# Critique please! Astro



## Griz22 (Jun 30, 2016)

Hello all
I'm still relatively new to photography but have taken a liking to astrophotography. I grabbed this shot last night and cleaned it up in LR this morning.
Thoughts on the shot?
- Composition
- Lighting
- Post-processing
- Anything else 

Thanks!


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## goooner (Jun 30, 2016)

Nice shot. Many times better than I would be able to  get. What setup did use (lens and camera). The exif data will also be interesting to know. Is this a single shot?


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## Griz22 (Jun 30, 2016)

Thank you! 
D750
Tamron 15-30
15mm 3200 iso 30" 2.8f

Single shot


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## unpopular (Jun 30, 2016)

I like the astro part. The people part is pretty unfortunate.

Just curious, why "Griz"? You're not UMT affiliated are you?


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## Griz22 (Jun 30, 2016)

Thank you! Do you have any tips for the foreground? 
That is me in the shot. Unfortunately my remote didn't trigger from that distance so I had to hit the remote and then run into the shot.  Do you have any suggestions for improvement?
Not a UMT grad - just a long-time nickname


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## WR Monger (Jun 30, 2016)

The sky looks really good, for the foreground, I think I would remove the tent from the image, reduce the glare from the passenger side of the vehicle, and remove the light emanating from the wind shield of the vehicle.


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## Griz22 (Jun 30, 2016)

Thank you!


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## epeddy1 (Jun 30, 2016)

Griz22 said:


> Thank you! Do you have any tips for the foreground?



Very cool shot.  A version with a more prominent "you" in the foreground would make a cool avatar or profile picture on your favorite social media site.

If you want some nitpicking, I'll oblige.

For the astro part, I would prefer less streaks just above the trees.  I assume those are airplanes?  It distracts a little.  The streak on the left above the trees looks like a meteor maybe?  Not as distracting for some reason.

For the foreground, I'd rather just see you.  No car, no tent.  Or if you do the tent, make it not as bright and less distracting.  Was there a light on inside, or is it reflective?  And don't cut your body in half,  that makes me queasy.  Especially when you have room for head-to-toe in the foreground.


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## otherprof (Jun 30, 2016)

Griz22 said:


> Hello all
> I'm still relatively new to photography but have taken a liking to astrophotography. I grabbed this shot last night and cleaned it up in LR this morning.
> Thoughts on the shot?
> - Composition
> ...


I like it a lot, and especially because you included yourself and the car and the light from the car. For me it puts it in a context and raises it above merely the sky part in terms of interest. But that's why they make vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.


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## Griz22 (Jun 30, 2016)

Thank you all I appreciate the input. Great suggestions!


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## unpopular (Jun 30, 2016)

Griz22 said:


> Thank you! Do you have any tips for the foreground?
> That is me in the shot. Unfortunately my remote didn't trigger from that distance so I had to hit the remote and then run into the shot.  Do you have any suggestions for improvement?
> Not a UMT grad - just a long-time nickname



Uhhm, move out of the shot next time?


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## Griz22 (Jun 30, 2016)

Ah got it your preference is for a clean foreground


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## TheLibrarian (Jun 30, 2016)

I dont mind the tent just dont like that its cut in half too. Might as well have the whole car and you. I like shining lights up like sending signals to aliens. If the light is from inside the tent then I'd like to try a lower colored light and why is there so much light on the car. Unfortunately I'm in the north east so finding low light pollution is a struggle.


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## Griz22 (Jul 1, 2016)

Thanks Librarian. I agree, having the foreground chopped in half was a mistake. I could've still easily framed the entire milky way and then some and had more of the foreground in the picture. The tent and truck lighting are my fault ... being new, I didn't think through which light I'd be using on the objects. Both inside the tent and diffused onto the truck are LED lights. Have to go with something softer next time.

I appreciate all of the thoughts.


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## unpopular (Jul 1, 2016)

I think you can save the image. Just paint in the vignette and it will be fine, IMO.


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## BananaRepublic (Jul 2, 2016)

Griz22 said:


> Hello all
> I'm still relatively new to photography but have taken a liking to astrophotography. I grabbed this shot last night and cleaned it up in LR this morning.
> Thoughts on the shot?
> - Composition
> ...


I like it. Where you at all tempted to run noise reduction on it?


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## yahgiggle (Jul 4, 2016)

The sky is awesome to improve this image i think you could used photo shop to remove the car and tent


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## Griz22 (Jul 6, 2016)

Thank you all for the comments. Here are two additional shots from the same shoot. Any additional advice to provide?


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## sw_ (Jul 6, 2016)

More of the tent in #1. As is it looks like a deformed pokemon character. 

Too much going on in #2 for my taste, but that's just my taste.


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## Griz22 (Jul 6, 2016)

sw_ said:


> More of the tent in #1. As is it looks like a deformed pokemon character.



haha! I agree. I'm kicking myself for not putting the entire tent in the foreground and providing some depth.  Lining up the composition to have the milky way bottom centered with the tent would've been better as well.


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## sw_ (Jul 6, 2016)

Griz22 said:


> sw_ said:
> 
> 
> > More of the tent in #1. As is it looks like a deformed pokemon character.
> ...


Maybe next time you're out take two images, one with your foreground and one with the milky way. That way you're not trying to cram it all into one scene. 

I do enjoy the glowing tent milky way photos though, always have. Small flashlight under an old t-shirt helps to diffuse the light in the tent so it's not overpoweringly bright.


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