Helix NGC 7293

[solissydney]

I am slowly getting used to stacking images using Deep Sky Stacker and Photoshop CS5. My JPEG images are improving, but Raw ones has me beat so far.
The finished raw image from DSS, including darks and flats, being black as in black, is a real problem to me. I have done a lot of reading on the web but have found no answer as how to lighten them in order to view the embedded image.
Attached is an JPEG image taken using my Canon 5D MK ll as prime.
50 images at 80 sec each with darks and flats, two nights ago with the moon well up in the sky.
I am quite pleased with that one.

[RickS]

Ken,

Are you stretching the stacked RAW images with Photoshop? They will be very dark until you do this...

Cheers,
Rick.

[solissydney]

Yes Rick.
I usually start off with brightness & contrast, Levels and then play with Curves. But am not having much susscess.
So you recommend Curves as a first step then?
The image of Helix must be a particular tricky one because of its faintness.
ken

[RickS]

Sorry, Ken, I've never done stretching in PS (I use PixInsight). Just thought that might be where your problem lay.

[solissydney]

Thanks anyway for your support Rick
Ken

[Cosmic]

Good effort there, keep it up.

[solissydney]

Learning curves are good because it stretches one's mind.
Thank you
Ken

[PRejto]

I'm pretty new to this too, but may I recommend that you do not start with brightness/contrast!! If you have photoshop use levels (or curves if you know what you are doing) together with layers so that your edits are not destructive. Do as much as possible using adjustment layers until you are happy with the result. Only then "flatten" the image as a last step. Otherwise every edit you do detroys data that you will never get back.

I'm sure there are many books out there, but I'm liking the Scott Ireland book "Photoshop Astronomy." Bintel has this (or had it anyway).

Peter

[solissydney]

Thank you for your input Peter.
I must look into the usage of layers in Photoshop.
Ken

[Ross G]

Nice photo Ken.

Keep it up and good luck.

Atalas (Louie) on this site has some great short but intensive Photoshop tutorials that will help improve your images.

Ross.

[solissydney]

Thank you Ross.
I shall keep on trying
Ken