Particularly note: "The processing itself was fairly straight forward, and even simple stretching of the RGB combined frame showed far more blue than most of us are used to seeing in this nebula."
I remember reading somewhere else about the blue across the Lagoon too but after a quick search I haven't found it yet...
I have always wondered about the blue halo of M8. I don't know of you remember but when I had my Ap155 in Oz I shot the M8 region trio and noted the blue halo. Man, did I get an ear full from folks around the globe that this blue halo did not exist and that it was from my processing. I have seen it since in other deep M8 images. It is nice to see it again in yours. I am beginning to believe that it is real.
I have always wondered about the blue halo of M8. I don't know of you remember but when I had my Ap155 in Oz I shot the M8 region trio and noted the blue halo. Man, did I get an ear full from folks around the globe that this blue halo did not exist and that it was from my processing. I have seen it since in other deep M8 images. It is nice to see it again in yours. I am beginning to believe that it is real.
-Tom
Of course it's real mate.
It is even in the La Silla 2.2m image although they show it as more of a grey but sheesh grey, blue, meah same thing, there ain't much difference the bright areas of the nebula are clearly being blueified too, shame the framing cut off the lower dust curtain I reveled in my image but I can see the start of it at the bottom in the 2.2m shot
We are just ground breakers mate - like Schiaparelli and Lowell ...
Mike
Last edited by strongmanmike; 30-07-2011 at 08:24 AM.
I have always wondered about the blue halo of M8. I don't know of you remember but when I had my Ap155 in Oz I shot the M8 region trio and noted the blue halo. Man, did I get an ear full from folks around the globe that this blue halo did not exist and that it was from my processing. I have seen it since in other deep M8 images. It is nice to see it again in yours. I am beginning to believe that it is real.
-Tom
Well I have it in my shot too Tom. Must be the skies here; perhaps they are darker than else where.
Well done. Theres traces of the blue halo in a pic I took with the 300mm lens, but yours shows it very well indeed. There is blue reflection nebulosity all around the Lagoon in your pic, but only the deepest pics like yours will show it. That little reflection nebula towards top left is very well shown too. Top class effort mate. That fast light bucket coupled with the big chip camera is showing its stuff.
Excellent work Mike. There is no doubt the blue halo is present, alas I agree with Peter in that the image is too blue. Equally the pink hues of the nebula look rather muted, lacking vibrancy. It may help if you balance your black point better (as per the attached). Raising the blue black point would address the "too blue" issue. Personally I'd also be raising the black point of the other channels to get more saturation, but thats a matter of taste. This aside, a top of the shelf image in all. Details are exceptional and you've handled the vast dynamic range of the target very well. Well done.
Excellent work Mike. There is no doubt the blue halo is present, alas I agree with Peter in that the image is too blue. Equally the pink hues of the nebula look rather muted, lacking vibrancy. It may help if you balance your black point better (as per the attached). Raising the blue black point would address the "too blue" issue. Personally I'd also be raising the black point of the other channels to get more saturation, but thats a matter of taste. This aside, a top of the shelf image in all. Details are exceptional and you've handled the vast dynamic range of the target very well. Well done.
Howdy Jase
He, he, I must be a non conformist...I balanced it intentionally like this I know some prefer a little less blue and that's fine but it is clear my eye prefers a slight blue bias . However, it makes no difference to the existence of the envelope and curtain and they remain slightly blue regardless nor does it change the fact that there is blue in the Lagoon. Sure adjusting the histograms adjusts the colour from less blue to more grey, plus it blackens the dark areas in the image and gives the colours more contrast. Sometimes I like all this but in this case I didn't like what it did to the image and it was more muted colours and grayer dark areas that I was after - call me stupid .
That's the fun thing about this game, you can apply rules and regulations to images but it isn't necessarily always the answer
Cheers for your thoughts though and in a perfect world they would be very sound ....I'm just not perfect
He, he, I must be a non conformist...I balanced it intentionally like this I know some prefer a little less blue and that's fine but it is clear my eye prefers a slight blue bias . However, it makes no difference to the existence of the envelope and curtain and they remain slightly blue regardless nor does it change the fact that there is blue in the Lagoon. Sure adjusting the histograms adjusts the colour from less blue to more grey, plus it blackens the dark areas in the image and gives the colours more contrast. Sometimes I like all this but in this case I didn't like what it did to the image and it was more muted colours and grayer dark areas that I was after - call me stupid .
That's the fun thing about this game, you can apply rules and regulations to images but it isn't necessarily always the answer
Cheers for your thoughts though and in a perfect world they would be very sound ....I'm just not perfect
Mike
Whatever floats your boat Mike! Rules and regulations? If you know of them, please do tell! I think what you are trying to say is there is not right or wrong - completely agree. As the creator, you're the only one that needs to be happy with the image! Again, top image. More please!
I re did the histograms and you now have me umming and arr'ing
As I noted during the original processing, fully adjusted histograms makes it look too dark and stark..?........
looking at the original, a fully adjusted version and a 50/50 blend of the two together on the screen there ain't much in it really (semantics?) and teh envelope and curtain are still there but more blue-grey now..maybe I go halfway you're drivin me crazy now
I have always wondered about the blue halo of M8. I don't know of you remember but when I had my Ap155 in Oz I shot the M8 region trio and noted the blue halo. Man, did I get an ear full from folks around the globe that this blue halo did not exist and that it was from my processing. I have seen it since in other deep M8 images. It is nice to see it again in yours. I am beginning to believe that it is real.
-Tom
Yes it is definitely there as mentioned it does require dark skies and a deep image to pick it up:
Another to shift the blue histogram with more control may be with the selective colour tool. Its a pretty awesome tool.
Looking at your image again that is quite remarkable that you picked up so much blue reflection nebulosity in light polluted conditions. Amazing really. For my personal taste I think its pretty spot on as-is only for me I would prefer a bit deeper contrast but that would come from a dark site.
I suppose it is real, for sure the way to precess the image is changing a lot the final result and that depends also on the the personal preference of the photographer..
There is no doubt that the blue curtain I have picked up below the main nebula and the extensions around the outer periphery of the main nebula are real, it is the general blue bias I have retained across the image that Jase questioned and that's perfectly valid - this is the personal preference thing I guess.
Wolfgangs image is very vibrant and colourful for sure and looks great but it doesn't have the real look or perhaps I mean subtle that I was after in this instance and again that's not criticism, after all what is real anyway in this game of ours?..it is what is in the creators eye There have been plenty of times I have wished to display an object with more punch and colour...just not this time I guess..? Maybe it is because I am imaging from a heavily light polluted sky, so creating a vibrant colourful version was the bit that didn't seem real? ie a more muted delicate approach seemed more appropriate..?
Buuut, to be completely honest, I'd prefer to see more vibrancy in the pinks (but not as fluro as Wolfgang's version!) and a little less blue cast to make the other colours pop.
Buuut, to be completely honest, I'd prefer to see more vibrancy in the pinks (but not as fluro as Wolfgang's version!) and a little less blue cast to make the other colours pop.
Cheers, Marcus
He he I've tried a few variations and I can't warm to any of'em
the bright areas of the nebula are clearly being blueified too, shame the framing cut off the lower dust curtain I reveled in my image but I can see the start of it at the bottom in the 2.2m shot
. However, it makes no difference to the existence of the envelope and curtain and they remain slightly blue regardless nor does it change the fact that there is 
...
you're drivin me crazy now 
