Title basically. I tried to underexpose the shadows severely to make it look more the silhouette, but that just made it look even worse. I suppose the only way to get better pics is to find a better location. But I would appreciate if someone can give me advice on any other tricks I could use to make the sky look better and take focus away from the urban hell
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One improvement to make with this photo is the tonal range — part of the the urban landscape in it reads as uninteresting is that it's all fairly middle gray. I think your approach of looking for silhouette could be a good one, and a polarizing filter can be a good way to accentuate contrast within and against the sky.
I actually think the chair and white balcony make a neat subject. Maybe try lying down on the balcony so it takes a lot more of the field of view, put the chair center or 1/3 of center, and then look up towards sky?
As others have said, framing. This picture is just as snapshot of a view you had. And if the view isn't interesting, then the snapshot isn't going to be as well. Try to get in a different position, crop in on different elements, play with composition. Create a view that a typical person wouldn't normally consider. I love shooting urban architecture and I'm sure that I would find a dozen different frames in that location that I would like. But that's another thing: maybe that's just not a subject you're interested in. Then there isn't much you can do to take a photo there that you would like. Try to find inspiration in other people's photographs and figure out what makes you like those
Lean into the urban hellishness: You can get good pictures just about anywhere. Figure out what story you want to tell and then find the moments that tell it: Frame them in a way that highlights the story.
Alternately: Travel!
Do you ever squat or lay down or just not shoot from a standing position ?
Well first, even when the weather is good, make sure you're out at a good hour.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_hour_(photography)
1 hour before sunset is "the golden hour".
Also eveyone else's tips but it wasn't in yet so
Macro photography/close ups are the way to go. Focus on interesting details rather than ugly, boring wide shots. For example, the patina on that gate looks promising. And is that a concrete duck? Hell yeah!
So I dabble in long exposures and light painting photography.
I think you can get some pretty cool images by doing night photography with long exposures.
And maybe a little light painting.
https://gunnarheilmann.com/beginners-guide-to-light-painting/
https://chrisbrayphotography.com/tips/light_painting_tutorial.php
Also when you don't have great color options, why not go black and white?
It's always a classic look.
My other favorite novelty photography is infrared. Though that can require a good infrared filter or a modified camera.
https://robertreiser.photography/infrared-photography-tutorial/
If you're using a DSLR, playing around with where you're pointing the camera when you're setting your exposure can radically change your picture. Point the camera at the sky and set your aperture and shutter speed so that the light meter in your viewfinder is balanced, then move the camera back down so that the buildings are included again. The light meter will indicate that you're underexposed but taking the picture like this can keep the buildings in shadow, while allowing the sky to shine through.
Also think about how your composition is balanced. If you want the sky to be the focus, try including more of it in the image. Remember the rule of thirds - maybe try with the sky taking up two thirds and the buildings just the bottom third.
I just had a play with the Tune Image options in Snapseed on Android. I mainly adjusted the brightness, contrast, and saturation. Essentially though, just make a copy of your photo and play with it in a photo editor. Most of them have presets and filters for bringing out the sky :)
Try different techniques, or even colour saturation. Literally one of the best pictures I've ever taken was a water drop in a dirty bowl in my sink. Just the right exposure, focus and timing and boom it was perfect from ordinary.
Use HDR to get the sky exposed correctly, or at least in a more interesting color cast, while keeping the buildings on the ground from turning even dingier than they already are.
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