I use MaxImDL to process my images, but the trapezium area of M42 is always bloomed (overexposed?) when I try to bring out the fainter areas.

How do I balance this?

I take images ranging from 15 seconds to 180 seconds and combine for processing.

Here is a link to how my photo turns out.

http://www.nondecaffeinated.com/m42_2.png 

Thanks for any help. 

you have to combine the short exposures for core detail- then paste it over the LX exposure as a layer using whatever blending works out for you- you need to do something with the vignetting- like a gradient removal, background layer adjust, or something- nice image though with alot of detail in it

Thanks for the advice. I used Photoshop  and am much happier with the results. Not an expert yet, but definitely improving. Here is a link to the newly processed image.

http://www.nondecaffeinated.com/m42_3.jpg 

Thanks, and Clear Skies! 

Here is a link that may help you with combining different exposures using photoshop. Click on Digital image processing.

http://www.astropix.com/HTML/J_DIGIT/USM.HTM