NGC6960 Western Veil 2018-07-15

[JohnP]

Hi Dunc,

Its an excellent image - loads of fine detail so well done. Regarding colours I would say first is as Mark described a little subdue - for the second you have over saturated - bit too much...

What I tend to is look for a good replica image online & then use that as a starter for my own image. i.e. have two windows open & flick between - at least that way monitor calibration is a little less crucial.

Fine image though - I love it - would look great in B&W

John

[The Thing]

Thanks John, each to his own taste I suppose. I have worked up another version in PI only with better control over the saturation, more stars and some sharpening that the other version don't have. Could go on for ever!

[MarkS]

Here's what I do as a double check on screen calibration.  Display the image of anything that includes a Macbeth colour chart on the screen (you don't have to own the chart).  Now take a photo of the screen (in a darkish room).

Perform neutral processing of the raw photo in Photoshop (making sure the grey squares are free of tint).  The original image and the photo of the original should be almost identical.

Standard raw conversion in Photoshop adds lots of saturation and toning because that's what everyday photographers want to see.  But to perform neutral processing in PS do the following:

1) Set the colour space to Adobe RGB in the raw converter
2) Set the process version to 2010 (and definitely not 2012)
3) Set the tone curve to linear
4) Set the Blacks, Brightness and Contrast sliders to zero
5) Adjust temperature and tint to make the grey squares free of any tint
6) Adjust the exposure slider to match the brightness of the original image

This should prove that the whole front-to-back process from camera to screen is behaving itself and that the screen is displaying exactly what the camera sees.

Mark

[ApophisAstros]

Here's what I do as a double check on screen calibration.  Display the image of anything that includes a Macbeth colour chart on the screen (you don't have to own the chart).  Now take a photo of the screen (in a darkish room).

Perform neutral processing of the raw photo in Photoshop (making sure the grey squares are free of tint).  The original image and the photo of the original should be almost identical.

Standard raw conversion in Photoshop adds lots of saturation and toning because that's what everyday photographers want to see.  But to perform neutral processing in PS do the following:

1) Set the colour space to Adobe RGB in the raw converter
2) Set the process version to 2010 (and definitely not 2012)
3) Set the tone curve to linear
4) Set the Blacks, Brightness and Contrast sliders to zero
5) Adjust temperature and tint to make the grey squares free of any tint
6) Adjust the exposure slider to match the brightness of the original image

This should prove that the whole front-to-back process from camera to screen is behaving itself and that the screen is displaying exactly what the camera sees.

Mark

or let windows do it, in control panel and typing calibrate display in search bar.

Roger

[Carole]

Yes that's the method I used Duncan.

Carole

[The Thing]

I use a Datavision  Spyder 5 and DisplayCal with Argyll CMS corrected for ambient light. I suspect it's fairly accurate at setting up my monitor for creation of images for web use. My laptop has the same. Maybe my eyes are screwy!😉

[Carole]

Maybe John's idea is a good one:

What I tend to is look for a good replica image online & then use that as a starter for my own image. i.e. have two windows open & flick between - at least that way monitor calibration is a little less crucial.

Carole

[JohnP]

..Not strictly technical I know but at least gets you close...

[MarkS]

Thanks Mark, I may need a uv/ir filter to reduce bloat, or less beer. At the moment my setup is unfiltered. I have a Baader Neodymnium 2" I could use which would do the job but may alter the colour balance a bit. Unless I can wangle my uv/ir clip filter into the imaging train somehow.

I've just noticed your comment about a UV/IR filter.  Yes you definitely need to use one.  Blocking the IR helps prevent star bloat and it gives a better colour balance.

Mark