A method of inspecting the surface of an object for the detection and analysis of surface variations that exceed established acceptable surface conditions. The surface has a directionally specific pattern that tends to obscure surface variations in a spatial domain of the surface. The method includes detecting the presence of one or more surface variations with sensors located to view the surface and to provide an electronic image of an area of the surface containing said variations and directionally specific pattern. The electronic image is transmitted from the sensors to a storage device for subsequent display and analysis. The spatial domain of the image is transformed into a two dimensional frequency domain to obtain a spectral response of the image. Frequency components of the two dimensional spectral response are then evaluated to identify the direction of the directionally specific pattern. A band eliminating filter having a spectral response corresponding to said pattern is provided and used to remove or at least suppress the pattern from the stored image.