Haystack Rock explodes…..

[dankearl]

Thanks for the comments on the light painted photo.
Here is a total star photo, No other light used, no moon, etc.
It was just about 7 pm so you can still see a remnant of the sunset, but that is it.

30 sec., 14mm (Rokinon manual lens), iso2500, f2.8, D800
PP in ACR (distortion fix, Exposure, color WB adjustments, etc.)
NR with Topaz plug in, (the original looks good, there is posterization from compression in the FG reflection in this small version)
Finish in NX2.

002_2784bp3.jpg (http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=137065&stc=1&d=1390537106)

[David Stephens]

Love the title and agree that it does look like everything is radiating out from the rock.

I'm amazed that the clouds did not totally obscure the stars. I love the composition and resulting overall image.

[Diane Miller]

I think this is your best yet -- very dramatic. There is a masking halo at the base of the rock, on both sides, and a tiny triangle to be filled in in the UR.

I don't care for the reflection being cut off -- I'd crop halfway up on it, just leaving a trace.

[dankearl]

Thanks David and Diane for the comments.
I fixed the things you mentioned, Diane, as well as tweaked the posterization in the NR in the FG.
I did not crop off the reflection as I just like as much land as I can get in Star photos.
By the way, for those interested, The Topaz NR plug in works really well. Gets rid of noise in very high
ISO settings without destroying detail.

002_2784bpn3.jpg (http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=137094&stc=1&d=1390649766)

[Grace Scalzo]

Dan, I don't look here often, but glad that I did. This is beautiful image that i bet would make a nice large print.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Dan - I think this is your best star photo yet. I also thought a crop from the bottom would strengthen but understand your desire for more land. The rp looks warmer/yellower than the op. I prefer the colors of the op.

TFS,
Rachel

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Dan, I agree too that this is your best night-scape so far. I do like the way the clouds and stars seem to radiate out from behind Haystack Rock. The stars on the left side do not look as sharp as those on the right side of the comp.

[dankearl]

Thanks everyone for the nice comments.
Andrew, you are correct about the sharpness, unfortunately a lens problem I will have to live with.
Rokinon is sort of a cheap Korean brand marketed under a few different names (Samyang is one).
They are a niche lens "discovered" by star photo people because they are a 14mm, F2.8 lens for $300!
They are known to have quality control issues and mine appears to not be as sharp left to right.
I will still keep and use it, you don't use these lens much and I do have a very nice 24mm f2.8 Nikon lens
that I can also use at night.
The Rokinon is manual only so I may just need to tune it in better before I shoot. Manual focusing in the dark
is a learning curve….

[Diane Miller]

Well, compared to the Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 that goes for $3000, that's not bad. Try shooting several, tweaking the focus a little each time, and note (on the computer at 100%) where the best one is relative to the infinity mark on the lens. It may sound odd, but that may balance things out better.

[Morkel Erasmus]

I agree, Dan, your best nocturnal landscape to date. Great composition and thinking in designing the shot.
The RP works better for me ito overall quality and detail in the dome (luminosity is improved there) but I agree with Rachel that the OP colours are best.
It looks just a tad soft to me - might be the manual focus in the dark you mentioned? Perhaps a slight increase in FG sharpening will help here?
:5