This month I have again hunted down some more dust and reflection nebula. Inspired by Tom Davis I am now on a quest to hunt down dark dust lanes and reflection nebula. The image needs more data before I will be satisfied. I am doing 15 minute subs on the red and green and 20 minutes on blue and luminance. I have been using this formula for a while and I think it generally works. I have tried not to go over the top with the saturation and been careful of the star sizes, which can be tough given the star field.
Please let me know what you like about the image and what you don't like about it.
This month I have again hunted down some more dust and reflection nebula. Inspired by Tom Davis I am now on a quest to hunt down dark dust lanes and reflection nebula. The image needs more data before I will be satisfied. I am doing 15 minute subs on the red and green and 20 minutes on blue and luminance. I have been using this formula for a while and I think it generally works. I have tried not to go over the top with the saturation and been careful of the star sizes, which can be tough given the star field.
Please let me know what you like about the image and what you don't like about it.
The only thing I don't like about the image is ...that you were actually able to take it ... all we have here is...
I would up the saturation...but then David Malin wouldn't like it .....
Mike
Yeah well we have had similar for the last three weeks, but I did suffer for my art last night. It got down to -3 last night at the house and I had to get up in the middle of the night to put on the air con so I could sleep without feeling like I was freezing under a thick quilt and long johns in bed.
As to the saturation, I am with you Mike. I will probably take a look at this and I don't care what Mr Malin likes or not really. Film is film and digital is digital mate and well you know my theory from there. David has his opinion and I have mine. For the comp though you need to respect the judge and give him what he wants.
Your stars are even resembling Martin Pugh's with those tiny, tiny diffraction spike effects.
H
Thanks H; certainly not intended and quite a compliment. I continue to work on perfecting my images, good data always helps. Now I have the PME pointing and guiding like a beast it makes for easy collection and more time to sit and think about processing. Although in this instance the star spikes just happened. Most like some aberration in the imaging train. Certainly no skill.
You've done everything exceptionally well Paul. My only comment and I'd say the same about my own image of the same area - is it lacks punch. Its a difficult area to make impactful.
So what you were saying about colour saturation is spot on. That's part processing and part total exposure time. Of course to get a good separation between the dust and the stars is going to take multihoured exposures. I think there are a lot of nice blue stars in that field as well.
I am only making the comment because I know you are aiming for the highest possible image because it is a super image already.
Perhaps check Thomas Davis version of the same area to see how his turned out. His version would be the best on the net.
Greg.
Last edited by gregbradley; 22-07-2011 at 04:33 PM.
Something to think about Greg and yes multi houred collection is probably needed in this instance. I will plan for 10 or so hours and see how it pans out. That generally allows for dust to become a little foreground looking. I will take a look at Tom's image, and see where I can improve mine. No doubt every where. Agree with the punch. All those stars make it hard.
Ok I ramped up the colour saturation just a little. Not enough data there yet to work it a lot, but I think this one is slightly better. Opinions? The image attached is what it looked like before. The link above now contains the revised image.
Excellent Paul. I think the saturation is good on the second pass. The first does provide a natural feel however. The image displays colour confidence and is clean. Great work.
I like this one, shot this myself only a few weeks back, of interest is the small dust cloud inside the reflective nebulosity, when I shot it I thought I had a dust spot, but it's definitely there.
Nice colors and smooth ..... One to be pleased about.
... all we have here is...
...
David has his opinion and I have mine. For the comp though you need to respect the judge and give him what he wants. 
Certainly no skill.
Agree with the punch. All those stars make it hard.
