Too much noise

[tigerphoto]

I tried to use the new program that the moderator suggested but I'm having no luck any help please.

[Flora]

Originally Posted by tigerphoto

I tried to use the new program that the moderator suggested but I'm having no luck any help please.

Would be difficult for anyone to help not knowing which new program the moderator suggested .....

The moderator is 'moi' .... and talking about Neat Image, most of the time, its default settings (which I guess were what you used) are even a bit too strong for my taste, but this picture is surely an extreme case ....

You'll have to change/tweak the settings until you find the right combination .... It would be useless for me to give you the values I used since, probably, the images we are working on have a different resolution ... I just wanted to show you that it can be done even when the noise is as extreme as in your picture.

I found Neat Image help file very useful ... and you could try this link on their site for further help on the usage of the program...

[tigerphoto]

lol It was neat image and I found it to be rather confusing. When I would adjust settings I really couldn't see changes. I can be patient with a lil help but I'm going into this plugin kinda blind. I also tried it at 3 in the morning think that had anything to do with it? The pic you actually changed is the one I corrected. The orginal is the one to the right. To make my correction I did the layer screen method a few times and tried the Neat image program.

[Kraellin]

i'm using paint shop pro 10.

duplicate original layer.
brightness/contrast adjustment layer
copy merge, paste as new layer.
digital camera noise removal...high settings.
.jpg artifact removal... maximum --50.

craiig

[mistermonday]

This image has strong color noise. Prior to applying a noise filter I would convert the file from RGB to LAG and apply a Gaussian Blur of 9 to both the A and the B channel. Then I would run a noise filter like Noise Ninja or Neat Image on the L channel or use Photoshop CS2's Noise Reduction Filter on the L channel. Below are examples of both with very minimal amount of blurring applied and no other adjustments to your posted image..
Regards,
Murray

[slipchuck]

this was a hard one for me......I left the image as low key for effect.
dumb question but does the woman origanally have red on her face and body?
oh well, if not I couldn't get rid of the color noise.
Used neat image to help with some of the noise

[Daviskw]

Well you can always play with it. Even if i did forget to match the face color with the rest...lol details details

Butch

[oltenius]

I used a simple method to correct this photo:
- Adjustments Levels, Color Balance
- Noise>Despeckle
- Noise>Reduce noise
- Blending mode of the layer > Lighten
Regards.

[Flora]

Originally Posted by tigerphoto

I also tried it at 3 in the morning think that had anything to do with it?

...and there I was convinced I was the only 'night owl' on the planet!!!

Originally Posted by tigerphoto

The pic you actually changed is the one I corrected. The orginal is the one to the right. To make my correction I did the layer screen method a few times and tried the Neat image program.

...I used your corrected version on purpose because I thought you wanted to get rid of the noise in that one!!! ....

Here is my corrected and denoised version starting from your original...

P.S....It's quite late to start now, but I'll post a detailed explanation on how I used Neat Image first thing tomorrow morning...

[skydog]

Flora...like your results...waiting patiently for the technique. sky

[tigerphoto]

Yes please post the steps. It's torcher posting great work and not showing the steps. We're here to help each other right? lol Davis you have a nice post too. Mind sharing the steps?

[megl]

Originally Posted by Flora

Would be difficult for anyone to help not knowing which new program the moderator suggested .....

The moderator is 'moi' .... and talking about Neat Image, most of the time, its default settings (which I guess were what you used) are even a bit too strong for my taste, but this picture is surely an extreme case ....

There you have it - a true master in action. Flora that retouch is brilliant

/megl

[megl]

Here's my attempt:

http://www.sendefladen.dk/dpreview/tiger_noise.jpg

Flora: I can't upload images - I'm on a Mac and I tried with both Safari and FireFox. I followed the guide you wrote, but when I have selected the image on my HD and choose upload, the upload just hangs

/megl

[megl]

One step further:

http://www.sendefladen.dk/dpreview/tiger_noise2.jpg

;-)

/megl

[Flora]

skydog, tigerphoto, megl

thank you so much for your great comments!!!

... sorry to keep you waiting... was out the whole day yesterday!

megl,

Originally Posted by megl

Flora: I can't upload images - I'm on a Mac and I tried with both Safari and FireFox. I followed the guide you wrote, but when I have selected the image on my HD and choose upload, the upload just hangs

... I see both your picture are over 150KB in size ... the limit for attachments to posts or threads here at RP is 100KB ... (200KB for the Gallery).. so I guess that was the reason of your problem attaching them!!

Great work!! I love the bronze cast on your 'One step further' version

-------------------

... Ok.. here is what I did with this picture:

Brightening the image:

1) Duplicated the background
2) Ctrl+I Inverted the duplicate (now it's nearly white!)
3) Changed the Blending of the inverted duplicate to Overlay
4) duplicated the Overlay Layer twice more.
5) created a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer to improve colours and saturation a bit.
6) Merged visible (*)
Result after these procedures in Attachment 1

(*) Merge Visible:

Keeping the Alt key pressed, open your Layers Palette's Menu and, click on 'Merge Visible'.

A new Layer containing all your corrections will be created on top of all the other Layers ....

This procedure enables you to carry on with your restoration from your advanced point... without losing any of the previous steps/Layers... thus giving you the possibility to retrace your steps and making changes wherever necessary.... even after you've 'finished' the job....

Minimizing the noise

I have the Plug-in version of Neat Image so did everything inside Photoshop, but if you work with the free standalone program do the following:

1) Save a 'flattened' copy of your 'up to now' restored image, but keep your working PS original open and ready...
2) Open the saved flattened copy in Neat Image. (in Neat Image, click on the 'Noise Filter Settings' tab, then go to Tools and click on Advanced Mode)

Neat Image comes with several 'Preset' Settings...Attachment 2

For normal 'noisy' images, until you get familiar with it and create and save your own settings, the 'Default' Setting is a good start ... To change the result, (in most cases, the Default Settings are much too strong for my taste and tend to give an unnatural 'plastic' look to the whole image, but particularly to skin) simply start playing/experimenting by moving the Noise Levels' and 'Noise Reduction Amounts' sliders found on the rightmost part of the window.. (one at the time so you can see the difference they make individually!) ...

For this extremely noisy image, Neat Image Default Setting made very little difference, so, I simply pulled all the 'Noise Levels' and 'Noise Reduction Amounts' sliders completely to the right, then carefully pulled back some of them to leave a bit of noise in the image.. (the skin looks fine, but the background is a bit too soft ... no problem we will correct that Attachment 3

3) Save the noise corrected copy, open it in PS, Shift+drag it on top of your 'waiting and ready' PS working original to continue working on it, and close your noise corrected copy..
4) Create a white Layer mask for the noise corrected Layer and, with a soft black brush (Opacity 30%) paint around the model to bring back some of the 'rougher' texture of the underlying Layer ... This to correct the excessive 'softness' of the background and make the image look more natural.
My Mask for the Layer Attachment 4

Well, after this it's up to you to decide how much or how little you want to do to finish your restoration ...

My new final result Attachment 5

Hope this helps...

-----------------

[Daviskw]

Thanks Flora

I did not know the invert overlay brighten trick. Does a much better job then screen or straight curves. I am glad you take the time for us. I often just get there and have no idea how to explain.

Butch

[Flora]

Thank you for your kind feedback, Butch!!

I really appreciate it!!