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Namibian Nights V
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Namibian Nights V

by Marsel van Oosten

Gallery: LandscapePosted March 12, 2014677 views12 comments
Another one from my Namiban Nights project.

I used two lights in this scene, one for the foreground tree and the rocks, and one for the tree in the background.

The orange glow just above the horizon on the far right is light pollution from a town some 20km away.

This image is basically a still from my time-lapse video.

Marsel

Comments

12 comments
Comment posted by Scott Fricke on March 12, 2014 at 2:45 PM
A wonderful image Marsel, the landscape elements work nicely with the shape and orientation of the Milky Way. The lighting is also handled unite nicely. My only nit might be that the image seems a bit heavy to the right side. I think maybe if the rock in the LLC had been lit directly it would even things out a little. Great work as usual regardless! :toast:

PS: I tried your hyperlink twice and it only took me to NPN's home page.
Registered on January 19, 2007, 133 Posts, 1448 Comments
Comment posted by Dan Kearl on March 12, 2014 at 3:43 PM
The lighting is nice, your choice of sky color is interesting, although I could see it darker.
The soft, or what appears OOF shrubs in the FG are a bit distracting.
The trees look great....
Registered on September 2, 2013, 209 Posts, 1514 Comments
Comment posted by Marsel van Oosten on March 12, 2014 at 4:10 PM
Scott - thanks for the heads up, I corrected the hyperlink.

Dan - thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.

A complicating factor when shooting with a dolly, is that you need more than one composition that works - a starting composition and an ending one. This was probably the most challenging aspect of this whole project, especially because I was shooting everything with a 14-24. Setting up the two tripods and finding the two compositions often took me between 1-2 hours.

Depth of field was another issue - I was mostly shooting wide open. With stills that can be challenging, but when your camera is moving it can be a nightmare. That said, with video, because there is motion, you can get away with much more than with a still. If I had shot this as a still, I would have made different choices.
Registered on March 9, 2004, 285 Posts, 2277 Comments
Comment posted by Louis Pattis on March 12, 2014 at 10:57 PM
After being floored with your time laps version last year on TPOTY, this image stands in the shadow of that excellent body of your work, but I would love to call this mine. Your setup makes my head spin and the results are outstanding.
Registered on March 30, 2012, 0 Posts, 164 Comments
Comment posted by David Chauvin on March 13, 2014 at 7:11 AM
This has a nice balance of lighting and color that makes it totally believable and the comp is spot on. I feel I could be sitting by a camp fire gazing at the stars. :cool:
Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments
Comment posted by Nick Bristol on March 13, 2014 at 9:27 AM
I really enjoyed looking at your larger version here, Marsel. Such interesting work! The time lapse video is awesome! :toast:

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI
Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Reid on March 13, 2014 at 11:41 AM
The large version looks just great with wonderful details and colors Marsel. I also like your composition. Well done.
Registered on January 27, 2013, 65 Posts, 2460 Comments
Comment posted by Tim Mulholland on March 13, 2014 at 4:43 PM
Very nice. I can't imagine how difficult it was to "paint" this image - wow!

Tim!
Registered on April 24, 2006, 14 Posts, 139 Comments
Comment posted by gary phillips on March 14, 2014 at 1:14 AM
Marsel, your work is astounding. Surreal and believable. Awesome!!!!!!
Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments
Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on March 14, 2014 at 2:37 AM
Sick as always. :toast:
Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments
Comment posted by Rick Turner on March 14, 2014 at 9:45 AM
The second light on smaller tree is perfect. Well done and planed. :toast:
Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments
Comment posted by Jose Fernandez on March 15, 2014 at 5:43 AM
Excellent image Marsel with very nice lighting
Registered on July 25, 2011, 77 Posts, 172 Comments