Multi-Camera Final Refinements in Affinity Photo: NGC 6744 Processing
Combining Luminance and RGB for LRGB Processing:
- Convert the luminance image to a 16-bit RGB file and merge it with the RGB image for enhanced detail.
- Flatten the image and export it as a high-quality TIFF file.
Gradient Removal and Star Integration:
- Extract stars using PixInsight’s Star Exterminator and process them separately.
- Use Graxpert AI for automatic background gradient removal before reintroducing stars.
Final Color and Detail Enhancements:
- Apply Tone Mapping for subtle contrast boosts in the galaxy without affecting the background.
- Use Selective Color and Clarity tools to refine spiral arm structures and highlight Hα regions.
This final stage brings out the full depth and color of NGC 6744, wrapping up a comprehensive multi-software workflow.
Multi-Camera Final Refinements in Affinity Photo NGC 6744 Processing
Comments
Ahhhh...thanks very much for the kind comments Ray! Much appreciated. 👍 And I'm very glad the videos are of use.
One thing that I've found over the last year or so is that I tend to process the images in the same way every time now. The use of Russ's Xterminator tools make it quite easy to formulate a workflow as shown in the tutorials that is easy to apply and consistent. Of course there will always be minor adjustments, depending on the datasets, but it all gets easy with practice.
I think the 'dark art' of astro processing has a lot of similarities to learning a new language. The only way to get proficient is to practice every day and thanks to Telescope Live there's a good supply of data to work with!
It's also necessary to train your eye....for example, look at the sky background, is it too light or dark? Are there areas of 'over-exposure' in the brighter parts of the image introduced during scaling. Is the colour balance consistent for an LRGB image....star populations etc. as in the recent NGC 6744 image?
One other thing I do is to take a break after spending time processing an image and come back to it (after a cup of tea) with fresh eyes. And always do the processing in a darkened room, not in bright sunlight!
Thanks again.
Nik
Another inspirational set of videos Nik. Despite having a similar set of astrophotography applications available to me, the gulf that exists between your results and my somewhat inferior ones, I believe comes down to your ability to assess what adjustments are needed and how best to subtly apply them without going overboard. For many these tutorial videos really offer an opportunity to improve their results.
Now a shameless plug. Nik has had the second version of his publication 'Shooting Stars' out for a few years now, and every month writes an 'Imaging Masterclass' section in a monthly Astronomy magazine. Often these may use data available in the Telescope live archive. Currently he is giving advice on Imaging dark nebulae, with part 2 of that series now available. Access to Nik's book is also available in the magazine.
Disclaimer, I have no affiliations whatsoever with the magazine publisher.
CS, Ray