Photo of the Week 2024-07-29

Working with captures from the same night time outing used to create last week's image,  I merged 2 (unstacked) frames as a mini pano to get another composition I wanted. This, showing the crazy light pollution glow over Tobermory when everything is closed for the night ...

' Tobermory glowing under the Milky Way '

... it was a significant challenge to bring out some detail of the Milky Way given the amount of light Tobermory was throwing off but I managed to get something that I like and I'm learning along the way.

DJE

 

 

Photo of the Week 2024-07-22

 

' MW Arching Over Hay Bay '

A first go at capturing the Milky Way Arch. Six vertical images, themselves each a stack of 4 exposures, stitched into a panorama. Processed in LR, PS and ON1.

 

There is no shortage of 'nightscape' images on the internet showcasing the Milky Way over dramatic landscapes. There are nearly as many processing styles, with options ranging from subtle single exposure versions to the surreal using stacking and tracking techniques to extract the last photon of light and detail.

Recently I was treated to a clear sky forecast while at the cottage and decided to take advantage of it to try out the new (to me) Irix 15mm f/2.4 for some night sky shots. I spent some time planning with PhotoPills, TPE and other online resources to determine time and position of the Milky Way core. I had not thought to try a stitched panorama capturing the full MW Arch until I was out on the shore near midnight and noticed just how much of it I could see.

The process of image capture was relatively simple, though it was my first time out under the night sky with my R5 and with a hew lens as well. I ended up capturing six sets of four images over a roughly 150* (estimated) field of view. I applied lens profile correction in Lightroom, then exported to TIFF's, then used Sequator to stack each set of 4 exposures, following some online tutorials. The resultant output from Sequator (also in TIFF format) were touched up for light pollution and bright cottage lights in PS, saved back to the TIFF and then stitched in LR using photomerge.

 

Challenges came mostly from the quarter moon shining bright to the SW, blazing lights from cottages across the water, and the ever present glare of Tobermory and the Ferry dock megawatt lights. All the aforementioned challenges were tackled using a combination of Lightroom, Photoshop and ON1 Effects adjustments, dodge, burn, clone, heal and curves techniques and tricks to achieve the result shown above.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-07-15

I thought this week's post may have been about my recent nightscape photography, given that a lens purchased for that purpose had arrived late last week. While I did get out on Saturday to give it a trial workout, other aspects of life, namely a new puppy, had other ideas for time that I had planned to learn some new image stacking software for editing the resulting raw files.

 

So I sit here at the keyboard on Sunday night, resigned to the fact that I don't have enough time or energy to get through a new workflow to show you the results of last night's shoot (amazing as it was that I managed to stay up until midnight to see the Milky Way rise in the sky). Instead, I delve into the archive for something and ... lo and behold, there's a nightscape image from over 4 years ago (albeit from winter) sitting there, ready to share.

 

' Front Row Seats '

 Dark skies at our cottage on the Bruce Peninsula are absolutely awe inspiring ...

 

This image was made with the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 on a Canon 5D MkIII DSLR. A while after I got rid of the 5D MkIII, I also hesitantly traded in the Rokinon 14mm with plans to upgrade it down the road. Now I have with the Irix 15mm f/2.5 in EF mount to use with the EF-RF adapter and Canon R5 mirrorless. Hopefully, I'll have something to show from this combination some time soon.

 

Up to now, all of my night sky / nightscape images have been processed from single exposures, as is the image presented here. During my shoot Saturday night, I was capturing multiple frames to stack later with software specifically designed for night sky work. Why? Well, in simple terms, because processing a single image shot at high ISO includes noise that can result in bright pixels ultimately show up like stars making for a busier than actual night sky. How much difference will there be? I hope t' let ya know.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-07-08

 Introducing Sullivan ... now 13 weeks old and as of today he's been with us one whole week :-D

 

 

 

 

What does a photographer do when they get a new puppy? Well they break out the camera of course ...

 

The first two images were shot as a trial of the close focus capabilities of my new Irix 15mm f/2.4. I purchased the lens for astrophotography but wanted to try it out for some creative puppy portraits.

 

The second tow images were shot with the venerable Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III, a known performer on DSLR's and still excellent on an R5 with an adapter. I chose this over the RF version because it is an internal zoom design which I prefer.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-07-01

 

' bird & barbs '

This cheeky little fellow wouldn't leave the chain link fence or barbed wire topper so I had to settle for the normally to be avoided "bird on a wire" composition ... but I think it works ok here with the light blue sky as background.
 

I had captured his mate in a natural setting earlier and shared that image last week.

From a Guelph Photographers Guild outing to Urquhart Butterfly Garden, Dundas ON, a really nice little park, easily accessible, free parking and access with lot's of colourful flowers, a large butterfly identification aid and a number of birds dropping in for a visit.

 

DJE