Airglow (Blue Lake, Rotorua)

Image Critiques Nightscape & Astro Critiques
1

_MG_9522_Rotorua airglow S.jpg
_MG_9522_Rotorua airglow S.jpg1900×1245 2.12 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

This is a very dark area some 10Km out of Rotorua NZ, however there is a mountain between. South is the lhs of the photo which is approx 60 deg wide. I was out hoping for Aurora Australis, and nature provided this for my entertainment. The light was identical two nights running and faded about 4 hours after sunset, hence my interpretation as airglow, visible as a grey smudge on the horizon.

Specific Feedback

Should I crop the photo on the LHS to remove all to the left of the Milky Way touching the horizon? Should I reduce the lighting on the rhs? This is unlikely to be light pollution because there are no towns in that direction.

Technical Details

Three photos merged in Photoshop Elements to reduce noise. Canon 90D, Sigma 17 to 70 F2.8 at 17mm, 15 sec each exposure. Tripod. Some curves and levels. Daylight white balance.

Critique Template

Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.

  • Vision and Purpose:
  • Conceptual:
  • Emotional Impact and Mood:
  • Composition:
  • Balance and Visual Weight:
  • Depth and Dimension:
  • Color:
  • Lighting:
  • Processing:
  • Technical:
2

Looks like time very well spent in a lovely night. If you want to convey the “airglow” Aurora, you might consider artificially adding luminosity and/or color to that grey smudge on the horizon.

3

Dick, I am not sure I understand. The grey on the horizon was visible to the naked eye and became red in camera. I did play with white balance and the sky under / behind the horizon cloud went green before the red elsewhere disappeared, but I thought it looked weird.

4

A very nice capture with the lake adding interest and the horizon echoing the Milky Way’s shape. I don’t see any need to crop – the area where the MW touches the ground needs some elbow room.

The red certainly sounds like a diffuse aurora. I’m confused by your use of airglow. I would assume the darker area near the horizon is cloud. The greenish appearance could be some airglow but it seems to be confined to the cloud. Possibly light pollution? Colors can be subject to change as tonalities are tweaked.