Hi Everyone!

Wondering if anyone has any suggestions to get this any better/sharper?

I use a Mac and Neat Image doesn't work on Macs.

Sharpening with the hi-pass filter brings back the noise, as does the USM... Define selective makes it even more blurry..

I'll post the orig first and then my last effort

Thanks for any tips,
Diane

THis is my best effort so far...

It looks good but the whites are kind of blown out. Maybe you can get rid of the noise yet keep the detail in the cake. Diane, you may also want to try downloading a noise reducing action from http://www.canonians.com/noise.htm. It works pretty good.

Cheers
Duv

Thanks Duv, I'll check out that noise reduction link.

Best regards,
Diane

Hi Diane,

Not bad! ... but I agree with Duv about the whites....

I find the task of reducing noise quite delicate because, inevitably, you lose details...To regain some of the details back, you tend to increase the contrast which can lead to blown out whites and much too dark shadows... :sad:

Trying to prevent that, I tend to work a lot with Luminosity and Shadow Masks (Diane, you are an expert on those by now!!! :wink: ) which allow me to blur and/or sharpen exactly where I want to ....

I used them with this picture as well (after cleaning it up a bit : Clone and Blur Tools and Healing brush to blend in the corrections) .....

I used the Levels on the Channels and the Selective Colors Tool to correct the colours.

I used the Custom Filter to sharpen the image.

I knew I could talk the talk Flora. I just couldn't walk the walk! Great job! Goin to do some playin to see how close I can come.

Cheers
Duv

With all the compression, etc. the original I posted above doesn't really show the extent of the damage in this pic so I thought I'd re-post it for the benefit of everyone taking a look...

Duv, that noise reduction tool doesn't work on a Mac :depressed

But thanks anyway!
Diane

Flora,

Once again you've done a very beautiful job and are a great inspiration!!

I tried it again from the beginning, adjusting the levels in channels and also replacing the green channel... It is looking much better, but I am still wondering how you got rid of all the noise. I found the luminosity mask helpful in getting the contrast and colors right (setting the blending mode to hard light) but not to get rid of the noise.

In the best version I posted above, I used the dust and scratches filter and then a layer mask which ended up with it losing detail and getting a bit blurry as you mentioned above. Then when I sharpened with the high pass filter, the damage kept coming back!

Do you always recommend adjusting the levels in channels rather than using auto contrast, auto color or the general levels adjustments??

What steps would you recommend to finish up from the post below?

With much appreciation,
Diane

Hi Diane

I'm quite surprised about the noise reduction action. An action is just a series of PS steps and should work on any platform. Can you give me any details as to why it wouldn't work? Were you able to download it to your actions palette? If so, what happened when you tried to run it?

Cheers
Duv

Hi Duv,

I just wasn't able to download it.

Do you know what the steps are for it??

Take care,
Diane

Hi Diane

When you go to the website I provided, at the end of the first paragraph it says "download it "here". Click on "here" and it will take you to another window. Click on "Open". This will automatically cause PS to open (at least it does with my XP system). Assumuing that this happens for you, the Action should be located at the very bottom of your Actions Palette under heading "ISO". There's different levels up to Super Aggressive that you can try. Let me know how it goes.

Cheers
Duv

Hi Duv,

It really couldn't be downloaded on a Mac. This is what I got:

FG ISO Noise Reduction V4Mild.longDplc Duplicateÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtNm TEXT OriginallongDplc Duplicateÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtNm TEXTColor EdgelongHd HideÿÿÿÿnullVlLsobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtlongslctSelectÿÿÿÿnullobj propLyr BckglongDplc Duplicateÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtNm TEXTColorlongsetdSetÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtT ObjcLyr Md enumBlnMClr longMdn MedianÿÿÿÿRds longlongDplc Duplicateÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtNm TEXTColor MasklongsetdSetÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtT ObjcLyr Md enumBlnMNrmllongslctSelectÿÿÿÿnullobj nameLyr OriginallongsetdSetÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtT ObjcLyr Md enumBlnMDfrnlongMrgLMerge LayerslongLvlsLevelsÿÿÿÿAdjsVlLsObjcLvlAChnlobj EnmrChnlChnlCmpsInptVlLslonglong€longThrs ThresholdÿÿÿÿLvl long longGsnB
Gaussian BlurÿÿÿÿRds doub?©£longsetdSetÿÿÿÿnullobj propChnlfselT obj EnmrChnlChnlRGB longDlt Deleteÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtlongslctSelectÿÿÿÿnullobj nameLyr Color EdgelongMk MakeÿÿÿÿNw typeChnlAt obj EnmrChnlChnlMsk UsngenumUsrMRvlSlongFltI
Flatten ImagelongDplc Duplicateÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtNm TEXTBlur HFlongDplc Duplicateÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtNm TEXTBlur LFlongDplc Duplicateÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtNm TEXTEdgelongDstSDust & ScratchesÿÿÿÿRds longThshlonglongMdn MedianÿÿÿÿRds longlongFadeFadeÿÿÿÿOpctUntF#Prc@IMd enumBlnMNrmllongFndE
Find EdgeslongGsnB
Gaussian BlurÿÿÿÿRds doub?©£longslctSelectÿÿÿÿnullobj nameLyr Blur LFlongsetdSetÿÿÿÿnullobj propChnlfselT obj EnmrChnlChnlRGB longMk MakeÿÿÿÿNw typeChnlAt obj EnmrChnlChnlMsk UsngenumUsrMRvlSlongLvlsLevelsÿÿÿÿAdjsVlLsObjcLvlAChnlobj EnmrChnlOrdnTrgtInptVlLslong°long÷Gmm doub?©ˆ™™™™™‰longslctSelectÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrChnlChnlRGB longDstSDust & ScratchesÿÿÿÿRds longThshlonglongGsnB
Gaussian BlurÿÿÿÿRds doub@longsetdSetÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtT ObjcLyr OpctUntF#Prc@NlongslctSelectÿÿÿÿnullobj nameLyr Blur HFlongsetdSetÿÿÿÿnullobj propChnlfselT obj EnmrChnlChnlRGB longMk MakeÿÿÿÿNw typeChnlAt obj EnmrChnlChnlMsk UsngenumUsrMRvlSlongLvlsLevelsÿÿÿÿAdjsVlLsObjcLvlAChnlobj EnmrChnlOrdnTrgtInptVlLslongplong÷Gmm doub?É™™™™™‰longslctSelectÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrChnlChnlRGB longDstSDust & ScratchesÿÿÿÿRds longThshlonglongGsnB
Gaussian BlurÿÿÿÿRds doub?©£longsetdSetÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtT ObjcLyr OpctUntF#Prc@TlongHd HideÿÿÿÿnullVlLsobj nameLyr EdgelongFltI
Flatten ImageNormal.longDplc Duplicateÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtNm TEXT OriginallongDplc Duplicateÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtNm TEXTColor EdgelongHd HideÿÿÿÿnullVlLsobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtlongslctSelectÿÿÿÿnullobj propLyr BckglongDplc Duplicateÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtNm TEXTColorlongsetdSetÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtT ObjcLyr Md enumBlnMClr longMdn MedianÿÿÿÿRds longlongDplc Duplicateÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtNm TEXTColor MasklongsetdSetÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtT ObjcLyr Md enumBlnMNrmllongslctSelectÿÿÿÿnullobj nameLyr OriginallongsetdSetÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtT ObjcLyr Md enumBlnMDfrnlongMrgLMerge LayerslongLvlsLevelsÿÿÿÿAdjsVlLsObjcLvlAChnlobj EnmrChnlChnlCmpsInptVlLslonglong€longThrs ThresholdÿÿÿÿLvl long longGsnB
Gaussian BlurÿÿÿÿRds doub?©£longsetdSetÿÿÿÿnullobj propChnlfselT obj EnmrChnlChnlRGB longDlt Deleteÿÿÿÿnullobj EnmrLyr OrdnTrgtlongslctSelectÿÿÿÿnullobj nameLyr Color EdgelongMk MakeÿÿÿÿNw typeChnlAt obj EnmrChnlChnlMsk UsngenumUsrMRvlSlongFltI
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Find EdgeslongGsnB
Gaus

Duv,

Wow, I'm really glad you gave a shout and got me to look again at that website. It has some really great info identifying and comparing many of the various noise reduction tools that I didn't scroll down and see earlier!!!

Thank you very much!
Diane

:pleased:

Hi Diane, Duv,

Thank you very much for your kind words!

Diane,

Much, much better ..... you are really on the right track! :)



Flora,
In the best version I posted above, I used the dust and scratches filter and then a layer mask which ended up with it losing detail and getting a bit blurry as you mentioned above. Then when I sharpened with the high pass filter, the damage kept coming back!

Dust&Scratches is what I used to remove most of the noise in your picture.
I tend to start with the lowest Radius value and gradually increase until all, or most of the noise has disappeared.
I, then, gradually increase the Treshold to bring some details back.
If necessary, I add a little noise.
I add a Layer Mask (hide all) to the D&S Layer and, with a soft white brush (adjusting its Opacity), I paint over the black Mask to reveal the corrected parts.
If possible, I tend to avoid the eyes/nose/mouth parts as not to lose their sharpness.

Do you always recommend adjusting the levels in channels rather than using auto contrast, auto color or the general levels adjustments??

... I'm sure that auto contrast works very well, but I rather use Levels or Curves as they give me more control on what I'm doing....

What steps would you recommend to finish up from the post below?

D&S for noise removal.
Curves or Levels or .... two Shadow Masks (Blending=Screen and Soft Light) :wink: to lift the shadows.
Selective Colors to adjust the colours.
All the layers necessary to finish the restoration .... (Lighten, Darken, Color .... you name it...)
Sharpening as last step.

Duv,

Thank you for the Link! .... I've downloaded the action ... I'll let you know after I've tried it....

:wavey:

Wow Di!! I hope you didn't have to type that out!! Sorry that one didn't work. Here another site that may help http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=6898

Cheers
Duv

Flora,

Thank you, thank you, thank you once again!! I feel very blessed having you around and for being so very helpful!

Just wondering about what you wrote:

* All the layers necessary to finish the restoration .... (Lighten, Darken, Color .... you name it...)

and how do you add noise??

Duv,

Thank you very very much for the second website above! It looks extremely helpful. I was able to see the first website; I just couldn't download the "action." What is an action anyway?

Best regards,
Diane :rainbow:

Hi Diane,

sorry for being so late in answering.... and thank you so much for your kind words!!


Flora,
Just wondering about what you wrote:

* All the layers necessary to finish the restoration .... (Lighten, Darken, Color .... you name it...)
What I meant by that is creating several empty layers along the way, changing their blending to "(Lighten, Darken, Color .... you name it...)" depending on the kind of correction I think I have to do.... Since this is my standard procedure for working on a picture, I summarized it that way for fear of becoming ripetitive ..... :sad:


...and how do you add noise??

Filter > Noise > Add Noise.
Used like this, it adds noise to the whole picture ....
If you want to do it on parts of the image only, you have to select them first ...
You can also add noise to whatever correction Layer you worked on by Ctrl+Click on it to select it, and then follow the 'Add Noise' procedure