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Stars and Mars Above Lowell Observatory
Stars and Mars Above Lowell Observatory
jperez1690


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Wide Angle (Advanced Editing IV)
Camera: Canon EOS-300D Rebel
Lens: Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Location: Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ
Date: Oct 15, 2005
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO: 100
Shutter: 15 sec.
Galleries: Science and Technology, Astrophotography
Date Uploaded: Oct 16, 2005

 This shot encompasses the Lowell Observatory rotunda and Mars (the bright 'star' in the gap between trees just right of center) during an evening observing program. The dome is softly lit by the cool light of a nearly full moon.

I did need to crop unfortunately, because the angle of the shot lead to an exaggerated vertical perspective effect that people tend to find unsettling. So I corrected for that perspective using the skew tool in Photoshop to make the architecture and trees appear to all be parallel and vertical. This made for a trapezoid shaped image that needed to be cropped back to a rectangle. Since the details said "you should avoid cropping", I took that to mean that cropping, while discouraged, was not prohibited. I believe it was justified in this instance, for the reasons stated. (I could certainly be wrong. Very wrong. I suppose I'll find out.)

Curves were applied to adjust contrast and color. Neat image was used to sharpen details and smooth out noise. Some selective masking was used to keep the dome close to neutral in color. Some dodging was done around the telescope to help pop it from the background. Some minor cloning was done to remove a couple obnoxious hot pixels.

Statistics
Place: 38 out of 253
Avg (all users): 6.1870
Avg (commenters): 7.5000
Avg (participants): 5.8772
Avg (non-participants): 6.4914
Views since voting: 966
Views during voting: 370
Votes: 230
Comments: 12
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
 Comments Made During the Challenge
10/23/2005 12:52:22 PM
The motion blur of the folks in the foreground is unfortunate and detracts from what could otherwise be a very highly rated photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/22/2005 07:20:27 PM
wow, those people are really grainy and a little soft from movement. I love the sky, but you also have fringy's around your trees where you changed the exposure. still a very nice image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/22/2005 11:24:10 AM
the sky looks really nice..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/20/2005 06:39:40 PM
This is beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/20/2005 12:20:49 PM
The clouds and night sky are very mystical. Nice work! - 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/18/2005 07:27:55 PM
too bad those people got in your shot! love the colors
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/18/2005 05:14:06 PM
very nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/18/2005 08:53:11 AM
Is this Kirbic? Astronomy pics are so wonderful! 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/17/2005 08:22:17 PM
Fit Challenge Criteria: 2/2
Contrast/Color: 2/2
Composition: 2/2
Photo Quality: 2/2
My Subjective Affinity: 2/2

Great work here. The exposure is really well done. How did you capture the stars without trails? I would love to know.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/17/2005 09:56:41 AM
Lovely contrast in color between the cool roof and sky and the warm lighted area.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/17/2005 04:02:58 AM
Oh this is cool. I like how the lights below mimic the stars and planets in the sky. Very cool.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/16/2005 11:23:27 PM
This is a beautiful image.. I kind of wish you had stepped back and maybe to the left just a tad to get the viewers' feet in the image and perhaps fill the space with just a tad more of the observatory... but that's not too big of a deal. Really great job with exposure and difficult lighting. Very nice. Good luck.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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