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It´s Written In The Stars
1st PlaceIt´s Written In The Stars
LalliSig


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2007-02 (Advanced Editing V)
Camera: Canon EOS-5D
Lens: Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L USM
Location: Hvalfjörður, Iceland
Date: Feb 7, 2007
Aperture: 2.0
ISO: 1600
Shutter: 20 sec
Galleries: Sky, Landscape
Date Uploaded: Feb 28, 2007

My favorite photo from this month, got real lucky with the borealis that night and stumbled upon this farm (the light at the end of the road) and had to take a shot at capturing it. However had a good month with night photographs and could have easily chosen from at least 10 photos to submit to this free study, was a nice "problem" to have so many to choose from.

Almost feel like there are too many stars in this photo but not like I was going to clone them out, hehe :) Wonder how many of you spot the three shooting stars during voting, I am going to guess five of you.

Post processing very minimal, just raw conversion tweaks, then a curves adjustment on just the sky and then just the ground and sharpened after resizing and added the frame.

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 624
Avg (all users): 7.6628
Avg (commenters): 9.0000
Avg (participants): 7.5263
Avg (non-participants): 8.1282
Views since voting: 26645
Views during voting: 338
Votes: 172
Comments: 88
Favorites: 134 (view)


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AuthorThread
02/06/2008 11:58:33 AM
I so need to make a trip there once in my lifetime just to see some of the things you have taken pictures of!!. Simply stunning
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/04/2007 10:30:23 PM
the lack of noise at that iso impresses me. nice work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/30/2007 10:42:55 PM
this is just a really stunning photo

Stephanie
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/15/2007 05:38:38 PM
My favorite of your nothern lights landscapes. The glow of the sky, and countless stars framed nicely by the ground below. It all comes together very nicely. +fave
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2007 01:39:04 PM
Mögnuð mynd Lárus til hamingju.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2007 11:13:36 AM
Don't worry about "to many stars". It adds to the mystical feeling of the cold and snow surround. You did a fantastic job of capturing the moment, and should be proud.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2007 09:27:55 AM
Spectacular photograph! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/13/2007 03:05:16 PM
This shot is absolutely amazing! It's truly magical and I hope that some day I can do some traveling and learn how to take a shot as beautiful as that. I will visit Iceland one day! I love all the stars in the sky, especially the shooting ones and the colors are brilliant. Great job and Congratulations on a well deserved blue ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/12/2007 09:23:03 PM
Amazing the amount of variations to those northern lights. Another great photograph of them, congratulation on winning the blue ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/11/2007 02:04:55 PM
CONGRATS ON YOUR BLUE RIBBON!
Some day i wanna be there with YOU and MAK for taking photo of that!
Let me see that your secret spot!! GUHEHEHEHEHEHE!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/11/2007 01:46:20 PM
Absolutely stunning Laurus! Wow!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/11/2007 12:48:13 PM
Mmmmmmmmm Shooting stars...wow
I have tried to capture shooting stars before and that's an amazing feat in itself. And you get freakin 3 of them in a 20 second shutter!! Amazing!! and then you capture the aurora and snow and mountains and and and...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/10/2007 01:03:19 PM
congrats on the blue ribbon the sky is amazing i wish i lived in a place with such beautiful scenary then i could win ribbons too lol, ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/10/2007 09:16:36 AM
Another stunning shot and never to many stars! Just simply beautiful, congratulations on your blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/10/2007 07:15:22 AM
Originally posted by kablinki:

Definitely a photoshop deal, and not a very good one.


Dude, you got some imagination, I amire you for it and really look forward to seeing more of your photos in challenges cause if you can divert this much imagination on your own challenge entries, I think you should be up for a ribbon in no time :)
03/09/2007 10:52:15 PM
I think I want to move countries! That is just stunning!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/09/2007 07:54:23 PM
@kablinki... dude, you need to do a lot better research on what's possible with a 5D and a 24/1.4L. This shot was very minimally processed. Every bit of it is real. And yes, I've seen the original, so I do know of what I speak. You simply don't know what you're talking about.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/09/2007 07:06:41 PM
Another beautiful image Larus.
I need to head north for the next challenge :)
Congrats

Kev
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/09/2007 06:02:04 PM
Definitely a photoshop deal, and not a very good one. There are several aspects that give it away, but the number of stars you put in are ridiculous. When you have an exposure that was long enough to capture this many stars (and apparently a couple of galaxies and nebulas also) you would have to have the darkest sky imaginable. An aurora at the same time would bleed everything out. That's why you usually see very few stars, because the aurora can outshine most of them. The moon can be out at the same time, but the aurora is always on the northern horizon so the moon isn't in the shot. Even so, anything close to a full moon makes it very difficult for the aurora to shine through.

The uniformity and distribution of stars is also a dead giveaway. You may have used an actual shot of stars as your background, but it was taken through a telescope of a much smaller section of sky.

Aurora is brilliant, but paleeeeze show us something new. ughhhh
playahata
kool kap'n kablinki
03/09/2007 02:36:15 PM
wow... the northern lights.. is beutiful...and the stars... absolutly amazing...even shooting stars... incredible!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/09/2007 01:04:09 AM
that's funny, i didn't read through all the comments....but did anyone catch the shooting stars???? what a wonderful image, and as some many has said....we have seen alot of borealis shots, but nothing like this....it just says, look at me, i am fantastic!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 08:13:12 PM
I missed this during voting. Congrats on a well deserved blue ribbon! This is a stunning image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 07:41:29 PM
Frábær mynd hjá þér Lárus.
Þó að Arna stal dálítið athyglinni með því að vera níu ára ;)
Flottasta norðurljósamynd sem ég hef séð.
Favourite.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 07:26:26 PM
WOW,WOW.WOW. This is gorgeous.You deserved this ribbon 100%!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 07:25:37 PM
Holy cow, this is amazing! Congrats!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 06:20:05 PM
Beautiful, this is simply the best aurora borealis picture ever! Congratulations on your ribbon, Larus!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 05:30:47 PM
Congratulations on your ribbon! What a fantastic scene, So well captured!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 04:35:12 PM
Larus = Legend.. nice work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 03:46:30 PM
I love the colors in the sky! Great work and congrats on ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 03:17:26 PM
Geðveik mynd... Frábær... Til hamingju með borðann :o)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 02:43:14 PM
agree Brad,
we need to move there, not for a DPC ribbon, just to admire that magical place.

congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 02:42:28 PM
that light really is green, right?

and those shooting stars were really there, right?

and that sky was really that full with stars, right?

DAMN. fantastic.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 01:19:41 PM
Recipe for a DPC Ribbon:
Move to Iceland

Congrats once again Larus - truly magical, especially to those of us that never get too see the Planet Earth like this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 01:11:17 PM
This is beautiful, love the shooting stars...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 12:38:46 PM
Congrats on teh blue Lárus! Awesome work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 12:30:27 PM
Another stunning shot. Super refreshing, lovely composition. Congrats on the blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 10:25:12 AM
Ha, now you're smokin! That 24/1.4L sure is crisp. Love the composition. The fence & road lead the eye right to the farm, then the combination of the star field and aurora lead it around and back in a loop. Perfect. I even like the little bank of illuminated cloud. Was there any moonlight on the foreground, or is all that from the aurora? I suspect that you had at least some moonlight...
Edit to add: you also captured M31, the great galaxy in Andromeda. It's the fuzzy, bright bluish "star" near upper left.

Message edited by author 2007-03-08 10:41:05.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 10:16:45 AM
Wow! What an incredible photo. How did it only average a 7.6? Anybody that didn't vote a 10 should be shot. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 09:55:27 AM
I don't understand how you can use such a long exposure time without streching the stars. Do you use some kind of rotating tripod? And if you would have done that, the ground would not be so sharp as it is.
So! How did you do it?

Edited:
I have now had a good explanation on this, Thanks Odie
It is all in the lenz 24 gives no movement on up to 24s. :-)

Ég skil ekki hvernig þú nærð því að hafa svona langan lýsingartíma án þess að það teygjist úr stjörnunum.
Ertu með þrífót sem snýst jafn hratt og jörðin? Og ef svo væri þá væri jörðin öll hreyfð!
Hvernig fórstu að?

Breytt:
Odie útskýrði þetta nokkuð vel fyrir mér.

Message edited by author 2007-03-08 19:04:39.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 09:33:01 AM
Larus, as usual, excellent work! you are truly a master. I love the fact that there are so many stars, and the shooting stars too. Well done, indeed!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 09:32:42 AM
The shooting stars were the first thing I noticed!

Good work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 09:30:24 AM
Beautiful! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 09:14:59 AM
This is soooo amazing. I always look forward to seeing your great images of the borealis in Iceland. My new travel destination! I am definitely going to be ordering the largest print when I get moved to my new house here shortly! Thank you for providing this! Again...AMAZING!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 09:12:55 AM
great shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 07:14:20 AM
Congrats Lárus, Amazing picture!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 06:42:10 AM
This is just so beautiful! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 06:08:54 AM
OMG is this real :) congrats Lárus i love this work. This photo remind´s me of photo´s that Hubbel do in the space :D

Message edited by author 2007-03-08 06:09:08.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 05:47:48 AM
Great image like usual Lárus! Hope we are not making people tired of the aurora borealis :) See the 24L is serving you well, I'm not shure myself if I should get a 24/1.4 L or 35/1.4 L ... Anyway congrats on yet another win. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 05:33:26 AM
The shooting stars (with trails) really add something to your photo. Congrats...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 05:32:43 AM
Absolutely mind blowing Larus .. Looking forward to shooting this kind of thing real soon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 05:02:38 AM
Congrats on your first ribbon this year.. good outcome.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 03:54:18 AM
Now you are prompting me to visit Iceland!!!! nice shot!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 03:29:11 AM
Could you bring this lighting setup with you to Germany?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 03:27:36 AM
If there are more beautiful Aurora Borealis photos around, I certainly haven't seen them. You have a great gift. I agree with Riversong, it's time you published a book on Northern Lights. Congratulations on winning the challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 03:24:39 AM
Congratulations.

Til hamingju með enn eina æðislega norðurljósamynd.
P.s. Þetta eru líklega gervitungl.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 02:27:25 AM
Congratulations on having such excellent talent!! Thank God there is such a good photographer as you taking these amazing shots of the Aurora Borealis for those of us that aren't that far north. I know of people that plan their vacation around these lights and you are lucky enough to live right there. I'm sure there are drawbacks to living in such a rural area though.

Thanks for sharing these amazing images with us! (I see the shooting stars) This is a beautiful photograph. Guess you need to publish a book on your Northern Lights' images! I think you should.

Message edited by author 2007-03-08 02:28:44.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 02:20:02 AM
beautiful. congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 01:54:54 AM
Congratulations Lárus, first ribbon this year? Well done as usual! Til hamingju, ekki af verri endanum eins og búast má við frá þér.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 01:41:29 AM
Once again, one of your northern lights compositions has amazed me. Well done and a well deserved blue ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 01:31:54 AM
wow! amazing!!...congrats on ur blue
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 01:06:51 AM
simply stunning, and its amazing how many stars are out there! I havent ever seen anything like that here in the middle of nowhere in Utah!! Comgrats on the blue, you well deserved it!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 01:01:51 AM
Hahah, now I knew it was yours when I fitsy saw it. So now lets rush over to the free study marathon page to see who is up on top ;-)

Great image and well deserved.

Keith
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 12:59:33 AM
To many hot pixels. ;) Congrats on a great night shot with the added bonus of the warm light at the end of the road.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 12:52:08 AM
stunning, congrats
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 12:22:10 AM
Yep - the one I picked for blue. Excellent. What really makes it are all of those stars. Brilliant work and CONGRATS.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 12:21:28 AM
Very nice shot Larus. Congrats on First place.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 12:19:17 AM
Congrats. It does seem like there are too many stars but then again your skies are probably crystal clear.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 12:12:45 AM
Larus I love your crap... okay so its great....

1 - Makes me want to go there
2 - Makes me want to puke on your camera

3 - Makes me want to buy 100 prints from you!

Message edited by author 2007-03-08 00:12:57.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2007 12:08:01 AM
Congrats - Had it as my fav for the challenge - How long do these lights last for?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
03/07/2007 11:54:38 PM
Too good.....9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2007 11:15:17 PM
Arrrggg... freakin' Iceland, it's just not fair! ;-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2007 10:17:19 PM
Top shot again of this type of image.....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2007 07:05:40 PM
Lookes like it is raining stars.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2007 05:18:12 PM
Awsome
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2007 04:46:40 PM
This is magic!

  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/06/2007 09:29:59 PM
I can't get enough of these shots. Since I can't see them in real life, these pictures never get old. Great composition, and colors of course are just brillant. Nice work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/06/2007 10:35:11 AM
Wonderful shot, fantastic view of the stars!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/05/2007 11:20:16 PM
That sky is unreal. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/05/2007 07:01:07 PM
wow... just wow... let me pause and look some more...

wow again. The only thing I'm annoyed by is what I assume were shooting stars; they look like sctraches. Maybe if there were more they wouldn't seem out of place... hardly your fault though! I'm amazed that the clouds were almost perfectly stationary for what I assume is quite a long exposure, based on the number of stars... I actually like the light at the end of the road, although I think it wouldn't normally have been in such a composition. headlights?
I'd give this an 8; for some reason I don't quite feel it's as perfect as it could be, but can't put my finger on it... have to come back and see if anyone else picks it up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/05/2007 03:09:02 PM
WOW! Not only a beautiul Aurora Borealis, but all those little stars in the sky. Gorgeous photo!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/05/2007 09:11:15 AM
Experienced near the same reaction as last time I saw one of your masterpieces. Incredible. Looks like I'll be adding this one to my L.....
collection as well. 10+
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/05/2007 04:14:59 AM
wooww! are those lines incidental shooting stars?? great pic 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/04/2007 05:38:36 PM
holy crap!! that's a lot of stars! excellent as usual 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/02/2007 07:30:38 PM
You have got to be kidding me... this is one of the best aurora shots yet! Is it EVER cloudy in Iceland??
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/02/2007 02:09:37 PM
WOW!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/01/2007 10:02:26 PM
Just when you think you're tired of all the northern lights images, this beauty takes your breath away! Excellent!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/01/2007 09:18:45 AM
WOAH. I see aurora borealis shots, but this is freakin' fantastic. I love all of the tiny pin dots of the stars. WOAH - that green/orange/purple thing going on in the sky is spectacular. I must see Iceland some day. Nothing like that in Texas, I can assure you. Bravo on a job well done. Only the 2nd 10 I've given.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/01/2007 01:51:03 AM
I can look at these all day - You have this technique down to a T. Really well done. Would make a superb poster. I know it must have been a cold capture. You have inspired me to visit. Please PM me when the challenge is over to where this is. My fav so far - 10. The golden light at the end of the road couldn't be any more perfect.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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