My First Milky Way RAW Capture: Seeking Advice on Stacking and Processing
I'm thrilled to share my very first attempt at capturing the Milky Way using RAW format! It's been a journey learning the ropes, and I'm particularly keen to get some advice on stacking and post-processing, as I haven't quite mastered those techniques yet.
Here are the details of my capture:
- Camera: Canon EOS 250d / SL3
- Format: RAW
- ISO: 3200
- Aperture: f/1.8
- Exposure: 15 seconds
- Lens: 11mm (with crop due to APS-C sensor)
- Processing: Edited in Lightroom Mobile
- Sky Condition: Bortle Class 4
I'm really excited to improve my astrophotography skills. Any tips on how to achieve better results, especially with noise reduction through stacking and enhancing the details with post-processing, would be greatly appreciated!
Seeking Your Wisdom
I'm finding the post-processing stages a bit challenging. While I'm editing in Lightroom Mobile, I understand that stacking isn't possible within the app. I've tried DeepSkyStacker, but unfortunately, I've encountered some issues where it seemed to delete my progress. I'm eager to explore other free software options like Darktable, RawTherapee, or even the desktop version of Lightroom. I've also been pointed towards some valuable resources on astrophotography image processing basics and techniques, and I'm ready to dive deeper into those.
Specifically, I'm looking for guidance on:
- Effective stacking techniques to reduce noise and improve image quality.
- Software recommendations for stacking (beyond DSS, if it continues to give me trouble) and for advanced post-processing, including light pollution removal.
- Workflow suggestions for processing RAW files to bring out the best in Milky Way captures.
I'm committed to learning and improving, and I believe with the right guidance, I can take my astrophotography to the next level. Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise!
