Hand of God enhanced version

[strongmanmike]

Scotty Alder has put me onto something pretty cool, a very simple star size reduction technique. It is very good for revealing the nebulosity in an image and giving the image a narrow band fine star look. It is a bit crude and tends to give the image a processed look but the fine structures in the nebulosity are more easily seen when the eye doesn't have to contend with comparatively bloated stars. I think I will explore this technique more and see if the processed look can be worked around while still maintaining the fine structure revealed :thumbsup:

I posted my Ultra Deep Cen A image with this process applied now here is the Hand of God with an amazing 3D look:

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/98645539/original

Thanks Scott!

Mike

[Bassnut]

Sheesh Mike, nah, thats a shocker, almost as bad as me :poke:

[h0ughy]

wow fantastic result.

[strongmanmike]

Yeh, yeh I know it is a Fred/Greg Bradley type processing shoker, I was just posting cause it does reveal more fine structure in the nebula. I wouldn't have entered this version in the DMA's for example :screwy:.

It's interesting, I have blinked this versin with the traditional processed version and both seem to have the same nebula detail but it stands out more in the star shrunk version..interesting :confuse3:must be a visual illusion?

Mike

[Bassnut]

Cant believe it, so bad, delete now.

[AlexN]

That really is an incredible image... Its almost as if 'god' is pointing us to that galaxy.... as if to say "Watch This Space!"

[Bassnut]

In fact, the whole image looks awefull, sorry Mike, bad call.

[strongmanmike]

:rofl: :love: U

[Alchemy]

without blinking i am not imediately aware of the difference, both looked full of detail maybee the nebs a bit brighter.... running on memory here:D (went to full frame shot link just below is this enhanced too?, couldnt see any processing artifacts there)

any clues as to how you shrunk the stars...... i have used the minimum filter but it tends to leave unwanted artifacts ie blocky stars around diffraction spikes, spider web type lines in nebulosity..... neither visible in your image.

sorry i dont own one of those pixelconfabulaterometer thingys

[jase]

Fred, what ever you do, DO NOT under any circumstances tweak the image (for better or worse) and repost it. Trust me.;):P

----
Not sure about this image Mike. In does appear to have altered the nebulosity contrast, but the stars...they just don't do it for me. Each to their own.

[Bassnut]

No I wont post a redo Jase, I wouldnt dare :whistle:.

Some obvious improvements might be though, based on my vast over processing skills, are .

Too many stars, way too many , who needs em, get rid of at least half.
Distort, minimise and nicely square up the ones left.
Add an edgy sharp effect on everything.
Push the noise way up, and bingo, the Fred master touch :).

[jase]

Oh Fred. What have you done... You've awakened the giant. Run, Run for your lives people!:lol:

[strongmanmike]

ROOOOOAAAAARRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

Plod plod plod.......


:rofl:Ah love you guys!

Yeh looking through the jpeg compression present in that small image..that actually doesn't look too bad Fred...? Nice work :thumbsup: Doesn't make it look gastly like Jase's exageration did. I (well Scott, blame Scott!) did that with the star shrinking version I know but I just thought it was interesting how the nebula stood out more :)

Mike

[skeltz]

ERRR yeah??:doh:

[gregbradley]

Hey did someone use my name in vain??

Hahaha.

I've seen that sort of effect before - oh I know - I've done it to a couple of my images hehe.

Lets see:

Photoshop:

duplicate layer/darken/filters/minimise ??

The original is an awesome shot Mike and so is your Cent A - real works of art. Makes me want to drag the refractors out again.

Greg.