Just adding my usual workflow here (but in a less fancy presentation ;) ):
Starting with a linear masterfile generated from DrizzleIntegration:
- Dynamic Crop
- BlurXTerminator in correct only mode
- ImageSolver
- SPFC
- MGC (fine-tuning of scale and smoothness parameters)
- SPCC (with custom ROI and all the filter curves)
- BlurXTerminator for general sharpening
- StarXTerminator to obtain obj and str images (containing background and stars respectively)
obj workflow:
- NoiseXTerminator
- MaskedStretch (to a brightness of 0.8, 100 iterations)
- (LocalHistograEqualization if I want to bring out some faint localized structures without boosting the contrast)
- CurvesTransformation, saturation adaption included
str workflow:
- HistogramTransformation
- CurvesTransformation (for saturation adjustments only)
Final combination is done in PixelMath using "combine(obj, str, op_screen())". After that, I apply ICCProfileTransformation and done!
Regarding the workflow at the top providex by @Jim Waters : Why do you apply SCNR after you used SPCC? If you already corrected the colors, there should be no reason to change them again. I, regarding my own images, always treat a reason to do so as a sign that I did something wrong during SPCC.
Additionally, according to Russel Croman, StarXTerminator works better before NoiseXTerminator is applied, so maybe changing the order in that regard may be beneficial to you.
CS Gerrit
The only point of difference in my workflow is I remove the stars after completing your second round of BlurXterminator whilst the master image is in linear form. I then process the background separate to the stars.
Before introducing the stars into the stretched and processed background I use SETI Astros star stretch script. I like a stretch of 5.2 and saturation of 1.25 with SCNR applied.
Regarding the workflow at the top providex by @Jim Waters : Why do you apply SCNR after you used SPCC? If you already corrected the colors, there should be no reason to change them again. I, regarding my own images, always treat a reason to do so as a sign that I did something wrong during SPCC.
Additionally, according to Russel Croman, StarXTerminator works better before NoiseXTerminator is applied, so maybe changing the order in that regard may be beneficial to you.
CS Gerrit
Jim Waters:Regarding the workflow at the top providex by @Jim Waters : Why do you apply SCNR after you used SPCC? If you already corrected the colors, there should be no reason to change them again. I, regarding my own images, always treat a reason to do so as a sign that I did something wrong during SPCC.
Additionally, according to Russel Croman, StarXTerminator works better before NoiseXTerminator is applied, so maybe changing the order in that regard may be beneficial to you.
CS Gerrit
Good question on using SCNR if I have already used SPCC. Force of habit from a previous method. I will have to modify my flow. I will look into Russel's process flow. Thanks for the heads up.
Jim
If you want, I could take a look at that, probably a configuration issue.
Write me a PN or tag me in a separate thread, wouldn't want to hijack this one as it may contain a lot of useful workflows for others at some point in the future.
CS Gerrit
Jim Waters:Regarding the workflow at the top providex by @Jim Waters : Why do you apply SCNR after you used SPCC? If you already corrected the colors, there should be no reason to change them again. I, regarding my own images, always treat a reason to do so as a sign that I did something wrong during SPCC.
Additionally, according to Russel Croman, StarXTerminator works better before NoiseXTerminator is applied, so maybe changing the order in that regard may be beneficial to you.
CS Gerrit
Good question on using SCNR if I have already used SPCC. Force of habit from a previous method. I will have to modify my flow. I will look into Russel's process flow. Thanks for the heads up.
Jim
One more note here, just for the sake of completeness:
For me, the goal is to produce an artistically pleasing yet as accurate as possible representation of reality. I like to think of my images as "showing what could be seen if we were closer and had better eyes" + a bit of art.
The goal of SPCC is to produce an image that is accurate in terms of colors. Applying any color corrections after this deviates from this purpose.
Depending on your goals, this either aligns with them and produces a "better" image (probably in case you are doing more art and less science) or it diverges from them and produces a less accurate image (in case you are doing more science and less art).
Note that I don't judge here, both ways have their own reasoning and importance. They are just hard to compare and make it impossible to define one "good".
