases.

Another good one to remember is that "a good photographer is not only judged by what he does shoot, but also what he doesn't". The kinds of pictures you take on a cloudy overcast day should be fundamentally different than those taken on a bright sunny day. To try to use the same approach for both lighting conditions will result in suboptimal results.

Each situation has its strengths for example shooting closeups and macro on overcast days is great because the sky is a giant diffuser. Likewise, shots of people don't work well in the bright sun because all the shadows are too harsh. Sweeping panoramas of a dull cloudy sky don't work well, but they work great in the sun, etc.

Your later efforts seem better than the first ones, especially because they have more compelling subject matter. IMO that one with the rocks in the stream is the best one here.

 

[gnd]

I believe the spots you are referring to are rain on the UV filter. (Well not rain but drizzle) as it has been a constant drizzle since I have started taking these pictures in Scotland.

There are definitely spots on your sensor. Nothing on a filter will show as a spot. Filter is too far away from the sensor to "drop a shadow" on it. Only dirt on the sensor shows as spots and even those show up mostly at smaller apertures.

 

[acearchie]

There are definitely spots on your sensor. Nothing on a filter will show as a spot. Filter is too far away from the sensor to "drop a shadow" on it. Only dirt on the sensor shows as spots and even those show up mostly at smaller apertures.

Thanks, I am actually borrowing a school camera and firstly it is quite old and secondly it has been used by quite a few people who know less about photography than me meaning that they may have not realised the effects of swapping out the lenses in harsh conditions.

However shouldn't the dust spots be uniform within all the pictures?

 

[Doylem]

shouldn't the dust spots be uniform within all the pictures?

Yeah... dust spots don't move. The spots that move are various kinds of flare... associated with shooting directly into the sun...

 

[NathanCH]

Doesn't matter where these spots are. You need to clean your camera because they've appeared in the same place on all these photos. Never take a photo again until you clean up... it's disgusting.