Solar Eclipse Raw file merge of totality in PSE

[PhotoGeek2121]

Hi folks, long term user, love the products (PSE).  Amazingly, I am having trouble finding instructions to “process my eclipse RAW files” by merging my Canon “exposure bracketing” raw files into a single photo of totality.  I see a lot of dialogue on positioning the partial phases into a collage, but not much about the HDR like? Merge of multiple exposures of the corona during totality?  This video from Russell Brown (Eclipse Image Stacking Technique Part 1 (youtube.com) comes close, but appears tailored to Full version of Photoshop CC/Bridge.  I get lost (using local PSE23) trying to move from edited “Adobe camera raw” files back to the normal “non raw” PSE editor for further post processing.  PSE (23) does not have a “tools/photoshop/load files into photoshop layers (or even the quicker? HDR option?) menu option?  Russell goes on to recommend using  a “smart object and Mean” to complete the integration….

Can I perform this merge in PSE or do I need PS CC?  Do I need bridge as well?  I have seen other eclipse posts saying that “lightroom” is the best way to approach Raw image merges of Raw EB totality images?  I have seen other posts saying photomerge can be used, but again my files are raw and I cant seem to import acr/cr3 files into expert PSE guides. I cant believe this is rocket science, feeling dumb here..   TY for guidance!!!!

[Glenn 8675309]

Buy this, download the correct version, it should work for you quite nicely.

https://elementsplus.net/

[PhotoGeek2121]

Ty Glenn, checking now...   

[PhotoGeek2121]

Ok an update, I tried downloading bridge to my win11 PC.  Bridge includes CC download.  CC (Creative Cloud) does not recognize my local PSE 23 (does not show as a owned app on my account).  I tried updating my camera raw version and got an error stating that I dont have a qualifying app.  I will try updating from PSE 23.  I think I now understand that bridge is really just for CC (subscription) apps.  Not compatible with my local PSE.  PSE uses "organizer" as its digital media manager.  I would need to buy? a CC subscription for Photoshop (Ps) to load and utilize bridge just like Russell shows above.  ACR would be an addin for Ps.  Does my observations and testing so far make sense? 

This leaves me still with a gap in producing my desired stacked image of totality.  I still need to know if PSE (and/or with elements plus?) can do this?  or is Ps required?  There must be cheaper solutions to HDR stacking....    

[PhotoGeek2121]

Update -  i'm still working on my goal, but I've found that my downloaded Bridge does offer some beneficial workflow.  I've also found the following summary of my issue and reccommended next steps:

Certainly! Merging eclipse raw files can be done using specific software tools. Let’s break it down:

1. Adobe Photoshop Elements (PSE):
   • Process Your RAW Files: First, process your individual RAW files using Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) within PSE.
   • Combine Exposures: Open all the processed RAW files as layers in PSE. You can do this by selecting all the layers and pressing Ctrl + E to merge them.
   • Copy Combined Layers: After merging, copy the combined layers to the clipboard using Ctrl + A (to select the entire image) and then Ctrl + C (to copy).
   • Further Post-Processing: If you need additional post-processing, you can continue working on the combined image in PSE.
• If you’re using PSE, you can follow these steps to merge your Canon exposure bracketing raw files into a single photo of totality:
• Note that PSE doesn’t have the exact “Load Files into Photoshop Layers” or HDR options like the full version of Photoshop CC. However, you can achieve similar results by manually combining layers.
2. Lightroom:
• Some photographers prefer using Lightroom for RAW image merges. It provides a straightforward workflow for handling exposure bracketing.
• If you have Lightroom, consider importing your RAW files there and experimenting with its merge capabilities.
3. Photomerge:
• While Photomerge is commonly used for panoramas, it can also be used for merging RAW files.
• Unfortunately, importing CR3 files (Canon RAW format) directly into Photomerge within PSE might be challenging. You could convert your CR3 files to DNG (Digital Negative) format first, which is more universally supported.
4. Elements+ Plugin:
• If you’re looking for additional features in PSE, consider using the Elements+ plugin.

[PhotoGeek2121 · Accepted solution]

Update - Bridge did not help much without Ps.  Using manual layers with PSE seems to require nerfing images from 16 to 8 bit.  I have decided to bite the bullet and buy the "CC Photography Plan" (Ps and Lr for $9.99 a month).  This will allow bridge integration.  "Naztronomy" has great workflow description of 4 methods using these tools.  Here is link to that -     Eclipse Photography Magic: 3 HDR Techniques for Perfecting Total Solar Eclipse Pictures (youtube.com...