Image processing is the process of editing digital images using computer software to improve their quality and enhance their visual appearance.
This is an important part of astrophotography because the human eye is not capable of seeing the details captured in a deep-sky long exposure photograph.
By processing your images, you can pull out all the faint details hidden in the data that you captured during your imaging session.
If you are a beginner and looking for something to help you through the entire process from start to finish be sure to purchase my Astrophotography Image Processing Guide.
In the following articles, you’ll find useful tutorials to help you get the most out of your image data using DeepSkyStacker, and Adobe Photoshop.
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…
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…
Adobe Photoshop is the preferred image processing software 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 make Photoshop an attractive choice for…
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. This step-by-step tutorial should be useful to anyone processing a bright nebula with Adobe Photoshop. As we transition into spring, a new array of deep-sky imaging targets will present themselves….
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…
When I purchased a new laptop computer back in 2016 for image processing and video editing and was quickly reminded of the importance of having a well-calibrated computer monitor. The brightness of my new laptop screen was intense. It appears to be about 25% brighter than my well-calibrated 23 Inch external IPS monitor. When…
Staying Inside – Image Processing The unseasonably cold weather and precipitation we have experienced here in Southern Ontario have given me the perfect opportunity to go through my old astrophotography images and reprocess the data. I have been advancing my image-processing skills by studying current astronomy images taken by the pros. Being a creative professional myself, I…
Astrophotography LRGB Processing Technique A useful guide to processing the Orion Constellation using a DSLR Camera and Tripod From the very moment this video started, I knew I was in for a real treat. The motion control time-lapse of the Milky Way moving across the sky was the perfect primer for this high production, quality tutorial. …