Need help choosing best M42

[Anubis1311]

So I captured this data in 2021 and wasn’t ever really happy with my version. So I reprocessed it today with 2 years of processing experience under the belt but I’m torn between a really saturated image, a moderately saturated image and a more subtle one. I’m also stuck on whether I should crop in nice and tight or have a slightly wider look. Your help would be appreciated

 

[JimFox]

Hey Danny, what a fun project. I really should do the same and go back to some older data.

First off for me, the orientation is different then I am used to seeing. My angle here must be a bit different? But I am used to Running Man being on the left side, not the bottom. So visually, what's interesting to me is this almost doesn't even look like Orion as I am so used to seeing it the other orientation. Which is really interesting as I think about it, because it makes Orion look almost like a completely different nebula.

Good job on the trapezium. You got nice detail there.

I am thinking that the star spikes are a bit too distracting. I like their effect, but is there a way you could only have 2 or 3 star spikes instead? Right now with the star spikes all over the image, I find my eyes getting pulled to them. I know star spikes can be an acquired taste, and some people hate them. I don't, as I think they can be cool. But maybe for me, it's a case of a little too much?

I also like the galactic dust you got and how that is showing.

So.... I need to come back to this because I can't quite pick any one of these over the others. So I will look back at this in a few hours and see which one grabs me the most. As it is, they are all very nice, so I think it's going to be a subtle difference that will win me over.

 

[AlanLichty]

I am not an astro photographer so I am simply looking at which frame keeps my attention more with no preconceived notion of what this should look like. That said I lean towards the close in view with the more saturated colors in the second image. The blues in the scene pull my eyes into the scene more than the others.

 

[Anubis1311]

Thanks for the feedback. I’ve removed the spikes completely for now and flipped it so it doesn’t hurt your brain Jim I know exactly how you feel as sometimes people do M31 upside down (even though there is no right way, it still hurts my brain ).

 

[Anubis1311]

I am not an astro photographer so I am simply looking at which frame keeps my attention more with no preconceived notion of what this should look like. That said I lean towards the close in view with the more saturated colors in the second image. The blues in the scene pull my eyes into the scene more than the others.

I like the cropped versions too I think. I’ve redone them without spikes now and flipped the orientation however not sure I processed them quite the same