Stacker Light

NOTE: We have suspended sales of Stacker Light and are offering Advanced Stacker PLUS.

Let’s say you’ve got a bunch of 30 second or 300 second night exposures and now you want to make a star trail out of them. Or perhaps you have several dozen shots of clouds drifting through a compelling landscape. If you already have Photoshop CS Standard (or Extended) and want to exploit the full power of Photoshop, this is your tool! If you only have Photoshop Elements you should consider using StarStax (PC or Mac), Image Stacker by Tawbaware (PC Only) or Startrails.exe (PC Only).

This stacker can combine almost ANY RGB image that Photoshop knows how to load and will even apply any corrections you’ve made with Adobe Camera RAW or Lightroom. No other program can do that (that we know of, anyway!)  Some of the images below – those with Comet-like trails – were created with Advanced Stacker PLUS

[acx_slideshow name=”ASPv14″]

Even if you already know how to combine those images manually, you are probably not excited about repeating manual steps 20, 50 or 500 times. We are with you!  We’ll provide you with a powerful Photoshop plugin that will make that star trail or timestack come together in far less time than doing the steps yourself. In fact, it might take you 1/5 as much time.

ATN_iconGet Some Action – Order Here!

Unfortunately due to repeated misuse of our site, we no longer sell/offer the Stacker Light action set*. Please note that under the terms and conditions that you agree to, you will be added to our email subscription list. You can unsubscribe or tailor what you are interested in at any time. Please read all the information below before making your purchase.

Here is the full version of the Stacker

Advanced Stacker PLUS [14E] with Online Video and Notes
Advanced Stacker PLUS [14E] with Online Video and Notes
Includes the even EASIER to install Advanced Photoshop action set version 14E, an unlimited viewing online video on creating star trails, notes (PDF) on creating star trails and practice files. The video is 2 hours long. This action is power. You can create star trails, cloud timestacks and stack images with a minimum of effort and a maximum of control. You can create "comets", "midgets" streaks and much more. And you can create intermediate files along the way to put interesting motion effects into your timelapse. Compatible with Photoshop CS6 (standard or extended), CC, CC 2014-2018. While we have every reason to believe compatibility with CS3, CS4, CS5, and CS5.5 still works, we have no means to test these.
**NOTE: MAC Users with Yosemite or El Capitan, or Sierra and PS CC 2015 or later are reporting installation problems. We recommend you do NOT purchase this product until we have been able to resolve this issue. NOTE: We believe ASP DOES work properly with High Sierra and CS6 and CC 2018.
NOT Compatible with Photoshop Elements, or Lightroom. Please specify your primary OS and Photoshop version when ordering. You will receive links to both Mac and Windows installers.
Price: $45.99

8 thoughts on “Stacker Light”

  1. Pingback: Time-Lapse Techniques — Creating Star Trails | The Amazing Sky

  2. ProBono

    Will any of the stacker products work with Photoshop Elements 10 or 11? Saw your program referenced in an article in DPmag.

    Reply ↓
    1. Steven Christenson Post author

      Sorry, no. We’ve looked into doing something in Elements, but the interface is horribly crippled. You’re welcome to try the “Test Stacker” and see what happens, but when we tried it, the result was unsatisfactory.

      Reply ↓
  3. Steffen Eidem

    This was awesome, just did my 1st ever startrail with the test stacker.
    I’m definately buying the full version!=)

    Reply ↓
  4. Dan Buckenmyer

    I tried doing an 11 shot blend of my daughter moving around a playset. She has become a ghost in the images. I had tried to do this same type of action in the Load Files to Stack mode, and got the same exact results. The results with Merge to HDR were similar. Does this action not work with solid objects moving around the image (ie: create a multiple exposure shot)? Photo attached at website below

    Reply ↓
    1. Steven Christenson Post author

      It would be interesting to see some of the individual images. But in short, lighten mode stacking keeps the brightest part of each image. If the slide that your daughter sits on is brighter than the pants she’s wearing then when you combine two shots – one without her on the slide and one with her sitting on the slide, the brightness of the slide will “win” and you’ll see through her.

      If you didn’t move the camera or change exposure settings (e.g. used manual settings rather than an automatic setting) a better way to make a shot like you want is to to do masking on layers. The subject of masking and layering is covered in the NP150e and original NP150 courses which are available on video – or you can do some “googleing” and find free resources.

      Reply ↓
  5. Dan Buckenmyer

    Thanks Steven. That is kind of what I thought might be happening. I guess it is time to learn layers and masking. I have been avoiding that for too long. I thought maybe this was a way to create a multiple exposure, but I really like the effects of the clouds. I am going to feature your product tonight at our camera club meeting. I am sure several of the members will be purchasing the plug-ins tonight or tomorrow. Again, thanks,

    Reply ↓
  6. Steven Christenson Post author

    Q: I purchased Test Stacker and am unable to find it so I can open it up.
    A: Stacker Light is a set of actions that plug in to Photoshop. Assuming it downloaded successfully. Below is a summary of the instructions (all links are to areas in the document above this comment)

    1. The next step is to install the actions.
    2. After Installing, we recommend that you verify everything is loaded.
    3. Next make sure you’re ready to stack something as described here.
    4. Finally, to actually stack something, refer to the steps under Stacking with Stacker Light

    We’ve tested the stacker on Windows Photoshop CS2, CS3, CS5, CS6, CC, CC 2014 and on Mac Photoshop CS6, CC and CC 2014.

    Reply ↓

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