Full Moon over Tahoe

Image Critiques Nightscape & Astro Critiques
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BAP-FullMoonOverTahoe.jpg
BAP-FullMoonOverTahoe.jpg1200Ă—800 874 KB

Critique Style Requested: In-depth

The photographer has shared comprehensive information about their intent and creative vision for this image. Please examine the details and offer feedback on how they can most effectively realize their vision.

Self Critique

This photo actually has fairly minimal processing - denoise and dehaze in the sky as well as as bit of warmth added to the milky way. Also highlights taken down on the moon and moon path as that was originally quite overexposed. Foreground has shadows reduced a bit. It was a full moon in July and quite a bright clear calm night. Several satellite streaks and one airplane removed. :slight_smile:

I tried to do very gradual / feathered dehazing in the sky such that there is not a “line” between the clear sky and the hazy lights from South Lake Tahoe and the sunset, but this was what I struggled with the most and I am not entirely happy with the current results.

Creative direction

The intention for this photo is to be a fine art print as well as high quality digital image. I think the composition is a bit unique, as I had my tripod set up on a rock about five meters offshore. Thank goodness Tahoe is relatively warm in July.

I have had several people say it looks AI generated, which it is assuredly not, but I like that it almost has the look of a painting or other created work and want to keep the unique feel.

Specific Feedback

Aesthetic, emotional, technical

Appreciate any ideas and tips on how to make this better, especially technically. I primarily use Photoshop, with raw image view / editing first.

Technical Details

fullmoontahoe-camerainfo

Description

As far as feelings, vision, and sense of place, this is the official working title and description that I wrote for the piece- and I would like to maintain or enhance the photo to reflect “stillness, grandeur, natural beauty, distant expanse of the universe”.

Moonlight Serenity over Tahoe
A peaceful summer night at Lake Tahoe, where the full moon reflects off the water and the rocky shoreline. The Milky Way emerges above, creating a quiet yet powerful contrast between the earth and the vast night sky. This photograph captures the stillness and grandeur of the scene, blending the natural beauty of the lake with the distant expanse of the universe.

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1 Like
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It looks like you had a very clear sky to be able to find that much detail in the MW with some moonlight. The moonlight on the landscape is a very nice touch. I wish the MW had rotated a bit more (another hour or two) so it wasn’t so hidden by the trees. That would have meant the distorted near tree was more concealed by dark sky. For my taste, its awkward lean into the frame is not a pleasant feature. It would also have given a more subtle moon and reflection. Did you shoot any more later, perhaps aimed just a bit more to the right? For the present image, I would try to lighten the ink-black areas of the sky and reduce somewhat the brightest parts of the moon’s reflection and its halo, but contrast is artist’s choice.

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Thank you for the feedback. Unfortunately the clouds rolled in shortly after this photo was taken, so no, I was not able to get the perfect shot with the milky way clear and present. I will work on the contrast to see if I can get something more pleasing.

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Sympathies! It seems there is always something to interfere with night photography, much more than random chance. I certainly don’t have a lot of it to post…

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Hi Amber. Shots of Lake Tahoe can easily take on a surreal unearthly quality. People don’t believe it. I have had that with tree shots in the surrounding El Dorado Forest.
Best way that I know of to remove the yellow-amber city lights glow is to colorcast out with the opposite color in Photoshop. In this case some shade of blue and a low opacity/flow + paintbrush. Learned that one from NPN guru David Kingham . I actually use the TK9 add on for this. But not required. Love the colors here. Esp the Tahoe blue (it’s real.) Kudos on getting the full moon and milky way in one shot.
I have not had much luck with that. I also agree with Diane that having the milky way more to the right would have been an enhancement.

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Hi James,
Thanks for your kind comments and very practical feedback. I will try the colorcast techniques and see how far I can get. :slight_smile: