Thanks for the feedback guys.
Greg Bradley - I haven't got the polar scope, but after houghy's recommendations I may have to look into it.
I think for a widefield nightscape like this, there's going to be limited benefits to going much longer than 2 minutes. I guess you could reduce the ISO and try and get a less grainy image (than at ISO3200), but I think it's fairly acceptable to have some grain in these type of images. Of course the less the better
I'm still trying to get through the images - I'm probably 20% through, that's why there's only 1 image a week coming out - limited time!
Thanks for your thoughts, Greg.
I completely agree about composites that include elements taken on different days, different times, with different equipment etc.
And I agree also with the quoted description of 'acceptable modifications', but I'm also not a complete hard-arse purist about it. As long as it's specified up front and not trying to dupe anyone into believing it's a single exposure.
I'm ok with *this* type of composite, that was taken at the same time, same equipment, same direction - everything the same except one with tracking on/one with tracking off.
Like this
one done way back in 2007, it just wouldn't have been possible without a composite.
Each to their own though. As long as people are honest and upfront about how they made the image, then anything is fair game. It just might cross some people's line about what's 'illustration' or 'art' as opposed to a photograph of a moment caught in time.
There was a nightscape photo that I saw on Facebook a few weeks ago, where the photographer rotated the milkyway to improve the composition, and included elements taken later with light painting etc.
In some of the comments, the rotation of the milky way stepped over the line for some people.
Even this
now famous photograph of the perseids, included LOTS of alterations, including one from sunrise to help light up the foreground. It's a brilliant photograph, very well planned and executed with excellent photo editing skills.
Is it a real photograph? To me, it's stunning and I'd have been very pleased to produce it myself.
But everyone has their own 'rules'.