Critique Style Requested: Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I’ve had these images for a bit of time, and frankly forgot about the files until the posts on Bodie. The difficulty I have in shooting any astro scenics is the lack of a good no light area. This about as dark as I can get in NW Florida and what we can’t get naturally, we get in Photoshop (sans AI).
Specific Feedback
I think my only question pertains to the foreground. Too much?
I felt I needed a fair amount of the curvature to enclose the arc of the Galactic Center in an opposing direction.
Technical Details
Nikon D850, Nikkor 14-24 @ 24mm, f/2.8, 16 sec per frame (at six frames vertical), ISO 3200
Processed in ACR for general toning, and Photoshop for the stitch and some minor cloning in the foreground, with noise reduction in ON1 and a touch of frequency separation with TK9.
Critique Template
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- Vision and Purpose:
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- Technical:
I’m inclined to judge MW photographs with a lot of weight to technical quality, because it is such a technical challenge to capture decently. This one isn’t large enough to enjoy that aspect of it but from what I can see it has very nice detail. For me, the amount of FG competes with the sky and I could do with less of it, but I’m sure there will be other opinions. That’s purely artist’s choice.
I love it. The FG is just right for me, dark enough to keep it a bit realistic and large enough to get the feeling that I am standing there and admiring the night sky.
You complain about the lack of no light areas: I envy you, because I can’t think of any spot in a circle of many, many miles around my home with so little light pollution. Everything in life is relative.
Thanks for the comments. I am not sure, Diane why this isn’t large enough. The foreground was intended to compliment the sky as Hans has pointed out: “large enough to get the feeling that I am standing there and admiring the night sky.”
I think the foreground is just about right. If possible it would be nice to lighten the dark trees on the left. If it were my image, I would have removed the bright light dead center and its reflection. I’d say you did real good getting a dark sky. I don’t imagine much of Florida is very dark save a few carefully selected spots. I’d say you “done good”! Tell me about this “frequency seperation” in TK9. I have the plug in but have not really learned how to use it.
Bright light is setting moon…it could have gone and likely will be if I decide to print. Frequency separation works by either adjusting color or texture. It’s somewhat delicate to use and while I first used the link below, I went to other sites and used a compilation of other tips and tricks, the most of which was to use the MP of the camera as my blur point and bringing it down to around 84%. Though I use the texture adjustment, especially in shots with lots of sand, and with pimply kids portraits, it is the color blur adjustment I use the most. It’s sort of like a handy-dandy localized clarity tool. I think Diane uses this tool as well and perhaps she can give you more insight as to it’s tips and tricks as I am just learning the fun of it.
Frequency Separation
I assumed the light was a lighthouse or some other sign of civilization. I don’t find it that distracting and being so centered it feels intentional. My nit with the FG is that there is a nice natural gradient in the water on the right but the sand left of center is lighter and pulls my eye down and parks it there. I would favor a gradient treatment over a crop. @Paul_Holdorf’s idea about a little more detail in the trees sounds good.
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Short of time now – I’ll get back later on freq sep’n – I don’t use it often but it can be an excellent upgrade to cloning in difficult areas like footprints in sand and lens flare. @Kris_Smith has written about it and there is info online.
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