Big problem with back scatter

Hi

I would like to try and save this pic of a very small Black Angler fish, but as you can see its full of scatter.

Can it be saved or or is it a waist of time. Its straight out of the camera.

Help is very welcome

Thanks

Ted

Ah yes, the black frogfish. A few months ago there was a post about this subject Ted. Good luck!

James

backscatter = out of focus light blobs shaped like the aperture

Your shot only has a couple of spots of backscatter on the black anglerfish. (the backscatter in the blue background doesn't really detract from the subject). The white in-focus specks on the anglerfish are _not_ backscatter.

Take Care,

Chris

I did'nt notice any sand or grit flying around at the time, but obviously there was.

Anglerfish is the German name for a Frog fish (I didnt know it in English).

So I take it, its not worth saving.

Thanks anyway

Ted

The ocean is not a "tidy" place.

You didn't bring a feather duster and vacuum? :^)

The white specks of sand/grit allow the viewer to see more of the shape and contour of the frogfish. Otherwise you have a black blob; for most non-divers, all they will see is a black blob sitting next to the feathery plant (actually, animal = crynoid). Maybe, try to shoot it in profile with its lure extended.

Keep the shot if _you_ like it. (it's your memory of that dive).

Black color = tough photographic subject (i.e., the black exposure suit and gear that many divers wear in cold water; especially true with pale skin and a black hood)

I did'nt notice any sand or grit flying around at the time, but obviously there was.

Anglerfish is the German name for a Frog fish (I didnt know it in English).

So I take it, its not worth saving.

 

Thanks anyway

Ted

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ted,

I've saved photos with worse backscatter than this.

The slow way to fix it is to use the clone tool in the normal way, the faster way (which I can't explain right now because I'm at work) is to use the clone tool together with layers. I believe that later versions of PhotoShop have automated the layers procedure and called the resulting tool a "healing tool" or something similar.

Richard.

Ted,

Here's the fast but complex way to remove backscatter:

(1) Select the background layer, right-click and select "duplicate layer";

(2) Select the clone tool and on this new background copy layer alt-click on a large piece of dust - record the x and y coordinates of this dust;

(3) In the filter menu select "noise" and "dust and scratches". Check the "preview" box and adjust "radius" until all the dust spots just disappear. You can also adjust "threshold" so that only dust is affected;

(4) From the "layer" menu select "new" and "layer" and call this new layer "dust".

(5) Turn off the visibility of the "background copy" layer by clicking the corresponding eye symbol in the layers menu;

(6) Make sure the "aligned" check box in the clone dialog is on, and the "use all layers" check box is off;

(7) Click on the x and y coordinates you recorded in step (2), and repeat this step for every dust spot;

(8) Delete the "background copy" layer;

I assume this has already been discussed elsewhere on this forum?

Richard.

Much of what you refer to backscatter is actually particulate matter stuck to the mucusy body of the frogfish. That is a huge delima for black frogfish that are usually in areas where you, the photographer, stir things up and make that scatter look happen. You can't help it...moving around, no matter how careful, causes suspended particles to fly. I shot 50 pics of a black frogfish on one dive and I don't have one keeper if I want all particles out of the pic.

Joe

Looks like a job for the healing brush in Photoshop to me. Slow, tedious and exacting if you want to save the shot, but it will work. Selecting the appropriate sized brush per point of bacscatter is the key, and use the clone tool when you are working on an edge to avoid lightening or darkening the healed area.

I've saved worse than this.

I'm using Flying Kiwi advice but I think its going to take about a million years (the way I work). Theres more spots than stars in the sky

Thanks

Ted

just darken the photo and add contrast then use clono to stamp out any other signs of back scatter. Keep other divers away from you photo area or dive away from buddies. If you are doing wide angle make sure you turn off you focus light it will for sure cause back scatter.

The animal is already dark, so you may need to select it then selecty inverse before darkening anything. These are just plain hard to shoot and walk away with anything good.