To make great: I know it is not good. How could I take this so it is great? I'm thinking darken the sky. What about the colors of the house. Darkening the exposure would take care of...

bmike101 Loc: Gainesville, Florida

I know it is not good. How could I take this so it is great? I'm thinking darken the sky. What about the colors of the house. Darkening the exposure would take care of that too I think. Am I thinking correctly? That would be increasing shutter speed and a smaller aperture? Would that be a faster or slower ISO? What else could I do to improve it?

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Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

Try going back at a different time of day. The bottom half is all in shade. I guess that has fooled your sensor and brightened the image. Alternatively you could expose for the house but the foreground will be very dark. Depends what you want to do with the shot.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Well, first off:

1.) Subject matter.
It's a house with a yard. Nothing special about the house. The sky is blah also. So that's a factor.

2.) Light.
There's nothing special about the light. Shoot when you see great light.

3.) Field of view.
What is the subject? The green grass in the shadows? The yellow house? The beige house? Both? It's unfocused in it's intent. If I can't tell immediately what you are conveying, then it's a fail.

In my opinion thinking about these things before you hit the shutter button instead of afterwards is a good philosophy to adhere to.

repleo Loc: Boston

Crop a good chunk off the right side and balance the rest of the crop. The adjacent house and power lines are distracting. The foreground in shadow needs to be opened up in PP. Try to bring up the entry door. The entrance should be the first thing you are drawn to.

aschweik Loc: NE Ohio

If I were taking that picture, I'd re-compose and try to get the other house on the right side out of the picture. Also there's too much grass in the foreground unless that's what you are trying to show. I'd move in closer. A polarizing filter might have darkened up the sky. A different time of day would improved the shot, too. Maybe an evening or a morning when the sun isn't harsh. It would give the house a nice subtle lighting.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

bmike101 wrote:

I know it is not good. How could I take this so it is great? I'm thinking darken the sky. What about the colors of the house. Darkening the exposure would take care of that too I think. Am I thinking correctly? That would be increasing shutter speed and a smaller aperture? Would that be a faster or slower ISO? What else could I do to improve it?

What are you trying to convey?
If it is the house try a different time of day and expose for the house.
Crop. Too much yard.
Remove power lines in PS.
Try some different angles of view.
Subject in itself is not awe inspiring so some creativity in point of view/perspective is called for.

Here is a crop and light adjustment in a couple of seconds, no great effort just showing a direction you could go.

BebuLamar

Perhaps standing on the drive way. Come closer to the house to get only the 1 house on the left. I would prefer to come closer to the house than using a longer focal length which I believe you have it. Use the drive way as leading line.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

bmike101 wrote:

I know it is not good. How could I take this so it is great? I'm thinking darken the sky. What about the colors of the house. Darkening the exposure would take care of that too I think. Am I thinking correctly? That would be increasing shutter speed and a smaller aperture? Would that be a faster or slower ISO? What else could I do to improve it?

If this is a serious post: Start over with another image. And, ask the same questions while planning the shot, not after.
This one will never be "great".

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

bmike101 wrote:

I know it is not good. How could I take this so it is great? I'm thinking darken the sky. What about the colors of the house. Darkening the exposure would take care of that too I think. Am I thinking correctly? That would be increasing shutter speed and a smaller aperture? Would that be a faster or slower ISO? What else could I do to improve it?

Have just done a few minutes tweaking the pic.

leftj Loc: Texas

Pablo8 wrote:

Have just done a few minutes tweaking the pic.

And it looks even worse!

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

leftj wrote:

And it looks even worse!

"Attack of the Green Sludge"

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

leftj wrote:

And it looks even worse!

Hence the saying..."You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear". Now show us your effort!!

leftj Loc: Texas

Pablo8 wrote:

Hence the saying..."You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear". Now show us your effort!!

My effort would be to delete it.

FreddB Loc: PA - Delaware County

Is this a "real estate" shoot?
Re-position; directly in front, or even a tad to the other side of the drive would
eliminate the power lines, and give you the trees behind the house.
One to show the lawn; then move closer to emphasize the house/entrance.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

bmike101 wrote:

I know it is not good. How could I take this so it is great? I'm thinking darken the sky. What about the colors of the house. Darkening the exposure would take care of that too I think. Am I thinking correctly? That would be increasing shutter speed and a smaller aperture? Would that be a faster or slower ISO? What else could I do to improve it?

A good place to ask this question is the gallery critique section.