First Landscape

In the location you live in, my advice would be to get a telephoto and start finding the small details. You might not have grandiose mountains and rivers and neverending valleys like some other states, but that doesn't mean there aren't landscape shots! Zoom in and find the intimate shots.

As far as this shot goes, my main critique would just be the lack of a main focus/subject/point of interest. It definitely looks like a nice place for a picnic or to watch the sunset, but in this frame there isn't a focus point. There also isn't much going on in the sky, which is going to be a deal breaker for this location. I'd say find some foreground interest with some rocks or something else near the shoreline in another vantage point elsewhere around the lake, and wait for a sunset that'll catch those clouds on fire. I've seen Indiana sunsets, I know you get some good ones!

I've seen some pretty interesting compositions out of Indiana/Illinois during the upcoming time of year when the morning frost starts but all the trees still have their autumn color...use a cell phone app called Windy to keep track of cloud coverage and cloud elevation for a morning you're available to go shoot (Of course, have a location in mind already). If the conditions are looking good for a potential firey sunrise, head out and find a composition that'll have the cool toned frosty foreground in unison with the warm sky and colorful trees. Just an idea!