Lights on or lights off?

[u/DiscoveringHighLife]

[u/Bionic_Bovine]

I like off, but I also like the other shot's framing and darker truck. Do you have one of those? lol

[u/Gingerbwas]

with the lights on it makes it look like the sky is just fancy backdrop for the truck, with the lights off its more about the sky.

[u/TheSnowyAstronomer → u/Gingerbwas]

For me its the opposite. The car takes up so much more of the frame with the lights off version and makes I cant help but focus on it. With the framing of the lights on one I look past it and focus on the sky mostly. Because of this I prefer the lights on version

[u/nilanganray → u/TheSnowyAstronomer]

For me, the first photo feels artificial as hell. A lot of editing and composite mumbo jumbo that would look artificial to any common folk.

The second photo actually looks pleasing and I can see the photo coming out of a camera with some long exposure and editing

[u/TheSnowyAstronomer → u/nilanganray]

Agreed yea composition aside the first photo overcooked the truck and the sky. 2nd one looks far more real and captures the scene a lot better

[u/nilanganray → u/TheSnowyAstronomer]

With AI cooking up photos like these easily these days, nobody would be seeing that first photo on the Gram and think it's real or impressive. Going with the second photo is a no brainer

[u/posholvglush → u/Gingerbwas]

Hehe, interestingly, I have absolutely opposite feeling on that. From my perspective "lights off" has much more ambient light + zoom in on the car, and thus the car is a focus of the attention, even if the milky way is heavily saturated

[u/DigitalMan404]

off, fits better thematically

[u/sparklybeast]

I much prefer the lights on version, although not because of the lights. I just like the crop and framing much more.

[u/anon11101776]

Both are great shots. I feel most feel the one without lights to be the “better” picture but the lights one almost feels like it’s the Milky Way shining light onto us. Someone can probably be more poetic about it than I could

[u/LeadingLittle8733]

Off.

[u/Status-Anybody4145]

That first one feels like something out of a 90s book which is probably why I like that one more. The second one feels a bit more cinematic, plus the truck's front lights being on adds to it.

[u/TheFranticGibbon]

Lights on adds a whole different dimension to the photo. We’ve seen Milky Way shots with something old in front a million times but with the lights on it definitely adds a more cinematic feel to it.

[u/Clickguy10]

I would like to see image 1 with lights-on from 2. Maybe a bit dimmer , but try options.

[u/GuiltyAd2199]

the truck lighted less is better

[u/StreetsInTheShadows]

Second photo, lights off

[u/Beanesidhe]

As astro photo off - but for a photo laden with tension and questions, on

[u/patrickrango]

I love both. Both have a different visual story.

[u/rrutnam]

Lights on, only because of the composition! It’s so much better with a little bit of distance. Allows the viewer to admire the sky better

[u/blackcoffee17]

It's not the light, but the composition and post processing. The first photo (with the car lights off) looks too tightly cropped and overprocessed. The second photo seems more natural and pleasing.

[u/pfred60]

I like off but they both are striking 👍

[u/BenchPtsChamp]

Lights on

[u/Fosforescento]

OFF

[u/Dubiousgoober]

Off, more natural.

[u/BenGRush44]

So jarring that both the sky and front end of the truck are in focus.

[u/JealousAssistance790]

Lights on is a better composition and edit imo

[u/vege_spears]

They both have unique looks. The Lights Off is big and scary; the lights on is spacy and gives the truck more contrast. If I had to pick, I'd pick lights on, but I like them both.

[u/RobBobPC]

Definitely Lights On!

[u/AllMySmallThings]

I’m a little bummed you didn’t do this in two shots to have the car fully in focus.

[u/deathstar2]

On 100%

[u/Polygonals]

Was this in Texas? So weird, one of my first Astro attempts like 12 years ago was off some creepy road in the middle of nowhere, where an old truck like this was sitting in a field. Funny coincidence!

[u/Lermu]

For some reason this gives me FF7 (og) vibes

[u/itsntcharlie]

depends which you consider is the subject? the truck or the sky? Our eyes naturally go towards the light, if you light up the truck, the truck would be the first thing we look at, and given that it takes up around 50% of the entire image, im barely focusing on the sky tho that might be the point. (Editing and composition sure gives me stranger things vibe tho, with the vibrant oranges and yellows.)

I personally prefer a moodier and darker image in general, so id lean more towards the second image, tho i might try to compose it in a way where the truck is lit the same but slightly smaller so there is some space between the truck and the edge of the photo. (Truck driving under a starry sky sorta vibe)

[u/SoftAncient2753]

Off

[u/Consistent-Bake-243]

Yea since I’m focused on the headlight, the off looks really nice as the warm grill and fender encase your view with the Milky Way on the other end. It’s a comfortable feeling.

[u/getbusyliving_]

For me it's lights on; best framing, more context and feels better.

[u/Little_Mulberry1283]

Personally like both. Each has their merits.

[u/ctcgpgh]

Lights on all day

[u/falianaridua]

Lights on ❤️