Wide field tutorials with the foreground ?

[SAW]

Hi,

Is there any tutorials out there for doing wide field stuff which includes some of the foreground, so you still using the tracking mount. From what I gather you do your normal tracked images and a separate foreground one and combine them ? I'm looking for a good tutorial either on YT or written. Something I'e wanted to do a while now but don't know where to start.

Thanks.

[Andy R]

There’s an Aussie chap on a YouTube channel called “Nightscape Images” that’s pretty  good and informative, he even takes the time to answer any questions posted.

While he doesn’t use a tracking mount (stacked images with foreground light painting instead) the work flow tutorials he uses can be used just the same. He uses Sequator for stacking, LR & PS for processing & editing. Sequator is freeware and if you don’t have the adobe package, Darkroom and GIMP(both freeware too) can be used with pretty much the same result. 

HTH

Andy

 

Edited December 5, 2019 by Andy R
YouTube

[rickwayne]

Sequator is commonly recommended for this. Since I do other work involving masking, I have a copy of Topaz ReMask, which is AMAZEBALLS at letting you select the boundary between the sky and foreground, even with trees, brush, what have you. Super-useful tool. I would have gone bug-nuts insane trying to mask all these little leaves and branches without it: Example 1, Example 2

 Absent ReMask,I think the Lonely Speck guy has a useful video tutorial on the process.

(Yes, I screwed up on the horizon in Example 1. But look at those trees!)

Edited December 6, 2019 by rickwayne

[Andy R]

21 minutes ago, rickwayne said:

 Example 1, Example 2

There's some lovely images in your album, nice work👍

[happy-kat]

Sequator (it is free) it's easy to mask the static areas, it's stacks your images and you can incorporate calibration files such as flats as well into your stack. The processed output you can tweak afterwards in say GIMP if desired.

[rickwayne]

15 hours ago, Andy R said:

There's some lovely images in your album, nice work👍

Aww, thanks! I am a total affirmation hog, so that is richly appreciated.