The Difference between processing

[EzyStyles (Eric)]

Howdy,

Got abit bored tonight. Just want to hear your opinion on which one in your eyes looks better? The left one obviously is heavy processing but shows up more details but looks like a painting and fake, the right one isnt as much processing involved but looks more real and natural.

Processing can really alter an image completely doesnt it?

Cheers.

[iceman (Mike)]

Right one for me.

[jase (Jason)]

Yes, the one on the right.

However, this depends on what features you're trying to bring out in an image. Both images have their merits, however purely from an aesthetics perspective the right one holds ground. There are ways to define subtle features in an image without using sharpening and the like. I have not idea why, but imagers love sharpening and in most cases this is their down fall. Unless your data is of good quality, stay away for such tools. A noisy image when sharpened just amplifies the noise producing artifacts. A better approach in this scenario would be to mask the main feature and smooth data instead.

Actually if you look carefully, you've lost detail with the image on the left.

[ronnierigel]

Hi Ezy


entering into the artist's world here.

Left one vivid and dramatic--evokes a different emotion to the right one---subdued, "peaceful".

I like both for these different reasons. Is there a half-way between these images that captures the essence of both?

I guess your audience comes into it to. I suspect your layperson may pick the left.

That would be a good poll too----get someone who has no idea about astronomy to pick their favourite and post!

ron

[xelasnave]

I like to think they both have merit and indeed each are excellent images...

I believe it is a matter of choice how fotos are presented.

I like extreme for fotos and recognise what we capture is but a small part of the radiation coming from our subjects.

Eric they are absolutely magic captures but do you have any in green..or red..
How can one choose between excellent and superb...

I can not on the basis of a personal preference in presentation.

alex

[night-vision]

The one on the right for me also, it looks much smoother.
Great images

[Ric]

The right one is preferable to me, as mentioned previously by others it has a smoother look and feel.

The left does have it merits though.

Cheers

[Garyh]

yeap the right for me!! Its a beauty Eric
I totally agree with Jases comments...I`m not into that over unsharp masking. I don`t mind some deconvolution if the data is nice and smooth as this brings back what the seeing takes away but unsharp masking looks too over the top unless its done very lightly!

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

I'll be different and go for the left. I wonder how much we have been influenced by looking at past images which were not as sharp as we can make them nowadays and then thinking that they are "correct". Maybe we just have to get used to the fact that sharp images are the way to go with new technology.
Geoff

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

I like the Left also, To my eyes the right one looked pale and uncontrasty. Even flat looking. The left one gave me a sense of depth and the strong lines of the shades really bought to home how much detail is in this nebula.

Nice shooting Eric. Love it.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

For me, the left is 'Dramatic' and 'fiery', which I'm sure it would be up there. It jumps out as a cataclysmic explosion.

The right one shows subtlety and gives a sense of a peaceful and graceful event.

Both have different pespectives. Both good.

But at first glance, I'd go the left.

[leon]

The right one for me Eric, but as others have said they both are great work.

Leon

[Marko of Oz (Mark)]

I'll be a lefty. I like the higher contrasty?/more defined? version.

mmmmm contrasty arrrrrrggge

[Prickly]

Amazing images Eric

Just to add to the confusion - I like the left one. Depth of colours and contrast. Also I like to see the detail. Like the way the background stars shine through in the left one. The greenish colour around the trapezium is most interesting.

As you point out the left one does seem to be marginally more grainy to me (right one smoother).

Brilliant efforts

David

[tornado33]

Yes excellent images.
I would actually say Id prefer something between the two, so I aligned and stacked them both, heres the result.
Scott