+1  A: 

The result you are getting is what would be expected if you threw out the low frequencies instead of the high ones. Are you sure about which frequencies are which?

Robert Lewis
Apparently the low frequencies are the last few descriptors, not the first few... I just reversed which frequencies get zeroed and it works fine now, thanks!
MahlerFive
Just realized that I was wrong again, and that the descriptors in the middle of the array are the low frequencies, so I zeroed them outwards from the center and it works so much better now
MahlerFive
A: 

i suggest to get amplitude of fourier descriptor then u can easly selct frequencies that have higher amplitude and set zero others,i hope it solve your problem.

green iran