How to remove haze?

Sunshine_boy · Jan 31, 2008

Some time ago, while using GIMP, I came across a workflow that would remove sun haze or haze due to shooting through glass. I have not made a record of it but I remember it involved layers and USM with very large radius, of the order of 50 or more. It produced very good results, giving the picture some real pop and removing the blurry, hazy effect, especially from landscape images. I am sure the same action can be done in PS and probably easier and better. Could someone please describe how he/she would remove haze in PS or point me to some tutorial that deals with this issue? Thank you
--
Regards
Sunshine (Fuji F30, F31, S6500, OLY C4000Z, Canon EOS1000)

Twilight35 · Jan 31, 2008

Here's a method Peano posted a while back.

Fred

Assuming you have some version of Photoshop, begin by adjusting levels. Adjust each channel (Red, Green, Blue) separately. Pull the end sliders inward to the foot of the "mountain."

~ Peano

Buzzman · Jan 31, 2008

In photoshop- the unsharp method --- is just to crank the radius up alot and move the amount- to where you like it. (high radius-low amount- instead of the reverse) I usually try a curves adjustment- first.. Haven't tried the channels method-- But I will give it a shot. if the haze is bad-- you can't make a "contest winner" but of it but you can improve it.
Buzz

cspringer · Jan 31, 2008

I normally use PWL's Shadow layer. I often find the USM method can effect pixels too much.

Sunshine_boy said:
Some time ago, while using GIMP, I came across a workflow that would
remove sun haze or haze due to shooting through glass. I have not
made a record of it but I remember it involved layers and USM with
very large radius, of the order of 50 or more. It produced very good
results, giving the picture some real pop and removing the blurry,
hazy effect, especially from landscape images. I am sure the same
action can be done in PS and probably easier and better. Could
someone please describe how he/she would remove haze in PS or point
me to some tutorial that deals with this issue? Thank you
--
Regards
Sunshine (Fuji F30, F31, S6500, OLY C4000Z, Canon EOS1000)

Buzzman · Jan 31, 2008

chip- exactly what does the pwl shadow layer do. i don.'t particularly like the unsharp technique- either it just makes a poorly exposed shot -- less poor!!

Buzz

Rob22315 · Jan 31, 2008

If you have PSP, it has the terrific 'clarify' tool that seems to do a great job with haze. There has been lots of speculation about how this tool works but none of the methods I've seen posted duplicate it.

Another way is to look for methods that do a "localized contrast enhancement'. I've seen a couple of difference methods and scripts for doing this. A search on the terms here or on google should find you a couple of ideas.

In the days of Pixmantec's RAW Shooter raw converter, I used to clear up the infamous RSE/RSP haze by using 'S' shaped tone curves of varying depths to enhance contrast. The contrast adjustment in Silkypix works the same way but the sliders make manipulation of the 'S' curve easy because it has sliders for the depth and centerpoint of the curve.

RG

Gerrard · Jan 31, 2008

Hi,
USM
Amount = 25
Radius = 40.0
Threshold = 3
Cheers
Ray

Sunshine_boy · Feb 1, 2008

Thank you all for your helpful replies.
Time for trial and tests....

)
--
Regards
Sunshine (Fuji F30, F31, S6500, OLY C4000Z, Canon EOS1000)

Ed_C · Feb 1, 2008

I will almost always use Lab mode for this. An L channel curve will typically take care of it. Sometimes a mask is needed.

--
Ed C.

Leonard Thompson · Feb 2, 2008

Can you explain in more detail what "Lab Mode" is and what process in more detail. I have seen a number of people reference curve adjustments in "Lab Mode" that have resulted in superior white balance and contrast.

TXFireball · Feb 2, 2008

Is this in the Paint with Light or paint with light II action? I have downloaded your actions but have yet to conquer them. It isn't you, it is "actions" I can't manage. I just tried your skinfix and it is just beyond me. I ended up with no picture--it just disappeared. I just need a good tutorial on running an action. Do you have one by chance?

Thank you.

cspringer said:
Sunshine_boy said:

Some time ago, while using GIMP, I came across a workflow that would
remove sun haze or haze due to shooting through glass. I have not
made a record of it but I remember it involved layers and USM with
very large radius, of the order of 50 or more. It produced very good
results, giving the picture some real pop and removing the blurry,
hazy effect, especially from landscape images. I am sure the same
action can be done in PS and probably easier and better. Could
someone please describe how he/she would remove haze in PS or point
me to some tutorial that deals with this issue? Thank you
--
Regards
Sunshine (Fuji F30, F31, S6500, OLY C4000Z, Canon EOS1000)

Click to expand...

LyleBurnett · Feb 2, 2008

Retouch pro web site has a tutorial on hazy landscapes that works. Here's the link

http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=264

It's by Bart Hickman. You can do a web search on him + hazy landscape and get to the same stuff.

lyle

--

Http: sprockit.smugmug.com

Ed_C · Feb 2, 2008

Lab mode is a different way of looking at the colors and luminosity of an image. RGB is the one most people are comfortable with CMYK is one used in the printing world.

The advantage Lab has is that it separates luminosity in the L channel. It lets you adjust contrast without having any effect on the colors, i.e. no color shifts. You can sort of mimic this by changing the blending mode of a curve in RGB mode to Luminosity.

If you want a really interesting read check out "Photoshop LAB Color: The Canyon Conundrum and Other Adventures in the Most Powerful Colorspace" by Dan Margulis.

http://www.amazon.com/Photoshop-LAB-Color-Adventures-Colorspace/dp/0321356780

It can really change the way you look at photo editing, sharpening, etc. The book goes far beyond what could be covered in a thread. He goes into great detail about how to defeat haze in Lab mode.

--
Ed C.

pmong · Feb 2, 2008

Lyle,

Thanks for the link to the tutorial. Will have to give it a try.

LyleBurnett said:
Retouch pro web site has a tutorial on hazy landscapes that works.
Here's the link

http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=264

It's by Bart Hickman. You can do a web search on him + hazy
landscape and get to the same stuff.

Robert 55 · Feb 2, 2008

If you do this on a layer [copy of background] and set this layer to luminosity, you can erase the parts where you don't want it applied. For instance a darkish tree against a light sky will cause a wide halo. Setting the layer to luminosity means yuo get the advantages of working in the L channel of lab mode wothout having to do that conversion

Gerrard said:
Hi,
USM
Amount = 25
Radius = 40.0
Threshold = 3
Cheers
Ray

Chalty669 · Feb 2, 2008

quickest thing to do is duplicate layer and set the blend to softlight. You will be amazed with the result. Not enough just duplicate the new layer again.
--
home.woh.rr.com/chadtyree

electron3 · Feb 2, 2008

Shoot in RAW then use the clarity slider when you open the image in ACR. I think the clarity slider is just a sharpen filter with a large radius and small amount.

John down under · Feb 3, 2008

Twilight35 said:
Here's a method Peano posted a while back.

Fred

Assuming you have some version of Photoshop, begin by adjusting
levels. Adjust each channel (Red, Green, Blue) separately. Pull the
end sliders inward to the foot of the "mountain."

~ Peano

If you adjust the R, G and B channels by different amounts, the colours in the image will end up looking very wrong. I understand that Peano knows what he's doing, so there must be more to it than what you've copied here.

--
Cheers from John from Adelaide, South Australia
John Harvey Photography http://johnharvey.com.au
Canon 40D, Canon 20D & Fuji F10

John down under · Feb 3, 2008

Rob22315 said:
If you have PSP, it has the terrific 'clarify' tool that seems to do
a great job with haze. There has been lots of speculation about how
this tool works but none of the methods I've seen posted duplicate it.

Another way is to look for methods that do a "localized contrast
enhancement'. I've seen a couple of difference methods and scripts
for doing this. A search on the terms here or on google should find
you a couple of ideas.

Local contrast enhancement is what the OP was asking about. Typical USM settings are 20%, radius 50 and 0 threshold as a starting point.

Rob22315 said:
In the days of Pixmantec's RAW Shooter raw converter, I used to clear
up the infamous RSE/RSP haze by using 'S' shaped tone curves of
varying depths to enhance contrast. The contrast adjustment in
Silkypix works the same way but the sliders make manipulation of the
'S' curve easy because it has sliders for the depth and centerpoint
of the curve.

RG

--
Cheers from John from Adelaide, South Australia
John Harvey Photography http://johnharvey.com.au
Canon 40D, Canon 20D & Fuji F10

John down under · Feb 3, 2008

Chalty669 said:
quickest thing to do is duplicate layer and set the blend to
softlight. You will be amazed with the result. Not enough just
duplicate the new layer again.

If you do this, be careful not to block shadows and blow highlights.

A couple of simple ways to do that:
1. Adjust opacity of the soft light layer(s).

2. Adjust advanced blending options of the soft light layer(s) - blend if gray. Alt click on the black or white sliders to separate them into two wo you can adjust blending with more control.

If the soft light treatment ends up saturating the colours too much, you can reduce saturation with a saturation adjustment layer.

--
Cheers from John from Adelaide, South Australia
John Harvey Photography http://johnharvey.com.au
Canon 40D, Canon 20D & Fuji F10

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