Palomar Observatory. Palomar Mountain, CA

I used a polarizer to remove the harsh glare from the observatory

dome and ended up with the ink colored sky. The contrast, while nice,

certainly isn't what was there that day. Also, any thoughts as to how

the shadows might have been improved by waiting or taking the photo

earlier? Thanks.

I think most people would say this is too much - well a lot too much actually. And it never ever looks this bad in the viewfinder does it? Your white subject won't have helped of course, but maybe I'd question whether you needed the polariser at all- looks to me like the sky would have been pretty saturated already. If you do use a polariser, it doesn't just have two positions - on and off -. By tiny rotations you can set intermediate positions which are most often the most appropriate use of the filter.

Really nice and bold. Really fills the frame, really really fills the frame. The sky doesn't really bother me, I think that it being an observatory makes the inky sky even more appropriate. I think a more distant view would have been nicer where the observatory could be seen in the context of its environment with that dark sky. Just a thought. The clarity is nice.

Very dramatic shot but I wonder if it is a little underexposed. Good detail in the highlights make me think it might be. Would a looser composition help? I wasn't there so I can't be sure. Keep plugging away.

I do tend to agree with the composition comments. After looking at the photo, I want more of a very vertical frame with some green foliage at the bottom, the observatory at about the middle bottom third of the image, and a very blue linear expanse reaching toward the sky. Basically, a photographic nod to the use of the observatory rather than just a picture of a building. As for the exposure, I think you have identified my el cheapo flatbed scanner! The reflective scanning doesn't help the foliage or the dark sky at all.

I agree with the comments about overuse of the polarizer. It doesn't make it look like it's later in the day, just overpolarized. The shot's composition isn't bad, but could have been more vertical, as the photographer mentioned in his post.

am i the only one bothered by the blown out white in the top right of the observatory and the lack of detail. I'd like to see that burned in a bit, just to get the hint of detail, and then it wouldn't be as distracting. Generally, though, I do like it.

Len,

After thinking more about your comment, I opened the file and did some work on a new layer and merged them together to compensate for the lack of detail. Any thoughts on the results? BTW, does anyone have a suggestion on how I might have retained detail in the highlights given the dramatic contrast? Palomar sits at the top of a mountain at about 5200' elevation. The UV filter didn't do enough to cut the blue thus the use (overuse) of the polarizer. Maybe I should try less polarizer with a graduated ND filter. Any thoughts? Thanks.

nice detail in shadows, nice exposure

New version great improvement. I think the contrast range has you beat on this subject. You're doing all the right things, using a lower contrast film (NPS)etc. Maybe a reshoot on a hazy day instead of sunny & clear. If it's in your backyard try again. Just don't beat up on yourself for something that may not be technically possible to perfect.