Hey, guess what, I've reprocessed M83 AGAIN!

[cybereye]

Hi all!!

After spending Friday at the AAIC enthralled by Jay Gabany's talk, I decided to test some of his colour processing methods and I've reprocessed my 2012 data of M83. I've attached the latest version of the image as well as a compilation of my 4 attempts at processing this data.

I now feel confident that I'm now getting good colour by compensating for my UHC-S filter in DSS and just need to tweak it a bit more in post-processing. I look at my current image and think it may be a touch too blue but then when I reduce it I don't like the result!

Anyway, as usual, processing was in StarTools, but using the beta version 246 which has some neat colour management tools...

Cheers,
Mario

[LewisM]

I like it Mario. More data would fill out the fuzzy stuff nicely.

GOOD detail. Well executed.

[alpal]

Very nice - makes me want to re-process mine
after 3 months of clouds & no imaging.

[multiweb]

The last rendition colours are pretty spot on. Well done. :thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

Good on you Muzza, I imagine you're going to learn more from processing this image than any other. The last version is the best, so well done :thumbsup:

Mike

[Larryp]

Very nice, Mario

[cybereye]

Thanks Lewis - I'd get more data but I've since changed scope! However, next time around I'll image that sucker as much as I can...:)



Allan, thanks for the compliment. I know how you feel regarding the cloud - we here in SEQ had a very long and miserable cloudy season from about November last year to June this year! Plenty of time to get some repro practice in!!! :thumbsup:



Thanks Marc! Jay Gabany's talk on intensifying colours was a revelation! Seeing him and Prof. Malin having a philisophical argument was also worth its weight in gold! :lol:



Mike, thanks for your kind thoughts! The search for colour has led me on an interesting journey.

Despite my urban location with all it's inherent LP problems and the fact that I use a UHC-S filter to tame the LP with an OSC CCD, I was determined to get "true", vivid colour back into my images. This galaxy was probably the one target that was most affected by a lack of colour so it was a good test subject to try all my wild and wacky ideas!

I think, at this stage, the biggest change in my processing technique has been to adjust the colour whilst debayering in DSS. My RGB ratios of 7:10:7 in DSS compensated for the heavily dampened green channel that the UHC-S filter was producing. Coupled with this has been Ivo Jager's help and fantastic additions to StarTools in regards to colour and noise management. The better noise management has meant that I can push my decon and wavelets just that little bit more to get the resolution up without it looking too over-sharpened. And the upgraded colour module is a breeze to use.

Yep, happy days! :D



Thanks Laurie! As I mentioned before, this dataset has given me hours of practice in regards to my processing as well as a milestone to measure my processing journey.:thumbsup:

Cheers,
Mario

[alpal]

Hi Mario,
Yes it's been the longest spell of cloudy nights in 4 years
here in Melbourne.

[cybereye]

An updated image where I've reduced the green a little bit...

[gregbradley]

The galaxy pops out beautifully. Nicely done. The stars though have suffered in the process. Next step is to learn inverted masks so you can protect the stars from the galaxy processing. Louie has posted some free tutorials on how to do that.

Greg.

[alpal]

Yes- some of Louie's videos are here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ5b6pFHBGe66vsuSaXb-0A

The one you need is "Noise Reduction Masks for Photoshop".
The stars are made black in the inverted layer mask & are
therefore protected from adjustment changes.

cheers
Allan

[PRejto]

Hi Mario,

Nice image! Since you were at AAIC I just have to say this: Is it Real?

Cheers,

Peter

[cybereye]

Thanks Greg, especially for the advice. I find processing a real juggling act so am very grateful for any tips/help I can get!!



Allan - thanks for the link - I'll look into that...



Thanks Peter - I think the line is "the colours are real, they're just exaggerated"... call it plastic surgery for the cosmos! :D

[A23649]

How satisfying is it to look back at your previous versions and see how much your processing has improved?

[cybereye]

Nathan, it is very satisfying! I would have to say that I've learn't more in the reprocessing of this data than I have from any other object, except for perhaps my Trifid data. The good news is that I now feel confident that I can get good colours from my images despite my location and the filters I use. It now feels good to be an "OSC Urban Imager"! :thumbsup:

Cheers,
Mario

[Ross G]

A great looking galaxy photo Mario.

Excellent processing.


Ross.

[jjjnettie]

:) Lovely processing Mario.

[cybereye]

Thanks Ross - I tries me best I do!



Jeanette, thanks for the compliment! Jay's talk gave me some new ideas to try and it worked a treat. :thumbsup: