Nice images Mike
I see many absolutely horrible "composite" images but I like the fact you kept these nice and subtle and I know you did these at the same location and time. Far to often do I see a desaturated daytime shot used and some tracked shot (usually stolen) pasted in the background. For me personally, any image produced using different equipment (in this case, tracking on and off) falls outside of what I consider to be a genuine photograph (but only fractionally) and enters the realm of composites. Please understand that this is just MY thoughts. I personally have never done it and don't have plans to do it anytime in the future. It crosses my personal border. I like the challenge of trying to do images all in the one frame (panos and star trails excluded). I'll copy and paste an extract from an online article I read once about "authentic" photos versus composites. It pretty much mirrors my personal tastes....
"
Here is what I think must be true for a photo to be an "authentic" photograph.
1. Photo(s) used in the final image must be taken at the same focal length and using the same equipment.
2. And within the same 24 hour period.
3. With no introduction of or removal of elements except those that are "small distractions". E.g. noise, an overly bright or overly dark element such as shiny trash or a tripod shadow, Or cloning out an object that moved between exposures as in HDR.
I find these acceptable:
-Cropping – any amount.
-Sharpening, or Blurring (smoothing)
-Color correction, saturation or desaturation (but not color change. Green eyes should not become blue ones – though "red eye" correction is certainly ok).
-Selective coloration, including black and white, duo toning, etc.
-Perspective or lens aberration corrections.
-Vignetting
-Framing
-HDR, or bracketed exposure combinations together with tonal compensation.
-Contrast enhancement
For me the following cross the line from Authentic Photographs into Composites
-Use of any elements taken a different focal lengths or with different equipment unless those elements are resized proportionately and placed in their correct and actual location.
-Using elements taken at different dates or from different directions (e.g. combining a photo of lightning with anything that the lighting did not actually strike)
-Moving elements in a single image to other locations (except incidentally to clone out or cover over issues)."
Phew. Sorry for the long post. Again, nice shots mate.
Cheers
Greg