So why is it ...

[Sir_Crashalot]

If with 'FSX textures' you mean an add-on named Howards' Mix beware of it. It could cause more problems than you ask for. Read the read-me very well before installation.

Great add-ons:

FS9 Bible

Just some scenery

Carlo

[Sir Puma]

Yeah, Howards. I'm backing up all the FS9 files it wants to overwrite. I'll check out those others. thanks

[jankees]

There's lots of thing involved in making passable screenshots, but it all starts imho with the right addons.
The right clouds, the right scenery and the right aircraft.
In your shots, I see mainly default stuff, try to avoid that.
Even if you limit yourself to freeware, there is some good stuff out there. Try here for scenery for example. I was quite happy with FS Skyworld for the clouds in the old FS9 days. Nice aircraft can be found all over.
But don't be afraid to try some payware every now and then, it usually (but not always) looks better.
Then it comes to taking the shot. Sometimes you can take shots while happily flying along, but quite often, I try to set up a certain shot. I have a picture in my mind and try to recreate that. Above all, do not be afraid to experiment, with angles, lighting, weather, time of day, etc.
One final thing: try cropping the image occasionally, by cutting off the non-interesting parts.
Take your 747 shot, I would have cut a bit of the runway, and possibly the sky too, ending up with this:


Good luck,

Jan Kees

[DowninFlames]

When you file save as.. Crank up the pixels per square inch.
I think the default in Photofiltre is 75. I move it up to 80-85 and drop the image size to 950.

Just an idea.

[fourbee]

I found that if you reduce your visibility to about 30 miles and have thick cloud cover it looks far more real. Or maybe it was just me. . . . . .
without clouds

with clouds and reduced vis

[Sir Puma]

Hmmm, some good tips there guys. Thanks.

[olderndirt]

When you file save as.. Crank up the pixels per square inch.
I think the default in Photofiltre is 75. I move it up to 80-85 and drop the image size to 950.

Just an idea.

The PSE standard is 72 and they recommend increasing in multiples of that.