thanks straffo.
toronto -
-keep in mind that when you are not getting the blue it is because it is being drowned out by the white. high noon is almost always a washout.
-the raw result of exposure exists incomplete and it requires its final form.
-i might suggest that you start experimenting with aperture and exposure times. take 10 of the same shot and change the settings slightly with each. open them as a slide show and make a record of which looks best for each shot. ask yourself which ones really work.
-when doing so, keep your whites white. try to keep detail in the shadows while still making them rich and explorable.
-white and reflective surfaces interfere alot, so try shooting later in the day or earlier depending. colors are greatly enhanced at these times as well.
-that said...even these pictures could be greatly improved by converting them to auto levels in any graphics program.