Another rework - this time M20

[cybereye]

Hi all!!

Here is another rework, this time of M20 which was taken back in August last year and was 11x2min subs at ISO800. Autoguiding was done using PHD and the reprocessing was done using techniques garnered in Louie's tutorials. Again the first image is the original that I posted, although this time I haven't cropped as much as I did originally.

Can you spot the difference?

Cheers,
Mario

[Bassnut]

mmm, you needed tutorials to acheave the difference?, you urgently need to learn basic PS skills. The 2nd pic is what one would expect 1st time, its a fine effort. You were bog lazy to post the 1st, it would only pass as a bad dark if you removed the stars.

[cybereye]

Fred,

I couldn't agree more with your critique of my M20 images.

Yes, I did urgently need to learn basic PS skills and that's where Louie's tutorials have been invaluable. There is a major difference between tarting up a picture of the family to get developed at Big W and bringing out the detail in an astro image. I can't thank Louie enough for the time and effort he's put into his tutorials and his willingness to share his knowledge with others.

As for my first posting of M20, I'm not sure I was "bog lazy" to post it. Although there may have been some laziness on my part - I've got something let's post it - I like to think that it was perhaps more youthful exuberance. And by youthful I mean in astrophotography experience terms not in age!!!

As I go through life I'm continually learning and taking in any shred of knowledge that I can. I work in the seismic processing industry and what I do there is not too dissimilar to astrophotography. Many of the processing concepts are the same and I know that it takes time and skill to process the seismic data to get a decent image of below the surface. I'm now learning that it's no different in getting a decent image of above the surface as well!!!

Once again thanks for the feedback,

Mario

[adman]

go easy on the fella Fred - we're all learners, just at different stages.:)

[irwjager]

Wow, big difference there, just to think that's the same data...
It seems you're definitely getting the hang of it - keep it up! :thumbsup:

Now maybe get rid of the gradient and correct for the elongated stars/coma and you got a very nice image indeed!

[dugnsuz]

Fred's comments can sting but they do the trick and push you on to bigger and better things - I appreciate them more than the "Great Image" one-liners. Which, reading between the lines, means he rips the piss out of my images too!!

He's 100% correct in respect of getting to grips with Photoshop, and Louis' tutorials are an excellent way to go

Oh... Great Image:P;)

Doug:thumbsup:

[cybereye]

Doug, I have to agree with you. If every time I post something and all I get back is a pat on the back then I can only assume that everything I'm doing is fine and I don't need to improve!! Fred gave me the best feedback I could get, especially about my PS skills needing to be looked at. He also did point out that my newly processed image was a fine effort which I also appreciated.

When I first processed that image back in August, I was amazed that I'd captured anything at all. Now I'm amazed at just how much information I did capture!! All I needed was a nudge in the right direction, processing wise, as to how to enhance that data. I'm finding that the more I play with PS the more I learn and the more I learn the more I want to play with PS.

And that's got to be a good thing, right?!

Cheers,
Mario

[atalas]

Hello Mario

Mate,your progressing nicely....well done on the repro!

[cybereye]

Louie,

Thank you very much for your compliments and for sharing your knowledge!!

Cheers,
Mario

[ReaPerMan]

Sometimes some people have to realise that we all have to start somewhere. They forget the confusion and hesitancy that comes from a lack of experience. I was lucky that when I deceided to start astrophotography and processing the results it wasn't my first trip around the block with Photoshop. I had been using it for other purposes for many years. Even so you still read all the articles and you have to put them into practice. I think that you are doing well and in a years time after much effort you may go back to that data again and be very surprised at just how much data you did capture.

Keep it up

All the best

Paul

[Logieberra]

Ouch:eyepop:
I'm yet to post anything in the Deep Space section for this very reason...

Astronomy is a hobby for life. If it takes me 10+ years to learn PS basics - so be it. I just wanna enjoy the journey, and keep the hobby in perspective.

Logie.

[cybereye]

Logan,

I think you'll understand that I doubt I'll be posting anything in the Deep Space section for the foreseeable future either!! Once bitten, twice...

Cheers,
Mario

PS I quite like posting in the Beginners area anyway! ;)

[irwjager]

Rogelio Bernal Andreo (from DeepSkyColors.com) has a beautiful quote;
"There are as many schools of astroimage processing as there are astrophotographers."

No one has a monopoly on determining what constitutes a good image. There is also per definition no 'right' or 'true' way to process an image as astrophotographical images are simply personal interpretations of outer-space reality, nothing more.

Please don't be discouraged from publishing anything in the Deep Space section when you feel ready.

[rcheshire]

I forget the author "...technicians many there are, but teachers few..."

...and another, "...the good teacher remembers that once he/she was a student..."

[Zincberg]

Love the rework to the image Mario and thanks for pointing me towards those tutorials, I hope I will be able to post something using my new found knowledge soon.
I am really grateful that someone like Louie has taken the time to show how he gets the results he does..saves us beginners to astrophotography (although not necessarily photoshop), a lot of time.