Here are some hints, tips and ideas when using the actions
If an action affects your image too much you can reduce the opacity slider to the desired result.
How to make a star mask using the star selection actions
Choose any star selection action desired
Copy and paste the selection onto a new layer. Name the layer 'star mask'
Apply a threshold filter to the image with a value of '255'. (Image-Adjustments-Threshold)
This is your star mask.
How to apply the star mask to a layer
Add a layer mask to the desired layer (Layer-Layer mask-Reveal all or user the layer mask icon at the bottom)
Now select the layer 'star mask' and apply a 'select all' to it (Select-All or ctrl-a)
Copy the selection.
Select and reveal the layer mask you just created by clicking on the white layer mask using Alt+lmb(left mouse button)
Paste your previous selection onto the mask with ctrl+v
You can adjust the mask if needed by using 'levels' or apply a Gaussian blur filter to smooth out the edges of the mask.
When asked to adjust the black point
It's always good to leave a value of 5-10 from the darkest point of the curve to avoid background clipping during processing.
Screen mask invert action
Apply the action two times on the same layer with reduced opacity for better results.
Nebula filter
When you encounter dark halos around certain stars after running the action, you can use the 'Nebula Filter Strong' instead. The halos are caused by an extra sharpening used in the normal 'Nebula filter'. You can also try to use a star reduction before running the filter.
Here is an interesting way to use the 'Nebula filter'
Run the 'Nebula filter'
When finished change the mode to 'color'
Now copy the entire layer and change the mode of this layer to 'luminosity'
Adjust the opacity sliders as desired.
This way you'll have more control over the effect and less chance at artifacts.
When using the 'core blend' action.
Apply a layer mask to the blended layer and reveal finer core details with the mask if needed.
Make sure to follow all indications given or the actions will give an error message.
Video example has been added the the 'video page'
Dark Details
When applying this filter on an image with big stars it can create a transition circles in them. To remove these check out the video the "Blue Horsehead nebula with photokemi startools".
or "Big Star Adjustments"
You can also use the 'Reduce Star Bloating' actions as a way to reduce star size.
Example 1: Run 'Reduce Star Bloating 1' action
Run 'Star Reduction Special' action
Run 'Reduce Star Bloating 2' action
Example 2: Run 'Reduce Background Star 1' action (extras set)
Run 'Reduce Star Bloating 3' action
Run 'Reduce Background Star 2' action (extras set)
You can also use the action as a layer mask to selectively paint out the bloated stars.
-Note: Depending on the type of image 'Reduce Star Bloating 2' tends to produce dark halos around stars. This mostly happens with small files If the effect isn't desired use the other two options.
When using the 'Star Reduction Extra' actions
Run the 'Star 'Reduction Extra ALL'
Choose the action/layer that works best on your image and delete the other layers
Reduce the opacity of the chosen layer and run the same action again.
Example: You play the 'Reduction Extra ALL' and find that 'Star Reduction Extra 2' has the best desired effect.
Delete all the other layers (Star Reduction Extra 1+3+4).
Now reduce the opacity of the 'Star Reduction Extra 2' layer to 50% and apply the effect to the original layer
Play the single 'Star Reduction Extra 2' action again on this layer, reduce its opacity to 50% and apply to original layer.
By using this method you reduce the chance of creating artifacts between stars caused by the reduction effect.
Big Star Select action extra tip
If you find that this action is still selecting too much small stars use the following: after running the 'Big Star Select', contract the selection by a certain amount of pixels (the amount depends on your desires, image) until just the biggest stars are selected. Next expand the selection with the same amount of pixels. Smaller star are now removed from your selection.
Check out the video for an example.
Create 8 spiked stars
Run the 'Star Spikes horizontal'
Change the mode to 'lighten' to the outcome layer
Run 'Star Spikes diagonal' on the layer below
Change the mode to 'lighten' to the outcome layer
Autostretch actions
The action will stretch the data and reveal details in the image. It is best used directly after importing the raw .tiff stack (from DSS for example) and after converting to 16bit document.
Depending on the image results will vary. It is not meant as a final image but rather as a preview of the stretched data. Although it could be used as a 'final image', manual stretching, processing and enhancing your data should give better results. Using the autostretch as a blend layer is also an option.
Autostretch Extra
Apart from stretching the data, there are two extra adjustment layers added to give a slightly better control over individual brightness and saturation.
When done with adjusting don't forget to push the play button to finish the full action!
Check the video for an example on how to use it.