decreasing noise levels?

[livin4lax09]

I'm not usre if this has been posted before already, but I'm interested in learning how to manually decrease the noise in ps elements. I heard from my mentor that there is a way that you can go in an extract the blue layer and blur it, since the ble layer contains a lot of the noise but at the same time not much of the detail, and this will be the best way to decrease the noise but still retain the small details. Any idea how to do this? I've been trying to fool around with it, but I'm not quite sure how it's done.

[Michael Fanelli]

I'm not usre if this has been posted before already, but I'm interested in learning how to manually decrease the noise in ps elements. I heard from my mentor that there is a way that you can go in an extract the blue layer and blur it, since the ble layer contains a lot of the noise but at the same time not much of the detail, and this will be the best way to decrease the noise but still retain the small details. Any idea how to do this? I've been trying to fool around with it, but I'm not quite sure how it's done.

You would be much better off getting software specifically designed to reduce noise. The results will be much better than manual methods in Elements. The two that I know about are Neat Image and Noise Ninja. Remember, you don't get something for nothing. Using any noise reduction technique reduces the resolution and can create artifacts. The worse the noise, the worse the effects. Its best to get the cleanest image you can at the time the shutter is pressed.

[livin4lax09]

thanks a ton. I downloaded this program and have been using it, and it works pretty well. It blurs the picture a bit, but hey, in order to get the noise out of there, it's going to have to. If I just sharpen the picture afterwards, it looks fine. Thanks!

[another view]

I don't know what the exact differences are between Elements and CS. I have CS and have used this method, and hopefully it will work for you:

Change the image to Lab color. (Image > Mode > Lab Color)

Under Window at the top, select Channels.

Click on Channel A.

Select Gaussian Blur Filter, and bring the value up until the dots go away - don't worry about losing detail though. Click on Channel B and apply the same value of Gaussian Blur (or just hit CTRL + F to do this).

Change the image back to RGB color. (same way you got to Lab Color)