I went out a couple evenings ago with a vision to capture the Milky Way in a unique way by including a person for sense of scale and framing between these large trees. I had pretty good conditions this night and at first was disappointed with a cloud that moved in. The cloud took on an orange glow from light pollution from a nearby town which I think in the end helped add to the photo. Could not decide which I liked best so here are my five favorites from the evening and I'd be curious to hear which one you like best and think is the strongest image.
J. Pow wrote:
I think I like the 3rd best. Hands out of pockets and less clouds. Very cool!
Joel
Thanks Joel, I appreciate your feedback on which image you like best! It was surreal being out there and it's difficult to convey that in a photo compared to the actual experience.
I get the compositional reason to do the headlamp, but it looks too fake to me - I've never looked up at the stars like that. I'd also prefer no light painting on the trees, I think their silhouette would have worked well here. My first thought is crap, that guy has lights in his eyes ruining his view
The cloud doesn't bother me, but if it were mine I'd tone it down, esp. in the bottom.
I get the compositional reason to do the headlamp, but it looks too fake to me - I've never looked up at the stars like that. I'd also prefer no light painting on the trees, I think their silhouette would have worked well here. My first thought is crap, that guy has lights in his eyes ruining his view
The cloud doesn't bother me, but if it were mine I'd tone it down, esp. in the bottom.
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback Jim! I totally get where you're coming from. The headlamp beam is definitely a creative choice—it's not meant to be a literal representation of stargazing, but more of a visual cue to draw the viewer into the Milky Way and add a sense of narrative. As for the light painting, I experimented with silhouettes too, but felt the subtle red glow added some dimension and contrast, especially against the cool tones of the sky. I appreciate your perspective on the clouds too—definitely something to play with more in post. Always good to hear what stands out (or doesn't) for other eyes!
Zimjzk wrote:
This is amazing!!!, the framing with the trees can enhance the depth of the image , especially with the Milky Way as the backdrop
Thank you so much! I’m really glad you noticed the framing — I was hoping the trees would help draw the eye into the Milky Way and add that sense of depth — glad you felt it added to the photo which I was aiming for when I scouted this area during the day.
