Solar Eclipse Image Processing w/ Photos

[DutchieOnABudget]

Right now I am working on trying to do the Diamond ring(s) and the Bailey beads and such. 
I would like to see if I can get those "extracted" out of the images I have.

I have noticed that next time I need to try a little harder on getting things in focus a little better. Specifically on the A7IV and Sigma 150-600mm setup...
I wish they were a little sharper (if even possible, to be honest...).

Although that might also be the result of the slight breeze we had throughout the day...
Still, I am not too unhappy with the various results so far.

[Alfred]

13 hours ago, DutchieOnABudget said:

Still, I am not too unhappy with the various results so far.

Nor should you be! What you’ve posted here is hugely impressive.

[Don Loftus]

This is my contribution to the discussion about how to edit eclipse photos.  This was also my first attempt at photographing a total eclipse and it was the shortest 4 minutes ever! I used a Canon 70 D and set it for a 5 shot bracket using the Programed setting so the camera would center on what ever it saw at a “normal” exposure.  The eclipse was high in the sky and no clouds (I was west of Hot Springs at a campground on Lake Ouachita, very near the center line). I used a Sigma 150 to 600mm zoom.  I think I set the focus to auto since the focus changes when zooming and all the photos I took were in focus.  Once I got framed up I just keep shooting burst after burst and changing the zoom from 150, 335, 451 and 600mm.  I took a total of 69 photos.  For my first edit attempt I picked a group of images taken at 1:49 local time at 600mm, using 6.3 to F-7.1, 1/400 to 1/10 sec., ISO - 200.

I also wanted to show detail in the Sun’s Corona and processing was aimed at that goal.  I used a fair amount of sharpening, brightness and contrast and what ever looked like it could help.  The solar provenances ere edited with a heavy hand just to get them to show up well and I’ll tone that down on my next attempt.

I spent about 4 hour on just this image and started over about 4 or 5 times.  I don’t know Affinity 2 real well and it was a bit frustrating because I know there are features that would help me but I didn’t know how to use them effective and just finally stopped when I got an image I thought was good but not optimal.  I found this site and was hoping for additional input from the uses here.

Look like I'm having problems getting the photo to download!  I'll keep trying.

[Ulysses]

On 4/14/2024 at 12:22 PM, DutchieOnABudget said:

This was ALL my first time EVER trying a solar (or any) eclipse...

Yes, I LOVE C1 and Affinity. Still learning Affinity, but have been suing C1 for about 5 or so years (if not longer).

Very well done, particularly with this being your first attempt at it! You also ensured that your approach to gear and the images you wanted to make were doable and well-planned. 

This eclipse was my first one, also. I now know that I was either TOO ambitious in what I was trying to accomplish, or should have trained some additional hands to help out, or I should simply have rehearsed even more. Still, I accomplished more than I hoped. I will share some of my results when able.

[Don Loftus]

I'll try the photo again since I'm now registered.   Well it worked.  I looked at my previous post and wow, I can't spell or type worth a darn!  Sorry about that.

[DutchieOnABudget]

Hello All,

Very nice and useful feedback from all.
And some nice images.
As I mentioned before, I was working on another composite, this one with the Diamond Rings and the Baily's Beads.
I'll show it down here.

However, still no reply from the original people here with additional steps on how this possibly could be done in other programs (specifically Affinity Photo...).

Well, I guess I will keep trying and failing and starting over....
Thanks again, everyone.

[Ulysses]

13 hours ago, DutchieOnABudget said:

However, still no reply from the original people here with additional steps on how this possibly could be done in other programs (specifically Affinity Photo...).

Well, I guess I will keep trying and failing and starting over....
Thanks again, everyone.

It often takes time and patience to get a reply, especially if the originators of the post provided this information a year or more prior to our questions.

I have no doubt that the techniques required actually exist within Affinity Photo, even if the specific tools are located in a different place than in Photoshop. Ultimately the technique might even be easier, as is typically the case with Affinity Photo.

[DutchieOnABudget]

K, another question for those that have Affinity Photo (v. 2.4.2) installed.
Does anyone know why this is not (seemingly) installed as a "normal" program in Win 11?
I have created a shortcut on my desktop during installation, but it does not have an icon. Just a white paper sheet as such. The folder of the shortcut link location has subfolders, but the majority of those are empty... See below.
Then we I go looking for the actual .exe file, to update the icon, I cannot seem to find that.
And in the info of the shortcut, it shows the following:

I have found an "AffinityPhoto2.exe" file (actually in 2 locations), but those do not have the proper icon displayed, nor can I use them to get the icon.
It says: "System cannot access this file", when I navigate there from the shortcut.
And when I create a shortcut from those .exe files, I get another icon (again, not the one from the program...).

Any ideas of suggestions?
I am completely stumped about this one...

Keep in mind that this seems to have started after installing this last or the version before it, if I remember correctly...

Thanks in advance, Eric.