Thank you everyone for your comments. They are all much appreciated.
rparchen wrote:
I like the 2nd edit much better but there is rarely anywhere near that amount of light near the horizon when shooting the Milky Way (I've shot that exact same location too). It's generally pitch-black out unless you have moonlight, which will then drop the amount of visible stars. It still seems a bit unbalanced but there is much left to interpretation with night photography. Great concept but I'd like to see a darker horizon (barely visible) with light on just the foreground. All preference though!
Thanks and it is pitch black out there. With a long exposure it does bring light into the canyon and horizon from the light pollution from Moab.
A person can't make this straight shot work or many others out in the wilderness without some type of light painting or exposure blending. That's the fun of it. I have brought down the foreground brightness a bit more in another file and I will add it to the post here. There is a point where it becomes too dark and gets lost in the darkness.
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JimFox wrote:
Hey Klaus,
I like the subtle difference in your edit of #1. It does help a lot. Unless we are shooting at a time when the moon is lighting up our foreground, obviously the amount of light we allow in the foreground is an artistic approach. I think with mine, I would still make them a bit darker, but then who am I to argue with the great success you are having with your vision. So if it works, and people like it, then continue to go with it.
Jim
Jim,
Thanks and still working on the final edit. Its funny that photographers prefer it dark as you would expect to see it. Everyone else likes it a little brighter. Go figure.
When I was in Arches last year I almost made it out there to shoot the milky way, but it was too long a drive from Moab when I could otherwise go. Still regret not pushing it a bit harder.
I did shoot 'just another' Mesa Arch subsequently.
When I was in Arches last year I almost made it out there to shoot the milky way, but it was too long a drive from Moab when I could otherwise go. Still regret not pushing it a bit harder.
I did shoot 'just another' Mesa Arch subsequently.
David
David,
Thanks and I will once I print it.
There are a lot of places outside of Moab to shoot the Milky Way. I think Mesa Arch might be a nice place to shoot it. That would be a bit different from the rest.
Incredible night sky Klaus, I would love to have the full resolution image and be able to pan around at 100%. That technique you have sounds like a ton of work but the payoff is great, to be able to capture all of the stars that you see with your eyes. Beautiful. This image works for me even without the bonsai tree, just the canyon and Milky Way.
cweb wrote:
Incredible night sky Klaus, I would love to have the full resolution image and be able to pan around at 100%. That technique you have sounds like a ton of work but the payoff is great, to be able to capture all of the stars that you see with your eyes. Beautiful. This image works for me even without the bonsai tree, just the canyon and Milky Way.
Chris,
Thanks and it is a lot of work and planning. Then you are dependent on the weather.
When it all comes together it becomes magical.
These are just killer shots!
I have no idea how you made them, but it just doesn't matter to me. The final horizontal is simply mind-blowing!
regards,
bruce
I love both images Klaus. Very well done and far above my current skills in night photography! I am struggling to understand how one incorporates foreground elements with a tracking mount for the milky way. I guess I am trying to visualize in my head what happens to the foreground in a multi minute exposure with a tracking mount. It would seem the foreground would be rather blurred, yes?
So is it essentially a process of taking a single non tracked exposure for the foreground that is later blended with the tracked exposure? When it comes to exposure blending, are you using luminance masks ?
jim bennett wrote:
I love both images Klaus. Very well done and far above my current skills in night photography! I am struggling to understand how one incorporates foreground elements with a tracking mount for the milky way. I guess I am trying to visualize in my head what happens to the foreground in a multi minute exposure with a tracking mount. It would seem the foreground would be rather blurred, yes?
So is it essentially a process of taking a single non tracked exposure for the foreground that is later blended with the tracked exposure? When it comes to exposure blending, are you using luminance masks ?
Jim,
Thanks and I started with the long exposure of the scene which basically records the FG and landscape but very few stars since it is at a low ISO setting.
I then shoot the milky way with a tacking mount at a higher ISO and very long exposure. This in turn blurs everything that is earth bound.
The I blend the star image with the earth image to get the final result. Hope this helps.
