I've been trying to shoot some landscape and stock photos for the last couple of month and I just can't seem to get it. This should be so easy I see these images the have so much depth. I mean the clouds are just coming at you. So I try to do the same and mine are so flat and bla! I read that you have to include a foreground to lead your eyes but I just don't know where I'm going wrong. Here is a image I took today of the USS Utah which I tried to include the foreground but this is terrible. Any advice is appreciated. I'm also having issues with vingnetting from my lens hood.

hi there a couple of things.... nice idea..... but the photo is WAY tooooooo large! no need to be that BIG! send/poster smaller files. dead center is deadly.. don't put the horizon line in the center of the frame clean your sensor :-) expose for the highlights.. the clouds are washing out. there is no foreground element.... you'd need to be closer use Shadow/Highlights in Aperture, Lightroom, Photoshop or Elements to tone down the highlights and open up the shadows. hope this helps!!!!!! see ricksammon.com > articles page > Canon Digital Learning Center for some scenic/landscape tips best rick