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Fun with MF images - ARCHIVED - FOR VIEWING ONLY

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Craig Stocks

Well-known member
This photo is from 2019. The Zion National Park has since banned walking or standing on the Canyon Junction Bridge so it would be illegal to shoot this now.

The photo was taken with a Phase One XF/IQ4150 using a 35mm BR lens. Like most landscape astrophotos it has some special techniques and a lot of post processing. In this case there are three layers. The foreground (which is actually built from several frames averaged), the sky (which is also built from several frames averaged) and a second set of sky photos taken just slightly out of focus.

The reason for the out of focus layer is to capture just the larger stars and allow them to "shine" brighter than the smaller stars. It also helps capture the colors of the stars. A drawback of using sharp lens and high resolution is that stars become smaller and less differentiated in the image so they start to just look like noise. By allowing the brighter stars to show more you create a more natural looking result even if the viewer doesn't understand why. As far as I know this is an original technique that I discovered.
 

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MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
This photo is from 2019. The Zion National Park has since banned walking or standing on the Canyon Junction Bridge so it would be illegal to shoot this now.

The photo was taken with a Phase One XF/IQ4150 using a 35mm BR lens. Like most landscape astrophotos it has some special techniques and a lot of post processing. In this case there are three layers. The foreground (which is actually built from several frames averaged), the sky (which is also built from several frames averaged) and a second set of sky photos taken just slightly out of focus.

The reason for the out of focus layer is to capture just the larger stars and allow them to "shine" brighter than the smaller stars. It also helps capture the colors of the stars. A drawback of using sharp lens and high resolution is that stars become smaller and less differentiated in the image so they start to just look like noise. By allowing the brighter stars to show more you create a more natural looking result even if the viewer doesn't understand why. As far as I know this is an original technique that I discovered.
I have heard of using defocused star images so that their colors wouldn't blow out, but your idea captures something more subtle.
 

Arne Hvaring

Well-known member
Two more. Old bridge. GFX100 with the Micro Nikkor 85mm tilt/shift lens, tilted a few degrees. Last the river beneath, or rather what's left of it after weeks of drought. GF 110 mm lens.





 

Ed Hurst

Well-known member
This photo is from 2019. The Zion National Park has since banned walking or standing on the Canyon Junction Bridge so it would be illegal to shoot this now.

The photo was taken with a Phase One XF/IQ4150 using a 35mm BR lens. Like most landscape astrophotos it has some special techniques and a lot of post processing. In this case there are three layers. The foreground (which is actually built from several frames averaged), the sky (which is also built from several frames averaged) and a second set of sky photos taken just slightly out of focus.

The reason for the out of focus layer is to capture just the larger stars and allow them to "shine" brighter than the smaller stars. It also helps capture the colors of the stars. A drawback of using sharp lens and high resolution is that stars become smaller and less differentiated in the image so they start to just look like noise. By allowing the brighter stars to show more you create a more natural looking result even if the viewer doesn't understand why. As far as I know this is an original technique that I discovered.

Lovely shot, sir! May I ask, how do you edit or blend-in the 'slightly out of focus' layer? Do you just overlay it generally over the finished sky layer (based on the stacking of the multiple, in-focus star frames)? Do you adjust the layer opacity? Perhaps brush it in, using a layer mask, only around the brighter stars? Change the layer blending mode? Would be very interested to learn... But would also fully understand if this is confidential to you :)

Either way, a smashing result!
 

Craig Stocks

Well-known member
Lovely shot, sir! May I ask, how do you edit or blend-in the 'slightly out of focus' layer? Do you just overlay it generally over the finished sky layer (based on the stacking of the multiple, in-focus star frames)? Do you adjust the layer opacity? Perhaps brush it in, using a layer mask, only around the brighter stars? Change the layer blending mode? Would be very interested to learn... But would also fully understand if this is confidential to you :)

Either way, a smashing result!
Thanks. I overlay it in Lighten blending mode. Normally the smaller stars don’t show but I may need to mask or use the Blend-if sliders to hide traces of the Milky Way.

I failed to mention also that the sky was shot with a tracking mount.
 
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Ed Hurst

Well-known member
Thanks. I overlay it in Lighten blending mode. Normally the smaller stars don’t show but I may need to mask or use the Blend-if sliders to hide traces of the Milky Way.

I failed to mention also that the sky was shot with a tracking mount.
Craig, thanks so much for your generosity in sharing this. I will give it a try!
 

D&A

Well-known member
Ed...on a separate note, have you sent off your 645Z for repair? Hope it won't be long before you have it back and making your usual spectacular images. Please keep us all posted on any developments..

Dave (D&A)
 

tcdeveau

Well-known member
Well I don't love following Craig's stellar astro shots but I finally got the X1D out for some night sky shooting the other night. X1D and 21mm XCD. Pretty challenging conditions - high humidity, haze, and a ton of light from a shipwrecked barge (the Golden Ray) that is currently resting between Jekyll and St. Simons Island, GA. They are in the process of salvaging/removing the wreck but it will be awhile. That little 50mp sensor still is an awesome performer despite it's age IMHO and I'm surprised at how much I was able to pull out of a single shot with fairly minimal processing. F4 maybe 20 secs and ISO 3200?
-Todd

Job_0370.jpg
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
What a refreshing image to see after a week of anarchy and chaos amidst a pandemic. Not a single human being to be found in this image, which is just what I need at the moment.:)

I just received a note from a friend in Sydney. He sent me a link to an article in the NYT Travel section. Apparently, there are beautiful places even in our local areas that we take for granted, or generally avoid, like Alabama, which is only a half hour drive from where we live.
 

jng

Well-known member
Nigella damascena (love-in-a-mist)

2020-05-30 15-33-51 (C,Smoothing2)_square_v2-FrameShop.jpg

WRS1250 | IQ3100 | Zeiss 120/5.6 S-Planar | f/8 | 24-image focus stack

The alien, other-worldly nature of these flowers caught my eye as I was taking in some fresh air in the garden the other day - another installment in what's turning out to be my pandemic floral portrait series.

John
 
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Ed Hurst

Well-known member

dave.gt

Well-known member
Nigella sativa

View attachment 149688

WRS1250 | IQ3100 | Zeiss 120/5.6 S-Planar | f/8 | 24-image focus stack

The alien, other-worldly nature of these flowers caught my eye as I was taking in some fresh air in the garden the other day - another installment in what's turning out to be my pandemic floral portrait series.

John
John, where in the world do you find these interesting flowers?:)
 
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