How to Use GradientXTerminator to Remove Gradients from Your Astrophotos
How to Use GradientXTerminator to Remove Gradients from Your Astrophotos
Gradients are a common problem in astrophotography, especially when shooting from light-polluted areas or using imperfect flat-field calibration. They can ruin the appearance of your images by creating uneven backgrounds, color casts, and loss of contrast. Fortunately, there is a powerful tool that can help you eliminate gradients from your photos in a fast and easy way: GradientXTerminator.
GradientXTerminator is a plug-in for Photoshop that can process 16-bit or 8-bit images, grayscale or RGB color[^1^]. It can handle large-scale gradients from light pollution, as well as vignetting and even tricky edge, corner, and circular gradients that are very hard to deal with otherwise[^1^]. It works by using sophisticated mathematics to find the optimal model of the gradient based on the input you give it[^1^]. In this article, we will show you how to use GradientXTerminator to improve your astrophotos.
Gradientxterminator.rar
Step 1: Download and Install GradientXTerminator
To use GradientXTerminator, you need to have Photoshop installed on your computer. You can download a free trial version of GradientXTerminator from the official website[^2^]. You can choose between Windows or Macintosh versions, and between 32-bit or 64-bit versions depending on your operating system and Photoshop version[^2^]. After downloading the file, unzip it and run the installer. Follow the instructions to complete the installation. You will need to enter your email address to receive a license key that will activate the trial version for 30 days[^2^]. Once installed, you can access GradientXTerminator from the Filter menu in Photoshop.
Step 2: Open Your Image in Photoshop
Open the image that you want to correct in Photoshop. Make sure it is in RGB mode (Image > Mode > RGB Color) and has a single layer (Layer > Flatten Image). If you have already done some processing on your image, such as stretching, noise reduction, or color balance, you can apply GradientXTerminator before or after those steps. However, it is recommended to apply it before any sharpening or contrast enhancement, as these may accentuate the gradients.