Double Arch Astrophotography: Battling Light Pollution and Seeking Feedback
Capturing the night sky over iconic landmarks presents a unique set of challenges, and astrophotographers often find themselves in a constant battle against elements like light pollution. Recently, an enthusiast shared their capture of the majestic Double Arch, but confessed to some reservations, opening up a discussion on how to best tackle these common hurdles.
The photographer used a Nikon D780 with a 14mm lens, setting the aperture to f/1.8 for a 13-second exposure at ISO 3200, stacking 50 images to bring out the celestial details. The primary concern? The pervasive light pollution near the horizon, which they felt detracted significantly from the overall image.
"I'm not sure I battled the light pollution correctly," the photographer mused, "I just think it looks horrible at the horizon. Not sure what to do with it, but at the moment I'm thinking this image just isn't doable unless Moab has a power outage."
The community chimed in with constructive feedback, highlighting the composition and potential editing techniques.
One commenter appreciated the image but felt the right side of the arch didn't add much, suggesting the interest was concentrated on the left. The photographer agreed it might feel lopsided, admitting a desire to include the "double" aspect of the Double Arch. However, another user countered that the right side actually provided nice contrast, enhancing the sky on the left.
A particularly helpful suggestion came from someone who loves their own Double Arch shots. They recommended experimenting with dehazing and highlight reduction, explaining a step-by-step process: "You can go crazier on the dehaze without making it look offensive. That’s how I like to reduce light pollution on the horizon. I tend to do it incrementally: boost dehaze, reduce highlights. Little by little."
This exchange underscores a common experience in astrophotography: the delicate balance between capturing the grandeur of the night sky and mitigating terrestrial light sources. While the photographer isn't entirely satisfied, the feedback offers a path forward for refining this stunning capture.
