Time Travel II

Gallery: LandscapePosted April 4, 2014442 views12 comments

I considered posting this in Photo Art but it seems there's more latitude when dealing with star trails in landscape images. This is a re-edit of an image from a couple years ago. It was one of my earliest NPN posts and didn't get many comments at that time, maybe because people just weren't sure what to say about it. If you think it's a photographic abomination it's ok to say so. ;) Personally I think it's kinda cool. To me it brings to mind the impact of the forces of time and nature, carving away at the landscape like a patient artist slowly revealing a masterpiece. At any rate I'd be interested to get your thoughts on it.

Here's how it was made: The exposures came from one of my first attempts at night photography a couple years ago at Bryce Canyon. The initial intention was to create a typical star trail image. The night sky is a stacked set of about 25 exposures, each 30 seconds. Because this was shot at 70mm, the short period between exposures resulted in small gaps in the star trails when viewed at 100%. So I tried using a method suggested online by Andy Morris where the PS radial blur filter is used to close those gaps. But for the life of me I couldn't find the exact point to mark the center of rotation (it's way outside the frame). So the streaky star trails were something of an accident, but I really liked the result. For the last exposure I ran up the trail to the right and painted the rock formation with a flashlight, and that was blended with the star trails.

Different? Interesting? Awful? I'm open to unfiltered feedback.

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by Jim Gavin on April 4, 2014 at 7:10 PM

I think it is innovative and wonderful. Looks like a family watching a nighttime star/fireworks display from the edge of a canyon, at least to me it does.

Registered on August 14, 2008, 293 Posts, 1250 Comments

Comment posted by Sairam Sundaresan on April 4, 2014 at 7:13 PM

I swear I thought I saw a horror movie poster when I saw the thumbnail! This is simply epic Jared! So eerie and otherworldly! Well done!

Registered on March 14, 2013, 100 Posts, 643 Comments

Comment posted by Allen Brooks on April 4, 2014 at 7:27 PM

Personally, I think it's kinda cool as well. I like how some of the colors of the star trails are seen in the rocks. I would say they don't quite look like star trails. Maybe a view of Saturn's rings from one of its moons. Whatever, it's a pretty neat photo.

Registered on July 27, 2011, 262 Posts, 2597 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Kearl on April 4, 2014 at 11:28 PM

It certainly draws attention in a bit of an over the top way.
Technically very nice.
The rock formation is extremely well done, terrific light painting.
I would love to see them with a "normal" starry night background.

Registered on September 2, 2013, 209 Posts, 1514 Comments

Comment posted by Kane Engelbert on April 4, 2014 at 11:37 PM

Hi Jared, you've done a great job seeing through the processing challenges of this image. This is a "Star Shot" right? If that's what you want then leave as is. To my eye, the star trails win the contrast war here. Its stars first... then hoodoos.

Your hoodoos are beautiful and to my eye should carry this image home. I vote for less contrast/brightness on the star trails. Thus will accentuate the awesome hoodoo comp.

My 2 Cents!

Registered on June 14, 2009, 63 Posts, 291 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Cameron on April 5, 2014 at 8:43 AM

Hi Jared

For the life of me I'm not sure about this one. Different and interesting is certainly true. I see it as too unreal / surreal for my own tastes and I wouldn't hang it on my wall but it is fascinating and slightly macabre

Registered on August 6, 2004, 1125 Posts, 3318 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Reid on April 5, 2014 at 10:24 AM

I think this is great Jared. A very unique image indeed. The light on the hoodoos gives a nice 3D effect and the star trails add an other worldly feel to the scene. I agree with Kane about the star trails being a tad bright but this is epic as it is. Great job.

Registered on January 27, 2013, 65 Posts, 2460 Comments

Comment posted by Navin Sarma on April 5, 2014 at 3:21 PM

An intriguing graphic, Jared. The hodoos look a bit removed from the background (almost a 3d look), which makes this a much more surreal look to me. For it to feel more realistic, I might try to reduce the brightness of either the stars or rocks (if reality is a goal). I think it's very unique as is, though and a shot to be proud of.

Registered on July 17, 2011, 233 Posts, 1373 Comments

Comment posted by Andrew Waddington on April 5, 2014 at 7:31 PM

I like it as well, I'm impressed that you would take the time to try to work on the image after realising there were the gaps. I would have chucked it away and never known the potential.

Registered on February 11, 2014, 44 Posts, 183 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce King on April 7, 2014 at 11:55 AM

I like it. but I cant decide which is the subject the hoodoos or the mindbending sky. either way nice work.

Registered on January 14, 2010, 276 Posts, 2212 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on April 7, 2014 at 1:41 PM

I think it's a fascinating image. The color variation in the star trails and the side lighting on the painted rocks add a bit of drama.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on April 9, 2014 at 12:39 AM

Interesting image, my first thought though was that it was a composite..perhaps toning down the stars as others have suggested would help

Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments