Saw the post about the full moon and decided to go out

[polarsusd81]

I was motivated so to say by the post about the full moon for tonight. I really wish I had a longer lens or a TC, I shot these with a 70-200 F4 L and a 24-70 F2.8L. The moon worked out with some pretty good detail on the shots with the 70-200 and that was something that until now I haven't been able to do (thanks to STF for the tips). I played around with the exposure compensation a bit as well. All images were shot on AV mode.

Sorry they are a little bigger than the standard for the site but the small images on Flickr just wont do these justice.

Running a bit late, and wishing I was on a hill

Digital Rebel 70-200, ISO-100, F/10, 1/200 sec. on Tripod, -2/3 EC

Decent exposure.

Digital Rebel 70-200 ISO-100, F/10, 1/160 sec. on Tripod, -1 EC

Lot of birds getting ready to head south.

Digital Rebel 70-200, ISO-200, F/4, 1/640 sec. Handheld, 0 EC

More birds heading south a little closer this time

Digital Rebel 70-200, ISO-400, F/8, 1/200 sec. Handheld, 0 EC

Turned around and strapped on the 24-70.

Digital Rebel 24-70, ISO-400, F/4, 1/400 sec. Handheld, 0 EC

[polarsusd81]

I think I see two sensor dust spots on my camera, both about 1/3 of the way down from the top one on the right and one on the left. If you guys see any more, let me know. If those are the only two, I am doing alright considering I have had the camera for 4 years and never had the sensor cleaned. It might be time though.

[Steve Foss]

Polar, don't you just love the way the moon looks so subtle coming up at sunset? For my money, whether it's a big full moon or a smaller full moon, a sunset moonrise or sunrise moonset is a thing of beauty.

Wish I could have gotten out tonight, but I'm chained to computer working on images for a client. Next time.

I like the second to the last shot best, and for what it's worth I think a pano crop that takes out quite a bit of the top of the frame would be very pleasing. I like how the moon already is a bit off centered. Those birds are a great bonus. They really add a nice compositional element (motion) to an otherwise static image. But that's all just to my eye.

Very nice work.

[Shack]

ST,

Here is what you are missing!

[finnbay]

Sure like those birds flying under the moon. October moon and migrating birds. Circle of life.

Tried to get some shots myself tonight. Stacked a 1.4 and a 2 TC with my 300 and came up with the following. Had my heavy tripod out and still watched it jump when the shutter cycled. Even at 1/800 I 'spect it fuzzed it a little. ISO 100, 5.6.

[Steve Foss]

Hey, now. My office looks east and I was watching that moon for quite awhile as I labored here at my computer.

Ken, locking up the mirror in the custom functions menu will keep mirror slap from adding fuzz to a nice shot at slow shutter speeds. And using a remote shutter release will add to the fun.

[finnbay]

Gotcha.

[Steve Foss]

No prob. I know you action sports guys don't worry about mirror lockup and remote releases much. And hey, it's three hours until the moon is technically "full." Of course it IS a school day tomorrow.

[finnbay]

Grumble, grumble

[Shack]

Finn,

That is a great shot!

Also, I never said it, but nice northern in the Ice images thread in the ice fishing forum area!

[Shack]

School day! My kids have the day off!

Ah, I will read up on past posts and figure this one out!

[polarsusd81]

Steve,

If I send you the original, could you do a pano crop on it for me? I have photoshop on my computer but it is a lowly old version and there are some settings that were switched and when I save anything it really kills the image. I did try to do a pano crop just as you said because I thought it would look awesome that way too, but after seeing the results, just threw away the pano copy.

[Steve Foss]

Yup, send it along. Just the original version with no alterations. If you shot it raw, open it, convert it to jpeg and then send it. I'll see what I can do and will post it back in here.

[finnbay]

Thanks, Shackbash. The fish was a real thrill.

[DTro]

when you say pano crop do you mean like this?

[Steve Foss]

Here's my quick and simple go at the full moon through my office window a few minutes ago.

Shot with the backup Digital Rebel XT and 100-400L IS at 400mm, manual mode, iso100, 1/500 at f5.6, underexposed more than three stops from evaluative metering, 60 percent of image cropped out, tripod and timer.

[finnbay]

I knew you couldn't stay out of the action! Nice shot. Did you warm it a bit?

[Steve Foss]

Yup, sure did. Warmed the color temp in the CS2 preview screen and then pulled down green and blue levels just a bit after I opened it. Was it the title that gave it away?

I wanted to simulate the warmth of the rising moon but wouldn't have been able to achieve that sharpness as the moon rose because of the shallow angle and the atmospheric softening.

[Shack]

You guys are nutz!

I have been following you guys for awhile!

I see a new camera in my future!

[buzzsaw]

Looking good guys! Nothing special here, I was not in position early enough to get the image I wanted (obligations). Tomorrow night will be the nice shot.

F/9.0 @ 600mm ISO 100

[JollyT]

Great shot Steve! Especially for a quicky! If I had a dslr and some ambition, I would drag my old cardboard tube with its 8" mirror out and shoot some close ups for you guys!

[finnbay]

Careful, Shackbush. It's an addiction like heroin. It'll keep you poor and craving for more!

[Steve Foss]

Here's what I meant with polar's image. On further review, it seemed to look best at only a slight pano. Cropping off the top and part of the left side put the moon and trees towared the left side with space to the right, which impels the eye to move to the right, and since the birds were flying to the right the impetus was accentuated.

The first image simply reflects the view I just described. The second image includes cloning out one of the trees, which seems to me improves the composition be simplifying it slightly. Such judgments are always IMO, of course, and some believe that such cloning is an abomination.

Aside from the cloning and cropping, I lassoed the moon and sharpened it independently, then selected "inverse" to highlight everything else and ran Noise Ninja on that to cut out digital noise. I saturated the whole image slightly after that and then "saved for Web."

Anyway, there you have what I like. Not necessarily what anyone else likes, or approves of, and I thank Tom for his grace in letting someone alter his image, which stood just fine the way it was.

[polarsusd81]

Love it. Guess I know who to get ahold of if I need some photoshop work done. I really need to bite the bullet and get the program and learn how to use it.

Thanks a lot Steve.

[finnbay]

Steve, dug this up from awhile ago. Some earlier Photoshop work. C&C?