Photo Critique Thread

[Wahugg]

Thanks for the kind words and advice.

My focal point was 20mm
My apature was 4.0 (low as it will go)
Exposure was 25 seconds (no big difference between the 30sec max besides less noise)
Iso was set at 1600 (3200 was the next step up and highest one, but it had to much noise)
Focus manuel
Noise reduction off

Hope that helps for some critiquing.

Thanks again
-Wahugg

[Trail X]

Might want to get a manual shutter cable if you're interested in these kind of shots. A 1 min exposure could help bring out the stars and let you dial back the iso. A manual shutter release could also let you do super long exposures for star trails. Next time maybe don't include the house, as its a bit too lit and takes away from the stars that you captured.

[Wahugg]

Well, surprisingly this hobby has stuck with me instead of turning out to be a "one week stand". Maybe it's just how the photos appeal to me, or how it gives me some time to sit back and think, but I am pretty sure this hobby is here to stay. My lens's are fairly limited and my camera is a mere D60, but I have been out nearly every clear night taking some photos. The first week was real rough, but I am proud of some photos I have taken. Instead of listing them all here I will include a link to a public album on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... cd8bbdc2dd

And critiques in general would be nice, but I feel as if I am heading in the right direction.

Thanks all again!
-Wahugg

[Trail X]

Looks good Wallace. What sort of post-processing are you doing on the images? I know you're using a high ISO by the noise, which is indeed necessary. Any chance you can bump that down a level? Sometimes one level can make a big difference, and the exposure difference can be made up in post.

I'd also suggest you look into using a denoise filter. Most of the grain in your shots can be eliminated pretty easily with some quick filters.

I did like the interesting compositions you were coming up with. Keep it up!

[RICHIET]

Glad to see you're still at it, Wallace. Some of your shots are pretty good. The noise in the darker shots do detract from the picture. I had a d40x, which the d60 replaced, and the noise at 1600 was pretty bad and unusable at 3200. You should try to start at 400 and go up to 800 if needed. You also said the shutter maxes at 30 sec, but if you set the shutter to bulb it will stay open until you release it. As James said, you should use a remote to eliminate shake. The ml l3 remote that the d60 uses goes for around $15 and is well worth it. You also took noise reduction off. Try fiddling with different combos of settings and see what works for you. Most important, just keep at it.

[Wahugg]

Thanks for the kind words all!

I found a great website and have exchanged a couple of emails with the owner, Ben Canales.
-www.thestartrail.com
-https://www.facebook.com/thestartrail

He has helped me with me technique greatly. I start at the highest Iso (Hi1=3200), my widest aperture either 3.5 or 4 depending on my chosen focal length, and a nice long 30 second exposure. Then I tend to just dial down the Iso a tad to 1600 and then drop the exposure down. Like last night I made a very short time lapse at 1600iso, 3.5 aperture, and only a 13 second exposure. They were still a little noisy but not as bad as what I would have thought with all the haze and clouds.

The reason I don't do longer exposures is because I have a cropped sensor, and I have to follow the rule of 400 till the star begin to streak across the image instead of the rule of 600.
Normally with a 20mm focal length you can have an exposure of 30 seconds before the stars would streak (600/20=30). But sense I have a crop sensor, I have to use the rule of 400 and I only get to have a maximum of a 20 second expose (400/20=20).

I think star streaks would be cool, but they are not my everynight thing. Also, with a shorter exposure you can take more pictures in the night.

I did have noise reductions off, and thanks for pointing that out! I thought it was on! Hopefully that will help some!

And as far as post shot editing, there is non! I just throw my pictures onto an external hdd, and run them through Quicktime Pro for a time lapse video if that's what I am doing.

James, I am interested in this denoise filter and a quick google did not reveal anything other than it was a form of noise reduction. Perhaps tonight when I have more time I might be able to look into it more.

Thanks again for the kind words! They really mean a lot, as does this photography. I have always loved the stars, and even being in the country they are not as bright as what I like due to my geographical location. The best I have ever seen them was out in Glacier National Park, and through my camera I am able to see and capture those sights again.

Thanks again all!

-Wallace

[Wahugg]

Here is a little time lapse form the other night. I messed up the cut off time on the intervalmeter, thus causing the video to only be about 10 seconds (facepalm)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT8GsY0eUDQ

-Wahugg

[Trail X]

The reason I don't do longer exposures is because I have a cropped sensor, and I have to follow the rule of 400 till the star begin to streak across the image instead of the rule of 600.
Normally with a 20mm focal length you can have an exposure of 30 seconds before the stars would streak (600/20=30). But sense I have a crop sensor, I have to use the rule of 400 and I only get to have a maximum of a 20 second expose (400/20=20).

I think this only really matters when doing high quality large prints. I've got an APS-C sized sensor, and have had good results at 18mm and 30sec exposures. The factor that is not included in your math is the output size/type. If you're outputting video, slight streaking is not noticeable because it's naturally blended between frames.

And as far as post shot editing, there is non! I just throw my pictures onto an external hdd, and run them through Quicktime Pro for a time lapse video if that's what I am doing.

James, I am interested in this denoise filter and a quick google did not reveal anything other than it was a form of noise reduction. Perhaps tonight when I have more time I might be able to look into it more.

Post processing can really make the stars jump. Something as simple as an auto levels or auto contrast pass can really help bring out stars.

Denoise and noise reduction are the same thing. Photoshop has some pretty good denoise filters built in. Just play around with the settings until you get something of acceptable smoothness, but doesn't obscure the star details. Its much more helpful if you start at a lower noise level, as high noise is difficult to properly smooth.

[Wahugg]

Here are a few more with editing this time.

Enjoy!
-Wahugg


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[The Roadie]

Very nice. It's why I'm a member of the International Dark Sky Association - to preserve views like that.

[beavercountyemt]

Sry mine aren't as good as everyone elses here. I take mine with whatever cell phone i may be reviewing for the week.
Without further delay:







please go gentle on me.

[navigator]

you folks are so far over my head....
As long as I get a pic of the target that isn't blurry I'm good to go!

If I keep reading though I might get it one day.

[Trail X]

Here are a few more with editing this time.

Enjoy!
-Wahugg

Good shots. Difficult to get the milky way, but it looks like you succeeded with the first shot. What sort of settings did you use?

[Trail X]

Sry mine aren't as good as everyone elses here. I take mine with whatever cell phone i may be reviewing for the week.
Without further delay:







please go gentle on me.

Not bad. Interesting choices of backgrounds. The first shot isn't bad, but could use some color adjustment. Shooting with a phone is going to limit you in many ways, most of all you're limited by not being able to anything less than a deep depth of field. Your image could be improved with a large sensor camera by slightly blurring the BG, and the foreground more, which would set your subject apart and draw in the attention of the viewer.

The second image just looks like a snapshot. The encroaching shadow is distracting, but the colors of the image are good.

[Wahugg]

Finally decided to mix things up by taking a daytime shot with myself in it. Thoughts?



But I did of course have to take my night ones!


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-Wahugg

[Trail X]

Man, you are getting good!

The one of yourself is really nice. Good saturated colors, nice subject alignment. The vignette is a bit strong, but it isn't bad either.

Looks like you've figured out the right white balance for the nighttime shots. Great blues. That first star shot is spectacular, great composition with the trees and clouds.

Huge improvements!

[Wahugg]

Thanks James! If you like the sky, tree, and cloud shots here are a couple more for ya.


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I also picked up a new camera, a Nikon D5100 (the ISO capability is extraordinarily better then the D60's) and I picked up a nice piece of glass from sigma that allows a low aperture to let in more light. Other than that, I have been exploring Lightroom's abilities.

I hope to go much farther down this hobby,

-Wahugg

[ConradM]

Finally decided to mix things up by taking a daytime shot with myself in it. Thoughts?




-Wahugg

I like the composition of this one. But it's over saturated and a stop under exposed. Vignette is a little much as well.

[ConradM]

Oh and Wahugg, don't make a habit of putting your watermark in the same place every time, in some of your pics it would be very easy to remove it.

[Gordinho80]

Watkins Glen, NY... the Watkins Glen Gorge...