Exposure Rejection Night Time Exposure

[HodagMedia]

Thanks for giving us the chance to consider your image. Unfortunately, during our review we found that it's either over- or under-exposed, so we can't accept it into our collection.

The image was shot at Sunset, it is supposed to be representative of the farm equipment, a harvest at night. But is rejected for exposure. Have I gone too far into art instead of just capturing a snapshot of something, clean and crisp?

Websize example, hopefully good enough to see. The original is 12MP

I can adjust the shadows but that loses the mood and concept of harvesting at night?

Or give up and move on?

[Abambo]

if you can work on the harvesting machine, that would enhance the picture a lot. But I fear the picture will be refused because of the lights then...

[ricky336]

Hi, I think in the foreground, you've ended up with a dark mass. I don't get the idea of harvesting at night. I think you need to lighten the foreground in order to get some detail. Therefore the rejection reason for exposure issues.

[HodagMedia]

Thanks to both, I'll work on the foreground for more details, and improve the machine.

This is a real photo, not faked, harvest at night. Just in case that was a question? 30 second exposure was determined to get the Sunset glow properly exposed.

The idea was intentional to show the motion and the lights as a streak. Maybe not a great concept? The red lights are a truck that was filled and left, the bright lights, the machine. The reason why the top white light is a streak is, that was above the truck as they filled. The red lights are on the truck. Then the truck pulled away and the machinery was stopped, waiting for another empty.

I had to time that choreography to get the sequence.

They are picking corn. I think there are many reasons, but, when it's ready, and the moisture content is right, they pick until Midnight or beyond, loading truck after truck. Some pretty large fields. Some help might have day jobs? Sometimes I think it has to do with weather, if it's going to be wet for days, and they wouldn't be able to get into the fields. I suppose I should ask someone? I'm not a farmer, I just live across the road.

[Abambo]

My feeling is that it won't work like that. All pictures in that sense feature the machine being flashed at the end to give the eye a point to rest. Also for me, the sky should be darker...for a night view.

A different problem are dust particle on the sensor:

Those would also lead to a refusal.

[HodagMedia]

So many good and helpful answers I marked it assumed answered, not just one of them. As I'm learning how the forum works, I hope that's acceptable.

Lets see, dust bunnies, sky lighting, equipment lighting, foreground is boring and lacks detail. Loads of room to improve. Thanks!