Content Aware Fill - Demystification

Willis · 3 May 2010 at 09:09

Not amazing and needs cleaning up but its a start.

reflux · 3 May 2010 at 09:12

Willis said:
Just tried it and as you can see its done a amazing job

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/9128/screenshot20100503at083.png[IMG]

[IMG]http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/9128/screenshot20100503at083.png[IMG]

[IMG]http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/4925/screenshot20100503at083w.png[IMG][/QUOTE]

I tried it on a similar image and it was similarly rubbish. For some reason, it decided I wanted to fill the fill area with what was already there.... :confused:

oli356 · 3 May 2010 at 09:20

reflux said:
I tried it on a similar image and it was similarly rubbish. For some reason, it decided I wanted to fill the fill area with what was already there....

Does that with groups of people for me

Try to remove someone, they vanish but you get random body parts (from the person next to the vanished one) in that persons place.

If that makes any sence lmao

greedy123 · 3 May 2010 at 09:26

I'm just downloading the trial now. Will give it a go once it is all installed. I've about 10 photos I've left off processing because I wanted to use the content aware tool on them.

Adrianr · 3 May 2010 at 10:08

Odd issue, after I've just resized an image in CS5, without touching anything else I hit CTRL + Shift + S to Save As, but it makes that chime as if something is selected and I'm not clicking it. It won't let me use the shortcut untill I click back into the document.. It doesn't do this with CS4 (Or previous versions), any ideas? It's annoying having to reach for the mouse/pen when I've been accustomed doing it all on the keyboard for years.

Anyway, first one. First is the original, then my selection, then the third image is content aware fill with no other intervention. Does a pretty good job, but there's still a line where the edge of the selection was. So the fourth is me applying a slight amount of edge refine feather to hopefully blend this in a little better, and it all goes to pot!

http://img340.imageshack.us/i/original1vc.jpg
http://img202.imageshack.us/i/selection1.jpg
http://img15.imageshack.us/i/firstcafill1.jpg
http://img80.imageshack.us/i/secondcafillfeather1.jpg

Edit: Top of the picture, removing the power lines.

http://img144.imageshack.us/i/original2e.jpg/
http://img693.imageshack.us/i/firstcafill2.jpg/

Xon · 3 May 2010 at 10:35

I've recently had a go with a panorama and content-aware. Although far from perfect, the initial result makes the fine tuning much easier to work with!

I'd rate the tool highly - it's not going to do magic but it will definitely save a lot of time and take you straight to fine tuning.

Sample pics:

Original:

After content aware:

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 3 May 2010 at 11:02

Willis said:
Just tried it and as you can see its done a amazing job

Exactly my point that people seem to be ignoring.
You are using it wrong.
You have to consider its proximity.

Outside of your selection (your proximity) there is that clone of horizon clouds which is where CAF has pulled the data from.

Your selection area is much too big and thats why its pulling data from so low.

You have to understand the algorithm to avoid making these mistakes.

Willis · 3 May 2010 at 11:09

Fstop11 said:
Exactly my point that people seem to be ignoring.
You are using it wrong.
You have to consider its proximity.

Outside of your selection (your proximity) there is that clone of horizon clouds which is where CAF has pulled the data from.

Your selection area is much too big and thats why its pulling data from so low.

You have to understand the algorithm to avoid making these mistakes.

ok so tried it smaller and it still done the same thing, Adobe didn't mention understanding algorithm when they show cased using it. On the other hand I have tried it on other photo's and have got some amazing results so at the moment its a bit hit and miss but still a cool feature to have

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 3 May 2010 at 11:35

Willis said:
ok so tried it smaller and it still done the same thing, Adobe didn't mention understanding algorithm when they show cased using it. On the other hand I have tried it on other photo's and have got some amazing results so at the moment its a bit hit and miss but still a cool feature to have

Yeah but you have to understand anything to get best results from it.
After all its not a living learning body is it? Its a series of mathamatics to do a good general job. You'd approch your image by cloning in a huge portion of the sky using the other tool and then using content aware fill on the brush to gradient out the edges

Adrianr · 3 May 2010 at 11:47

Fstop11 said:
Exactly my point that people seem to be ignoring.
You are using it wrong.
You have to consider its proximity.

Outside of your selection (your proximity) there is that clone of horizon clouds which is where CAF has pulled the data from.

Your selection area is much too big and thats why its pulling data from so low.

You have to understand the algorithm to avoid making these mistakes.

Do you have an example to show using it correctly?

Trick · 3 May 2010 at 11:51

Here's one of my early efforts:

Certainly not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but for 5mins work I think it's made a big improvement.

Willis · 3 May 2010 at 11:53

Fstop11 said:
Yeah but you have to understand anything to get best results from it.
After all its not a living learning body is it? Its a series of mathamatics to do a good general job. You'd approch your image by cloning in a huge portion of the sky using the other tool and then using content aware fill on the brush to gradient out the edges

I understand this and will do this myself but when all the flash video's came out showing us what its does it never said anything about doing that, just think its a bit misleading.

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 3 May 2010 at 12:19

Willis said:
I understand this and will do this myself but when all the flash video's came out showing us what its does it never said anything about doing that, just think its a bit misleading.

Yes but are you really so naive to think it would work that well for every image?

I mean adobe didn't actually do it quicky n free hand. You watch the flash videos and all the big fill jobs are done after they load a saved selection from the menu. You think they just selected all that using a lasso tool in a couple of seconds? No, the images have been carefully chosen and the work area has been carefully selected to ensure the program doesn't do the job wrong.

Trick · 3 May 2010 at 12:21

Hardly surprising, those videos were designed to promote and sell CS5 to everyone. Seems like they did a pretty good job given the amount of debate it's caused.

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 3 May 2010 at 12:21

Adrianr said:
Do you have an example to show using it correctly?

So hard to understand? Know what you can and can't rely on it for?

You cant expect it to do anything you throw at it. Its a photoshop command not a paid visual artist.

Neil79 · 3 May 2010 at 12:37

Fstop11 said:
So hard to understand? Know what you can and can't rely on it for?

You cant expect it to do anything you throw at it. Its a photoshop command not a paid visual artist.

Will you people get it through your skull that so highly stick up for this content aware fill , IT'S NOT WHAT WAS SHOWN IN THE VIDEOS!!. Nothing about what you keep harping on about was not spoke about in the video's

It's a game version of Bullshot

Phate · 3 May 2010 at 12:46

Neil, just because you tried it and 'it didn't work' - Doesn't mean it doesn't do what it says on the tin.

I'm yet to try it myself, as my internet connection sucks and downloading 5gb in one hit is a bit of a mission

but from what people have posted it clearly DOES work IF you know how to use it.

Trick · 3 May 2010 at 12:49

Neil79, are you on glue? You need to calm down a little bit. It's a useful feature when used carefully and will, in some circumstances, save some time and effort.

Neil79 · 3 May 2010 at 12:52

Adrianr · 3 May 2010 at 13:00

Fstop11 said:
So hard to understand? Know what you can and can't rely on it for?

You cant expect it to do anything you throw at it. Its a photoshop command not a paid visual artist.

Does that mean you can't post an example? :confused:

ATM it looks like I can't rely on it for anything because it's unpredictable, and leaves horrid tell-tale signs wherever it's been. I'm merely curious if this whole 'one hit fix' ability Adobe were marketing applies anywhere at all. So far I've just seen a lot of mess that need so much work with the clone tool, you may as well have just used it in the first place.

Why are people getting so highly strung about this? :confused:

I'm asking for examples, not your life savings.