Is Image Processing Fun or ???

[JayTee]

In regards to the knowledge in which we need to be competent to accomplish long exposure AP (optical, mechanical, electronic, and post-processing), for me, post-processing is the most difficult part of our hobby for many reasons. Laziness is right near the top!

This is just a fun post to see what the general feeling on how you folks view the potentially difficult process of obtaining a "satisfying" image by navigating through that ever-present brick-wall of AP -- POST-PROCESSING!!!

Just reply with a number from 1 to 10 on how you feel about post-processing. 1 is equal to - This is worse than accomplishing a self-induced splenectomy with an ice cream scoop! OR 10 is equal to - This is as much fun as you can have with your clothes on!

I'm a solid 1

Cheers,
JT

[STEVE333]

Wonderful topic JT -
Because my last two images turned out better than I had hope because of some new processes I've learned and dumb luck, I'm a solid 10 (right now).

After my next image I could be a 3!

Changes on a regular basis .

Steve

[ram]

For me it's the hardware. Anything with software can be 5-10 and I love being under the sky collecting data when everything works well but when things break at the hardware level (from computer to mount to issues with focus due to spacers - this is the worst part but they're all bad) I dislike it. Things with software I'm usually adept at figuring it and rarely get frustrated (if at all) and my "optimisation tree" to fix problems works rapidly and unfortunately I've not developed the same mentality towards hardware (too impatient/slow I guess). I knew a guy once who could handle hardware like I could software and it was a similar process (being methodical about debugging) but he was a lot more patient.

Laziness and procrastination (or other responsibilities) are high too but so far I've been disciplined enough about it. The only big regret I have is letting my UC18 sit without doing anything.

--Ram

[Graeme1858]

Ordinarily it's a 7-8. My engineering mind loves the capture but I find the processing an enjoyable arty endeavour too. Poor data is a bit frustrating to process. Dim targets collect poor data, due to insufficient data, especially mid summer, especially when the clouds clear more often mid week when a post 00:00 bedtime leads to poor performance at work the next day! But when the data is good the processing is good and it's a joy.

I just spent three days trying to capture subs on M81 and M82 separately to collate, process and stitch together for the June AP Challenge and after a lot of work the results are poor! That was a 6-7. Should have tried it on a brighter target! When my ASI294 birthday present arrives in August, I'm expecting to be able to report an 8-9 rating!

For those that enjoy the processing, the July AP Processing Challenge will be a bit of a treat!

Regards

Graeme

[Greenman]

At the moment I give it a 4, I’m sure I’ll make it a 7 or 8 when I get the hang of it, I do some 3D modelling using Lightwave - now that is frustrating... But, I like software.

[sdbodin]

I have to say about a 7, just because of repeatability. Any software process that depends too much on 'holding your mouth right' to be repeatable is not all that much fun.

Steve

[KathyNS]

It is hard to evaluate it to a single number. What makes it rewarding is overcoming a challenge and doing it well.

The actual process is hard work. If you ask me to evaluate how much pleasure the effort itself gives me, the answer is not much. I wouldn't do this if it didn't produce nice results.

But if I evaluate the effort along with its result, the answer is that I get a lot of pleasure from them. If the same result were easy, I would get some pleasure from it, but not as much as when I have to work to produce it.

Taking the work and the result together, it's about an 8.

[Juno16]

I agree with Kathy. If it were easy, it would not be as much fun. Of course, everyone that does AP and processes images already know that it is not easy, so we all must enjoy the challenge.

Good data is a pleasure to work with. There are many different adjustments in the early stages of processing that affect the final process. It usually takes me several passes to get the result that I am looking for. Even then, I have to step away for hours or days and re-evaluate. Seems like I get tangled up with certain "looks" and have to create multiple versions to see what pleases me the most. Even with that, after several weeks or months, I see things that I could do better.
It really never stops!

[Mac]

At this stage of the game, each image is marginally better than the last one and I enjoy the challenge along with the results. If it was too easy and without such beautiful images there would be no observatory in my backyard.

It can be very frustrating at times too, as you all know. Spending an entire night imaging, even if most of it was done while I slept only to find a mess of an image is disappointing. You got to take the lumps and move on or just exit.

The software end of it is always interesting to me having been a programmer for my entire life. I like to contribute to the development of the software when possible through beta testing. I am not pedantic in my processing and only spend more time learning new tips when the process doesn't fulfill my goals. For this reason, I just de-bayer, align and integrate images without calibration and touchup in Lightroom.

I enjoy reprocessing older captures and see how much my editing has improved, or not. I enjoy sharing them with family and friends as they are often in awe of what is out there and appreciate them, well some of them do.

[Star Dad]

I'll say a 9. I can think of more fun things to do with my clothes on. But there is a lot of guess work in doing processing... I'm not sure what each step actually does - or more precisely why certain settings yield differing results. I need an explicit description. StarTools is great software but lacks detailed information on each setting/step. So I tend to try different setting to see what will work best. I need more knowledge to make good choices.

But what really keeps me going is those images where there are only a few stars and then suddenly out pops a gorgeous nebula. "My god it's full of stars".

[Gordon]

I've never considered processing that much of a big deal. It's just part of the 'reward'......

[OhNo]

Post on very good data I'm a 9, lousy data 1. Processing is the kissin' cousin to computer manipulation, garbage in, garbage out!

[yobbo89]

1 for 9 panel mosaics with 27 indvidual stacked frame sets .. 10 for single panel images , the best images are the incomplete data sets that i just stretch the ha data and upload "black and white good contrast,quick and clean"

[Ozypic]

Can I have a minus number ? No .... well I'll settle for a 1 if I can't choose lower.
I also suffer from the " Garbage in Garbage out problem.
I've fiddled with other peoples good data and now understand that mine is crap........
Phill

[Ylem]

-1
I'm a little too dumb to figure it out.

But wow! Do we have some talented folks on this site
Some of the images here look like they are from the Hubble

[bobharmony]

I am solidly a 3... no, a 7..., maybe a 8.5. It all depends on when you catch me. Post is a necessary evil some days and a joyful experience on others. But what the heck, if I spent the time to collect the data and calibration frames, it would be kind of a shame to just leave them on the hard drive.

Bob

[starfield]

I'd give it an 8. So much to learn. Although I do get frustrated when I'm having to deal with all the artifacts from the local light pollution. It is nice being able to start with clean data.

[STEVE333]

I'd give it an 8. So much to learn. Although I do get frustrated when I'm having to deal with all the artifacts from the local light pollution. It is nice being able to start with clean data.

I hear your pain with LP artifacts. I finally bit the bullet and changed to NB imaging for exactly that reason. I had "hit the wall" with what I could do with the LP-limited data I was collecting. The NB filters (specifically Ha, Oiii and Sii) along with the cooled camera have made a huge difference in the quality of the collected data. I'm really enjoying the processing now.

Steve

[Jockinireland]

I'm coming late to this one.

I'd go for an 8 or 9. I like that there are so many ways to do this and working out what works best is like calisthetics for my old brain. I guess the difficulty I have is that there is no real end point. There is always room for yet another repro!

[STEVE333]

I'm coming late to this one.

I'd go for an 8 or 9. I like that there are so many ways to do this and working out what works best is like calisthetics for my old brain. I guess the difficulty I have is that there is no real end point. There is always room for yet another repro!

Couldn't agree with you more. Working out how to "solve" the problem(s) with an image can be very rewarding for our old brains. However, once finished with an image it is frustrating to see "something else" that could be better.

My wife and I visited Ireland many years ago and loved it. Friendliest people we ever met. Kind of sorry we were never able to make it back again. She is gone now, but, the nice memories remain. We only visited Galway for a short time, but, honestly enjoyed the smaller towns and villages better (people weren't as busy). However, all of Ireland was beautiful including Galway.

Steve