Andromeda Galaxy Astrophotography Tutorial
In this post, I'll walk you through the image processing steps I used to create the image of the Andromeda Galaxy shown below. This astrophotography tutorial uses Adobe Photoshop to bring out the intense colors and detail of a galaxy that was photographed using a DSLR camera and a small telescope. You can follow along and process the exact same data I did (download here), or you can try these techniques on your version of the Andromeda Galaxy taken using your own equipment. If you choose to download my data and process it, you can skip straight to the Photoshop portion of this tutoria…
Use the Select and Mask Tool in Photoshop
The Select and Mask Tool in Photoshop CC is a powerful way to edit selective areas of your astrophotography images. Whether you want to separate the stars from your deep sky target, or apply subtle noise reduction to the background sky of your image, the select and mask feature will get you there. Adobe Photoshop CC is an effective way to process astrophotography images, in a very creative and enjoyable way. If you use Photoshop to process your astrophotos like I do, this tutorial should be very useful to you. Download Photoshop CC (Single App Plan) var uri = 'https://imp.tradedoubler.c…
Remove Gradients in Your Astrophotos with Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is the preferred weapon of choice for many astrophotographers of varying levels of experience. The intuitive user interface and limitless image processing capabilities make it a real contender in the astrophotography world. The seamless integration with the .RAW image files produced by a Digital Camera makes Photoshop an attractive choice for photographers using popular Canon and Nikon DSLR's. It continues to be my personal favorite tool for processing astrophotography images. Whether you are brand new to astrophotography image processing, or a seasoned vete…
Deep Sky Image Processing in Photoshop
Well, this is it. In this deep sky image processing tutorial, I'll be combining all of the data I was able to collect on the Orion Nebula this winter. As we transition into Spring, a new array of deep-sky imaging targets will present themselves. The winter astrophotography targets in the Orion constellation will have to wait another year to get photographed. The camera used for this image was a Canon EOS Rebel T3i (600D), an excellent choice for beginners looking to dive into deep sky astrophotography. Deep Sky Image Processing Processing Walkthrough - Orion Nebula with a DSLR…
Manual Stacking in Photoshop for Reduced Noise
Even without a tracking mount, your astrophotography images can benefit from manual stacking in Photoshop. This method involves aligning exposures and combining them into a master composite. It can make a big impact on your astrophotos by reducing noise and improving the signal-to-noise ratio. The images used in the example were captured using a camera lens in place of a telescope. A wide-angle lens can be a tremendous way to photograph a large area of the night sky at once, rather than zooming in on a deep sky object. [caption id="attachment_4045" align="aligncenter" width="7…
