M31 once again

[Danon]

Hello,  

Its my first image with Nikon and second of M31. I'm very satisfied with change from Canon 1100D.
I was try to keep "natural  look" of galaxy

Nikon D750 + Esprit 100 ED.
40x300s from pretty dark sky

Enjoy

Lucas 

Edited September 16, 2021 by Danon

[vlaiv]

This is excellent. I have only few slight "objections". Core is slightly blown and background is too smooth . I know that second one is silly, but yes, somehow it is too smooth.

It does look nice, and yet, I had to check if there was clipping in histogram - there is not, of course, it looks good. Everything looks good - almost too good, if you know what I mean (I'm talking about background here).

Third one is about stars, as you mentioned that you tried to keep natural look - well most stars out there are not blue:

If you look in the background - most stars in your image have teal color (and look at that smooth flat background - almost "plastic" like).

Btw, don't read too much into above "objections" - image is very good indeed and most people won't mind or notice single thing that I mentioned a above.

[Danon]

@vlaiv I agree with everything. I like criticism, so I appreciate your comment! 

I have three different stacks and two of them have a pretty color star. This have well color balance on m31 but most of stars were purple or blue. I don't know why and I didin't know which stars should be blue and which not, so I change only purple-looking ones. Probably some day, I will try to switch those stars colors from different stack, to this one. 

Also about background, in corners flat didin't work as much I've expected. I tried to make a pseudo-flat and that is result - too smooth background. Personally, I don't like too much dark point in photos and most of time, I tried to keep background at about 20 levels in photoshop. But this time, when I left background at that point, contrast betwen m31 and backgrond looks foggy, and my friends told me to push it lower.  

I'm impressed that you saw my "trick" in background. You are the first  one problably 

Edited September 16, 2021 by Danon

[alan potts]

Vlaiv is a perfectionist but also incredibly helpful to many of us. Lovely image that I think only the cores are slightly burnt out, but it is difficult to do this perfectly, I feel you have come very close

Alan

[Danon]

Maybe a little bit, but I didin't want to push it lower. 

 

[alan potts]

10 hours ago, Danon said:

Maybe a little bit, but I didin't want to push it lower. 

 

Agreed according to that it is not, still a fine capture you have produced .

Alan

[ollypenrice]

I very much like the image. Regarding the ultra-smooth background, remember that Photoshop will let you 'add noise.' I wouldn't discard this possibility, however counter-intuitive. Just a little grain stops the background looking like a close, reflective surface and pushes it back, psychologically, to where it should be. It's easiest to use the noise addition as a bottom layer since the layers opacity slider gives easier control over the amount than the tool's own slider. The colour select tool lets you add the noise only to the background.

I'm developing a preference for this kind of M31 image. My own effort, and many like it, have concentrated on pulling up the outer regions and battling for structure deep into the core. This is all well and good but it looks anything but natural.

Olly

[Notty]

That is an amazing image. That you can get that from a DSLR compared to my pathetic efforts at the same target with £2500 of kit in light polluted suburbia makes me feel both good and bad at the same time!