It's the person behind the camera that makes a picture good. A talented photographer can do better with a point and shoot then I can with $10,000 worth of equipment. But I am studying and getting some practice.
Judging from your shots, I say you have a good eye and feel for composition. Greece, China and Spain -- looks like you do a lot of traveling. Lucky!
I started making a list of the things I needed to consider when taking a shot. It got pretty darn long.So I tried to put it in a reasonable format and put it in the computer. Then I thought it might be helpful to other beginners. I'm still working on it.
I don't know how well it will come out or if it will maintain a usable format when put into this message. But, here is what I have so far. Hope it is usable and helpful. If I had your email address, I could send it to you as pdf file.
Considerations When Working a Photographic Scene
This is not intended to teach anything, but to offer a comprehensive list of things to think about when working on a shot. This includes making notes that might be helpful when doing post processing later, such as reminders about the lighting, colors and equipment used. If a term is unfamiliar, Google it or look for tutorials on the Internet. Try
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Books-Tutorials/ci/19977/N/4075419990 or
http://www.adorama.com/alc/ or
https://www.youtube.com/ or
http://digital-photography-school.com/tips and others. Heres a good overview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8HZCdieSAo&feature=youtu.be . © Thomas C. Hudson. Permission is granted to use without alteration for free distribution or in courses offered without cost to the public.
Why are you considering working this scene?
Is the subject interesting, offer exceptional beauty, and/or invoke a mood or emotion, or tell a story?
Can you capture the interest, beauty, mood, emotion or story in a photograph?
Will it connect with the viewer?
If the answer is no to any of these question, dont bother getting out your camera. Move on.
Composition:
First considerations:
Look for a fresh approach, not the obvious ones that has been done over and over.
What is the focal point? How can it be enhanced?
Identify elements that make the shot work or give it the desired prospective. How can you use them?
Move around, closer, farther, right, left, higher or lower. Walk around. Explore other views or angles.
Pay close attention to the background. What should be avoided? Should it be sharp or blurred?
What lens will you use? Try several; wide angle, a nifty fifty, portrait and/or a telephoto,
Should the camera be horizontal or vertical, level or at an angle? Consider a panorama.
Visualize what you want the final image to look like and then go for it.
Look around for other shots from this location. When taking a sunset, look at the sky behind you.
Think about the rules of composition and which ones, if any, or combination will work best for this shot:
Rule of Thirds,
Golden Triangle; Golden Rectangle, (long side ÷ Short side = 1.618= Golden Ratio); Golden Curve,
Leading Lines,
Natural frames,
Anything else that will lead the viewers eyes into the scene.
Layers, i.e., using the near, middle distance, and background to emphasize depth, beauty or interest.
Dont crop tight if a tall object will need to be made upright with software later.
What will best help capture the subject?
Is their interest in the foreground, mid-ground, and/or background? Want to keep all in focus, or not?
Is the ground, water, or sky most interesting? This may help determine where to place the horizon.
Aperture: Consider Depth of Field and Hyperfocal distance. Higher f stops = greater depth of field.
Want everything in focus or just specific objects or elements to be isolated or highlighted?
Do you want the background out-of-focus? Think about the bokar.
Shutter speed capture motion or freeze it. Consider panning on a moving subject.
ISO Consider high ISO for faster shutter speed or a smaller aperture, or low ISO to avoid noise?
Does everything in the frame have a reason to be there? If not, can you get it out of the picture?
Should you include a person or object to help give the scene perspective or depth?
Avoid anything that distracts from the composition, subject or leading the eye into the picture. Do people have a relationship with the subject, or can one be created?
Fill the frame. Consider using negative space. Give space for moving objects to go.
Light:
Is the light beautiful or interesting? Wait or return when it is, preferably during the Golden Hour.
Does the angle of the light create texture or backlighting? Can you use or illuminate lens or sun flare?
Can you avoid harsh shadows or use them to your advantage? Consider returning on a cloudy day.
If you are going to wait or come back, do you know where and when the sun will rise or set?
Check and set the white balance. Try several different settings to see what works best.
Consider a ND filter; graduated to reduce bright sky, or solid to allow slower speed or wider aperture.
Consider a Polarizing filter or other filters, i.e., warming, star, etc.
Consider the use of fill light, i.e., using reflectors or fill flash. Best with flash on or off of the camera?
Dynamic range Capture it in one shot, or bring multiple exposures together in post processing?
Notes to help with Post Processing:
Note the pictures number in the camera, i.e., the shots identifying number on the memory card.
Consider making notes about your exposure for quick reference and about what lenses were used, etc.
Note whether or not filters, reflectors, or fill flash were used.
Describe the lighting, i.e., Golden Hour, overcast or sunny, type of artificial light, time of day, etc.
Is the sky a deep blue, light or heavy haze, fog or ground fog?
Describe the colors. Do greens lean towards blue or yellow; reds toward blue or orange, etc.?