seeing-images

What this skill does

# Seeing Images

Compensatory vision tools based on empirically measured blindspots (vision diagnostic v1-v4, 2026-03-25).

## When to Use

Activate this skill when:
- Describing an uploaded image in detail
- Reproducing an image as SVG (use BEFORE drawing to establish ground truth)
- Comparing two images or regions for differences
- Reading text in degraded/compressed/low-contrast images
- Identifying subtle features (gradients, faint overlays, reflections)
- Any image task where accuracy matters more than speed

## Known Blindspots (from diagnostics)

These are MEASURED limitations — not guesses:

| Blindspot | Threshold | Compensatory Tool |
|-----------|-----------|-------------------|
| Luminance contrast | ~15-20 RGB steps invisible | `enhance`, `histogram`, `sample` |
| Gradients | <30-step range invisible | `gradient_map`, `enhance` |
| Context color bias | Dress effect, simultaneous contrast | `isolate`, `sample` |
| Small elements | <15px effectively invisible | `crop`, `grid` |
| Dense counting | Degrades >15 items, ~50% error at 30 | `count_elements` |
| Subtle atmospherics | Steam, faint reflections lost in noise | `enhance`, `denoise` |

## Workflow

### Setup (one line, every time)
```python
import sys; sys.path.insert(0, '/mnt/skills/user/seeing-images/scripts')
from see import grid, sample, enhance, edges, histogram, isolate, palette, compare, count_elements, gradient_map, denoise, crop
```

### Quick Analysis (2-3 tool calls)
```python
grid(path, rows=2, cols=2)   # → view the output
sample(path, [(x1,y1), ...]) # → verify colors at points of interest
```

### Deep Analysis (for SVG reproduction, spot-the-difference, etc.)
```python
grid(path, rows=3, cols=3)                    # 1. Overview
palette(path, n=10)                           # 2. Dominant colors
edges(path, threshold=30)                     # 3. Shape boundaries
sample(path, [(x1,y1), (x2,y2), ...])        # 4. Exact RGB at points
enhance(path, region=(x,y,w,h), mode='auto')  # 5. Reveal low-contrast areas
isolate(path, region=(x,y,w,h))              # 6. Remove context bias
```

## Tool Reference

All functions in `scripts/see.py`. Every function that produces an image saves to `/home/claude/see_*.png` and returns the path. Use `view` tool on the returned path.

### grid(path, rows=3, cols=3, labels=True)
Splits image into labeled cells for systematic inspection. This is the FIRST thing to call — it reduces attentional competition.

### sample(path, points, radius=3)
Returns exact RGB values at specified pixel coordinates. Use to verify what you think you see. Averages over a small radius to handle noise.

### histogram(path, region=None)
Color histogram showing value distribution. Reveals bimodal distributions (hidden gradients), dominant colors, and contrast range. With region=(x,y,w,h), analyzes only that area.

### enhance(path, region=None, factor=2.0, mode='contrast')
Boosts contrast in the image or a region. Modes: 'contrast', 'brightness', 'color', 'sharpness'. Use factor=3-5 for near-threshold features.

### edges(path, threshold=50)
Sobel edge detection revealing shape boundaries invisible at low contrast. Lower threshold = more edges (noisier). Output is a white-on-black edge map.

### gradient_map(path, region=None)
Computes local gradient magnitude across the image. Bright = high gradient, dark = flat. Reveals gradients below the 30-step detection threshold.

### isolate(path, region, padding=20, bg=(128,128,128))
Extracts a region and places it on a neutral gray background. Removes surrounding context that causes simultaneous contrast and Dress-type illusions. The `bg` parameter defaults to mid-gray to minimize context bias.

### compare(path, r1, r2)
Side-by-side comparison of two regions with diff overlay. Highlights pixel-level differences with amplification. Use for spot-the-difference tasks.

### count_elements(path, region=None, color_range=None, min_size=3)
Programmatic element counting using connected component analysis. Specify approximate color_range as ((r_min,g_min,b_min), (r_max,g_max,b_max)) to count specific colored elements.

### denoise(path, region=None, strength=3)
Median filter to reduce photographic noise, revealing subtle features hidden in the noise floor (like steam, faint reflections).

### palette(path, n=8)
Extracts the n most dominant colors using k-means clustering. Returns RGB values and their proportions. Essential for SVG reproduction.

## Anti-Patterns

- Do NOT skip `grid()` for complex images — your attention is the bottleneck
- Do NOT trust your color perception near context boundaries — always `sample()` or `isolate()`
- Do NOT estimate counts above 15 — use `count_elements()`
- Do NOT assume gradients are flat — use `gradient_map()` to verify
- Do NOT describe faint features without `enhance()` verification