Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark_Heli
Hi Ivo,
Thanks for the updated picture - it looks great.
Just a quick question - which program and steps did you use? I am currently using Paint.NET with basic curves and levels...
I am keen to understand how you re-processed the image.
Thanks
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Hi Mark,
Just wanted to quickly show there's a little more data lurking in there - I expect the new rendition itself it may not be everyone's taste.

With just a heavily 8-bit compressed JPEG to work with, it's hard to stretch it much further. Explaining in detail what I did to your image would not make a whole lot of sense, as you would normally start with the unadulterated data set.
I used my own software (StarTools), but you can get good results with any basic software that provides curves and some form of masking/blending.
It looks to me like you're got a good handle on histograms and clipping (your image looks fine). So next thing to investigate would be localized dynamic range management (aka local contrast optimization - it goes by a lot of names).
There are many ways to skin a cat, but what it all boils down to is modifying curves/levels for different parts of the image as appropriate and blending them seamlessly into a single image. That way you bring out faint parts of the image, while leaving bright parts alone. You'll want to make the most of your data, while keeping noise low. Then there's composition to consider - everything you do will impact the way the viewer perceives your image. Show everything (e.g. bring out every last bit of detail) and it may detract from some other things that you may want to emphasize. It's all up to your personal interpretation.
Some programs come with algorithms that help you with dynamic range management (PixInsight, StarTools, etc.), while other programs rely on a more generic/manual approach (PhotoShop - look for the Shadow/Midtone/Highlight tool). It totally depends on your personal preferences and what you are used to.
Feel free to PM me if you have any specific image processing problems - happy to help (or co-scratch my head

).
Hope this helps,