Greg, this comment really isn’t aimed at you in particular, but all of us, and especially me. Technically you guys with IQs of 150+ are light years ahead of me with your imaging and I am amazed at your attention to technical details which, perhaps, from the point of view of aesthetics, might not matter as much as we like to believe. At the end of the day, a great image can be technically flawed. More disappointing is when a technically perfect image produced by an elite astro-imager falls short on one essential account: composition. Some imagers argue that “focus, focus, focus” is everything when collecting the raw data. I would argue “composition, composition, composition” is everything at the start of an imaging project which might take up weeks of one’s precious time. I aim to spend the first night experimenting with composition until I find something that is pleasing before I commit to multiple nights of data integration. Finding the right composition is usually easy with a galaxy: center the target on the cross hairs, and this often makes a pleasing composition. However, pleasing composition does not come so easy for a complex nebula. Sorry for my condescending, but hopefully constructive reality check.
Oops that slipped through. Corrected. It was the CCDstack sharpening that caused it. I don't normally use it. Fixed now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slawomir
Hi Greg,
I must agree with Mike - colours are good but luminance (Ha?) would certainly benefit from lighter processing.
But overall the image looks very nice
Thanks Suavi. As above I've fixed that now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MLParkinson
Greg, this comment really isn’t aimed at you in particular, but all of us, and especially me. Technically you guys with IQs of 150+ are light years ahead of me with your imaging and I am amazed at your attention to technical details which, perhaps, from the point of view of aesthetics, might not matter as much as we like to believe. At the end of the day, a great image can be technically flawed. More disappointing is when a technically perfect image produced by an elite astro-imager falls short on one essential account: composition. Some imagers argue that “focus, focus, focus” is everything when collecting the raw data. I would argue “composition, composition, composition” is everything at the start of an imaging project which might take up weeks of one’s precious time. I aim to spend the first night experimenting with composition until I find something that is pleasing before I commit to multiple nights of data integration. Finding the right composition is usually easy with a galaxy: center the target on the cross hairs, and this often makes a pleasing composition. However, pleasing composition does not come so easy for a complex nebula. Sorry for my condescending, but hopefully constructive reality check.
I agree composition is super important.
I take it you don't like this one? I thought it was fine. A bit wider would suit the object a bit more as it gets the 2nd neb on the left in the frame. In fact my first attempt at this was better when I used the reducer as it got both in the frame easily but at 3 metres focal length and basically the largest sensor on the market you end up with this sort of FOV. The Honders would get a far wider FOV so perhaps I will image it again using that. Thanks for your comments.
Wrt Murray's comments, I would probably have gone for a more diagonal composition on this FOV.
Cheers,
Rick.
Yes, perhaps you are correct. A diagonal composition might have worked better. It is a good idea to surround a nebula with regions of black to enhance contrast. However, I think the problem with Greg’s awesome image is that it wastes too much pixel real estate on nothingness at the top. The problem is similar to the amateur portrait photographer who puts the person’s head at the bottom of the image with too much sky at top. I hope that helps a little. I always struggle to find the optimum composition for a complex extended nebula. I really don't know the optimum solution for this object and focal length.
Yes, perhaps you are correct. A diagonal composition might have worked better. It is a good idea to surround a nebula with regions of black to enhance contrast. However, I think the problem with Greg’s awesome image is that it wastes too much pixel real estate on nothingness at the top. The problem is similar to the amateur portrait photographer who puts the person’s head at the bottom of the image with too much sky at top. I hope that helps a little. I always struggle to find the optimum composition for a complex extended nebula. I really don't know the optimum solution for this object and focal length.
I'll have a look at that. Composition with a square sensor can be a little challenging at times as we all used to the 35mm full frame shape which is familiar.
Hi Greg,
I like the original composition - you've done well.
I think the dark nebulas above the liberty nebula are also interesting.
As I said on another post -
a non-global brightening of that area could bring them out better.
I like all new revisions of your interpretation of this area Greg
I would personally stick to the non-cropped version (I do not like cropping out any good data) and, as Allan suggested, would experiment with a further stretch of the fainter areas.
Hi Greg,
I like the original composition - you've done well.
I think the dark nebulas above the liberty nebula are also interesting.
As I said on another post -
a non-global brightening of that area could bring them out better.
cheers
Allan
Thanks Allan, I'll take a look. I have now brightened that area only up and you are right it balances out the image better and shows up the dark nebula as a feature (which looks like something out of a horror movie).
Quote:
Originally Posted by RickS
Yes, I like that too Greg.
Cheers Rick.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slawomir
I like all new revisions of your interpretation of this area Greg
I would personally stick to the non-cropped version (I do not like cropping out any good data) and, as Allan suggested, would experiment with a further stretch of the fainter areas.
Well we certainly go to a lot of trouble to get the extra real estate and all the problems that creates.
I personally like the last crop the best.
Greg.
Last edited by gregbradley; 01-05-2016 at 04:09 PM.
Very fine, Greg. I like it a lot. You have very solid SII and OIII data. The star colours are unobtrusive despite Hubble palette. The contrast is pleasingly crisp.
Very fine, Greg. I like it a lot. You have very solid SII and OIII data. The star colours are unobtrusive despite Hubble palette. The contrast is pleasingly crisp.
Best,
Mike
Thanks Mike, from a fellow CDK club member. We should create a secret handshake!
