Summer Serenity - Redo

Image Critiques Nightscape & Astro Critiques
1

_DSC6713_SummerSerenityV2SirilSky_NPN.jpg
_DSC6713_SummerSerenityV2SirilSky_NPN.jpg1000×1500 1.48 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

Lately I am never happy with my processing and I spend hours trying to find the right feeling in the image. I was not happy with my previous renditions of the Milkyway, either due to the sky itself, or the overall composition. And, I don’t know if this rendition is any better, although I am more satisfied with the overall compositional balance.

Specific Feedback

Does this rendition come across as to overbaked?

Again I am trying to produce a companion photo to my Orion’s Tribe photo I made back in January, so I want the overall color balance to be similar.

Does this rendition match better?

Do I need to try again, that is another rendition?

Night photography is so subjective with regards to the colors, I am really struggling with that. We think the night sky is black, but its not, not really. I mean, spend time in the dark long enough and the sky does take on a blue essence, then turn on a light and then look at the sky and it will be pitch black for a short time before the eyes adjust again. So we think the night sky is black.

Technical Details

Nikon D850.
Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 at f2.8
Sky: 12 frames, at 30 sec each, ISO 1600
Land: 1 frame at 30 sec, ISO 1600

the 12 frames were stacked in Siril and then stretched. Color calibration was difficult. The entire resultant image needed to be rotated about 3 degrees to level out the horizon. It was then used as the image in sky replacement of the single land frame. Then PS and TK masks were used to finalize color and contrast.

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

I find this one very pleasing! But I think you might reduce the brightest part of the MW (left of the central dust area). The degree of blue is purely artist’s choice but the sky here feels a bit too blue for the degree of contrast. But just in the sky – the FG is a very close match. In other words, a lot of blue occurs with some moonlight, and that reduces contrast. But we can change contrast enough that there is no need to keep it “realistic”. The other thing I notice is the very clean horizon. I opened The Shark in another window (you could re-post it here for easy comparison) and I think leaving a bit more of the natural haze could be a nice touch.

When I’m trying to match two images, I’ll “stack” the windows (float them first) by dragging the top edge of one to the other (can’t recall the proper term) and when you hit just the right spot the top edges merge as tabs so you can toggle between them and tweak on the spot. (Must be a simpler way to explain that…)

You have two stunning images here and making them a pair is a wonderful idea!