In this three-part tutorial series, Telescope Live tutor Peter Jenkins walks you through the entire process of enhancing the M51 galaxy using only Photoshop (data stacked in a free software - Deep Sky Stacker). Each part focuses on a crucial aspect of the workflow:
Part 1: Stretching and Cropping Basics
-Learn how to stretch, crop, and adjust the levels of the RGB and luminosity images.
-Set up a consistent crop across all image files.
Part 2: Color Balancing and Sharpening
-Fine-tune color balances to match the RGB channels.
-Apply sharpening techniques and use a layer mask for selective sharpening.
Part 3: Integrating Luminosity and Final Adjustments
-Integrate the luminosity layer to enhance detail.
-Perform advanced color corrections and final adjustments to bring out the galaxy's intricate details.
This series will equip you with the workflow to process any galaxy using Photoshop alone, however, this tutorial will also give you the necessary tools to process any other broadband dataset with ease.