Aligning in Photoshop

[pvelez (Pete)]

I've just picked up a Ha filter - it works a treat - and have a few shots of the lagoon in both RGB and Ha. I'd like to try my hand at LRGB by adding the Ha as a luminence layer.

I have found that I can't align the 2 channels in Photoshop. I can certainly slide them up and down and across but (of course) the 2 images have rotated too.

Does anyone have any tips on how to rotate a channel independently of the other channels?

I have Images Plus which I can certainly use to align and stack - but unless I'm mistaken, I need to do the layer combine in Photoshop.

Pete

PS I am using Photoshop CS2

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

You should be able to do the layer combine in Images Plus. You might have to split the RGB image first into it's component channels.

Alternatively, using PS, don't insert it into a new channel, simply overlay it as a layer, select difference as the blending option, use your arrow keys to fine tune the movement (if you upscale first by a factor of 3 or 4x and then downscale to original size you will get finer adjustments for you movements) until it is aligned and then change the difference blending option to luminence. Do any adjusting to the layers to get them to look nice (you know sharpening, etc), flatten and voila!! Instant Luminence layered RGB

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Oh, if you need to rotate the layer at all you will need to go into Edit>Transform>rotate. Again if you have upsized and zoomed in it might help.

[Bassnut (Fred)]

Oh god, why bother aligning in PS?, Align in IP and save the 2 images seperately, then combine in PS.

[Tandum (Robin)]

These might interest you also :
http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/HARGB.html
http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/LRGB.html

[pvelez (Pete)]

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

Oh, if you need to rotate the layer at all you will need to go into Edit>Transform>rotate. Again if you have upsized and zoomed in it might help.

Thanks Paul - got it. Was driving myself mad trying to find it amid all the clutter in PS

Pete

[pvelez (Pete)]

Originally Posted by Bassnut

Oh god, why bother aligning in PS?, Align in IP and save the 2 images seperately, then combine in PS.

Fred

call me a dope - I didn't realise that when you align and save the files in IP, all files other than the reference file is rotated relative to the reference file when saved.

Works a treat - thanks

Pet

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

I blame the cold Fred. My brain is freezing while I'm sitting on it.

[pvelez (Pete)]

Originally Posted by Tandum

These might interest you also :
http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/HARGB.html
http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/LRGB.html

Thanks for the link - have now started playing - I fear the morning will pass quickly!

Pete