Meet Craig

A photographer’s eye and an engineer’s approach to image processing

Craig is a retired mechanical engineer, but has been a passionate photographer since the 1970s and an avid astrophotography enthusiast for years. He is also an expert image processor and is well versed in both PixInsight and Photoshop. Craig’s expertise combined with his approachable teaching style, makes complex concepts accessible. Craig also shares his knowledge through numerous tutorials on the Utah Desert Remote Observatories YouTube page. In 2022, Craig and his family launched Utah Desert Remote Observatories, hosting telescopes for clients worldwide (see utahdesertremote.com for more information.) Craig also worked with Dr. Christian Sasse to develop the PiMagic Studio workflow automation tool for PixInsight and Photoshop (see pimagicstudio.com for more information).

Craig Stocks

Instructor

A Career in Photography, Engineering, and Art

Craig Stocks began working in photography in 1970, first through a high-school work-study program and then as a newspaper staff photographer. Assignments ranged from portraits and sports to products, interiors, and local news.

He later moved into mechanical engineering, building a career at Caterpillar before returning to photography full-time after retiring in 2009. Digital processing became an important part of his fine art work.

That combination of technical experience and photographic judgment carries through to his astrophotography. Craig works on both sides of the image: capturing the data and shaping the finished photograph.

After moving to Southwest Utah, he established Utah Desert Remote Observatories with his family. At Galactic Course, he teaches the Beginner Photoshop Processing Workflow.

Read Craig’s biography and artist statement.

  • Astrophotography by Craig Stocks tutorials
  • Astrophotography by Craig Stocks tutorials
  • Astrophotography by Craig Stocks tutorials

Utah Desert Remote Observatories

Craig and his family created Utah Desert Remote Observatories to make the dark skies of Southwest Utah accessible to astrophotographers around the world.

The observatory supports remotely operated telescopes, with power, internet access, and help on site. It also offers telescope rentals, giving imagers a way to collect data without having their own equipment at the observatory.

Working with these systems connects Craig’s teaching to the complete imaging process, from acquiring the data to making decisions about color, contrast, and the final presentation.

Master Photoshop Processing With Craig

Follow the Beginner Photoshop Processing Workflow, from stacking and stretching to layers, masks, color, and star processing. Use the written lessons, video demonstrations, and practice data to work through your own astrophotography images.

View Craig’s Photoshop Course

Astrophotography, Published and Recognized

Craig’s astrophotography has been selected multiple times for NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day. His work includes wide-field nebulae, star clusters, and detailed views of galaxies.

Selected APOD features include:


His wider photographic career also includes an artist residency at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in 2009 and selection for an artist residency at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in 2011.

LENSCRATCH’s 2025 interview discusses his transition from professional photography and engineering to astrophotography and fine art prints.

  • Astrophotography by Craig Stocks tutorials
  • Astrophotography by Craig Stocks tutorials
  • Astrophotography by Craig Stocks tutorials

Teaching Photoshop, Step by Step

Craig shares his processing methods through tutorials, workshops, and individual coaching. 

At the Galactic Course, his Beginner Photoshop Processing Workflow starts with the workspace, layers, masks, and histogram before moving into astrophotography processing.

A non-destructive editing lesson from Craig’s Photoshop processing course

The lessons cover stacking with Deep Sky Stacker, stretching, working with stars, one-shot color data, monochrome data, narrowband color mapping, and star trails. Video demonstrations and written guidance let you follow the workflow while working on an image.

View Craig’s course and full curriculum.

Why I Chose Craig for the Galactic Course

My goal is for the Galactic Course to eventually cover every single aspect of astrophotography, all in one place. That also means offering different ways to process your images.

For Photoshop, I chose to work with Craig. His experience is a mix of professional photography, fine art, image processing, and the practical work of running a remote observatory. He is a true master at Photoshop and loves to teach others.

Working with other instructors is intentional. I want you to learn from people who really understand the subject they’re teaching, and I’m happy to have Craig sharing his Photoshop workflow as part of the Galactic Course!

Antoine Grelin

Learn Photoshop Astrophotography Processing with Craig