VFX Atlas
M 169 / 18307 Filters & Motionalgorithm output

Total Variation Denoising

filters & motion

Typeface · Recursive

Atlas demonstration: the free source photo and the computed Total Variation Denoising. A close-up view of broad plant leaves shows a stark contrast between a grainy original and a processed version. The granular noise is efficiently smoothed out into uniform color patches while the sharp, dark outlines of the leaf edges remain perfectly intact.
Atlas demonstration: the free source photo and the computed Total Variation Denoising. A close-up view of broad plant leaves shows a stark contrast between a grainy original and a processed version. The granular noise is efficiently smoothed out into uniform color patches while the sharp, dark outlines of the leaf edges remain perfectly intact.Image: Jamie Dench dench · CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons), processed for the AtlasView source ↗

Prompt

Apply Total Variation Denoising, removing fine speckle and small brightness fluctuations while retaining strong, relatively sharp boundaries. Turn noisy surfaces into smooth, coherent color regions, with gentle gradients occasionally forming subtle flat steps or patches. Avoid broad blur, added brush texture, and sharpening halos. Keep the original subject and composition.

Paste it into LetzAI with your own image to apply the effect ↗

Identify

Fine noise fades into smoother regions, while strong edges remain relatively sharp and gentle gradients may become flat patches.

Principle

The algorithm balances fidelity1 to the input against total variation2, which measures the combined strength of local brightness changes. Minimizing this balance suppresses small fluctuations without forcing every strong edge to become a broad blur.

Try it out

Increase the denoising strength and watch for lost texture or stepped shading.

Classification

Calculated image processing result.

Further examples · 9 images

Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Hana Highway, Kahului, United States (Unsplash)”
02 Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Hana Highway, Kahului, United States (Unsplash)”A hand holds a smartphone displaying a path through a bamboo forest. The heavy multicolored speckles across the skin and phone casing are suppressed into flat, clean surfaces without losing the definition of the device's silhouette.Jad Limcaco jadlimcaco (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Young pastor being ordained. (Unsplash)”
03 Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Young pastor being ordained. (Unsplash)”A young man in a dark suit stands with his hands clasped, surrounded by others in a formal setting. The algorithm cleans the distracting grit from the fabric of the jackets, turning them into solid dark masses while preserving the sharp collar and tie lines.Marc Scaturro scaturrodesign (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Berlin, Germany (Unsplash aJZmJeam9O0)”
04 Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Berlin, Germany (Unsplash aJZmJeam9O0)”An architectural view looks up at a curved ceiling grid featuring rectangular openings. The high-frequency noise on the flat panels is completely neutralized, resulting in clean geometric shapes defined by bold, un-blurred grid lines.Samuel Zeller samuelzeller (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Stone Town, Zanzibar Town, Tanzania (Unsplash)”
05 Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Stone Town, Zanzibar Town, Tanzania (Unsplash)”The scene depicts a narrow, dark alleyway between ancient stone buildings with a person walking in the distance. The denoising transformation converts the heavy grain into smooth, painterly surfaces while preserving the sharp silhouettes of the doorways.Alessio Rinella mumbojumbo (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Metropolitan neighborhood (Unsplash)”
06 Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Metropolitan neighborhood (Unsplash)”An aerial nighttime view captures the glowing grid of a city with bright streetlights and dark building tops. The process eliminates high-frequency sensor noise, resulting in clean blocks of color and distinct, simplified light trails.Peter Nguyen peterng1618 (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Samuel Zeller 2015-04-30 (Unsplash CwkiN6 qpDI)”
07 Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Samuel Zeller 2015-04-30 (Unsplash CwkiN6 qpDI)”A horned bull stands prominently in a dry, grassy field before a distant hillside. The effect is highly apparent as the abrasive grit in the sky and fur is smoothed away, leaving behind a stylized, nearly illustrated appearance.Samuel Zeller samuelzeller (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Windmill in a Farm Field (Unsplash)”
08 Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Windmill in a Farm Field (Unsplash)”A tall wind turbine stands against a pale, overcast sky. The dense electronic noise in the atmosphere is reduced, though the resulting smoothness gives the turbine blades a slightly softer appearance against the horizon.Benjamin Combs b3njamin (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Tree on a starry sky (Unsplash)”
09 Total Variation Denoising, applied to “Tree on a starry sky (Unsplash)”A night sky filled with faint stars sits above the dark silhouette of a tree. The process removes the fine sensor grain, but it also risks blending the smallest stars into the deep blue of the background sky.Brandon Morgan littleppl85 (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Sources