BackscatterXTerminator

[Dave_Hicks]

You can remove most background backscatter in bulk right in Lightroom with built-in functionality.

 

Linear gradient mask over background water containing BS

Subtract subject

Intersect color range on black

Invert mask 

Drop clarity and texture toward zero

Lower black level

 

This takes about 10 seconds and does the job in many cases with black water.

 

Similar variations work with blue or green water as well. Reducing clarity and texture of background water containing backscatter does 90% of the job.

 

Tools like BSX are lot more effective in complex scenes with foreground backscatter intermingled with the subject.

Edited December 8 by Dave_Hicks

[RomiK]

1 hour ago, Dave_Hicks said:

You can remove most background backscatter in bulk right in Lightroom with built-in functionality.

 

Linear gradient mask over background water containing BS

Subtract subject

Intersect color range on black

Invert mask 

Drop clarity and texture toward zero

Lower black level

 

This takes about 10 seconds and does the job in many cases with black water.

 

Similar variations work with blue or green water as well. Reducing clarity and texture of background water containing backscatter does 90% of the job.

 

Tools like BSX are lot more effective in complex scenes with foreground backscatter intermingled with the subject.

 

I wouldn't say 'most' ... I would say 'some' scenarios... I would say most of the times we needed to remove backscatter from absolute shit conditions taken pictures like this Isla Fernandina on Galapagos... yes it is easy to remove backscatter from black backgrounds but we already knew that and did that. The 'other' pictures were major PITA...

Edited December 8 by RomiK

[Dave_Hicks]

1 hour ago, RomiK said:

 

I wouldn't say 'most' ... I would say 'some' scenarios... I would say most of the times we needed to remove backscatter from absolute shit conditions taken pictures like this Isla Fernandina on Galapagos... yes it is easy to remove backscatter from black backgrounds but we already knew that and did that. The 'other' pictures were major PITA...

 

I'll stick with Most. It just requires a little practice using the tools.

 

Here is my edit of your picture doing pretty much what I described above, except I removed the unsightly branch. The invert was not helpful in this case, so I omitted it.  I only addressed the background, not the subject.

 

I think your picture is great, and it just needed a little cleanup.

 

 

 

 

null

Edited December 8 by Dave_Hicks

[fruehaufsteher2]

On 11/30/2024 at 6:17 AM, Dave_Hicks said:

Just download StarNet++. You can run it from the command line or a simple Gui applet. It's about 80% as good as this app, but free.

Downloaded it, works on Windows and really good!

But I haven't been able to get it working on my M2-Macbook Air. 

I'm using LR on iPad which supports layers - but not plugins. 

 

If anyhow possible, I would avoid buying the Adobe-stuff. Of course, cheaper than UW-photography hardware but still I'd only buy if necessary. 

 

But maybe it won't take long until I'm in the photoshop-community, too. 

[RomiK]

49 minutes ago, Dave_Hicks said:

I'll stick with Most. It just requires a little practice using the tools.

 

Here is my edit of your picture doing pretty much what I described above, except I removed the unsightly branch. The invert was not helpful in this case, so I omitted it.  I only addressed the background, not the subject.

 

I think your picture is great, and it just needed a little cleanup.

 

 

 

 

null

it's a great effort 👏 but you can't be quite serious about the results being comparable... just download both pictures - Xeliminator and yours so the base is same and try to look in details... instagram maybe even though the scatter you left by the iguana head in the dark is horrible and in the blue is bad too... Xeliminator cleaned it up all and it's good for print even 1x1m after enlargement...  Listen I don't mean to argue what simple things you can do with Lightroom but where credit is due credit should be given (xeliminator)...

Edited December 8 by RomiK

[Dave_Hicks]

52 minutes ago, RomiK said:

it's a great effort 👏 but you can't be quite serious about the results being comparable... just download both pictures - Xeliminator and yours so the base is same and try to look in details... instagram maybe even though the scatter you left by the iguana head in the dark is horrible and in the blue is bad too... Xeliminator cleaned it up all and it's good for print even 1x1m after enlargement...  Listen I don't mean to argue what simple things you can do with Lightroom but where credit is due credit should be given (xeliminator)...

 

I agree that BSX can do some cool stuff, especially with complex foregrounds. My point is you can do most of this work without such a tool. I cleaned up most of the scatter and didn't do a single spot removal. I only went after the water, not next to the head, which could be easily removed as well with the same technique. A little follow-up spot removal on subject could finish it up.

 

My hesitation on BSX is that overreliance on tools like this might reduce the impetus for photographers to improve their composition and lighting skill set to reduce backscatter, add depth, and make a great image in the first place.

 

I guess I am just not looking forward to a bunch of plasticized UW photos that look like they were shot in a studio and not the real world. Not ever extraneous spec in an image is an imperfection.