Refining Auroa processing

[Comet Hunter]

As many of you have seen, I tend to over process or over saturate my images. The N Lights, to me is really easy to over process.

So, I am really interested to see what you all think is the better image, #1 or #2 or nether?

I really want to improve so feel free to give me your open and honost opinions.
Thx

#1 #2

 

[AlanLichty]

I am at a bit of a disadvantage for this since I have never seen the lights in person. I do like the color contrasts in the sky in the first image but the sky does seem more of a deep blue than I am used to seeing when I look up at night.

 

[JimFox]

I go with #1, I like the better contrast in it.

It's easy when processing to have the magenta in #2 turn into blue in the sky. So #1 lacks that magenta, but I like the more vibrant colors.

 

[JimFox]

I am at a bit of a disadvantage for this since I have never seen the lights in person. I do like the color contrasts in the sky in the first image but the sky does seem more of a deep blue than I am used to seeing when I look up at night.

Like the Milky Way, seeing the Northern Lights never looks as good as the camera captures it. Desaturate #2 by about 30% and that's what the eye would see.

With a really bright Aurora, you will see some faint colors, but mostly what you see is the brightness of the aurora dancing across the sky. It is almost white as it's brighter then the rest of the sky.