diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_image_submission.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_image_submission.py
index 10b1a20a7c..66500146ed 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_image_submission.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_image_submission.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ ALLOWABLE_IMAGE_SUFFIXES = [
 ]
 
 #Maximum allowed dimensions (x and y) for an uploaded image
-MAX_ALLOWED_IMAGE_DIM = 1000
+MAX_ALLOWED_IMAGE_DIM = 1500
 
 #Dimensions to which image is resized before it is evaluated for color count, etc
 MAX_IMAGE_DIM = 150
@@ -128,10 +128,16 @@ class ImageProperties(object):
         """
         image_is_okay = False
         try:
-            image_is_okay = self.count_colors() and self.get_skin_ratio() and not self.image_too_large
+            #image_is_okay = self.count_colors() and self.get_skin_ratio() and not self.image_too_large
+            image_is_okay = not self.image_too_large
         except:
             log.exception("Could not run image tests.")
 
+        if not ENABLE_PIL:
+            image_is_okay = True
+
+        #log.debug("Image OK: {0}".format(image_is_okay))
+
         return image_is_okay
 
 
@@ -250,7 +256,9 @@ def upload_to_s3(file_to_upload, keyname):
 
         return True, public_url
     except:
-        return False, "Could not connect to S3."
+        error_message = "Could not connect to S3."
+        log.exception(error_message)
+        return False, error_message
 
 
 def get_from_s3(s3_public_url):
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/openendedchild.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/openendedchild.py
index d9049c4f1e..ba2de5c930 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/openendedchild.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/openendedchild.py
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ class OpenEndedChild(object):
         image_tag = ""
         image_ok = False
         if 'can_upload_files' in get_data:
-            if get_data['can_upload_files'] == 'true':
+            if get_data['can_upload_files'] in ['true', '1']:
                 has_file_to_upload = True
                 file = get_data['student_file'][0]
                 uploaded_to_s3, image_ok, s3_public_url = self.upload_image_to_s3(file)
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ class OpenEndedChild(object):
         elif has_file_to_upload and not uploaded_to_s3 and image_ok:
             #In this case, an image was submitted by the student, but the image could not be uploaded to S3.  Likely
             #a config issue (development vs deployment).  For now, just treat this as a "success"
-            log.warning("Student AJAX post to combined open ended xmodule indicated that it contained an image, "
+            log.exception("Student AJAX post to combined open ended xmodule indicated that it contained an image, "
                         "but the image was not able to be uploaded to S3.  This could indicate a config"
                         "issue with this deployment, but it could also indicate a problem with S3 or with the"
                         "student image itself.")
@@ -388,6 +388,8 @@ class OpenEndedChild(object):
             success, get_data['student_answer'] = self.check_for_url_in_text(get_data['student_answer'])
             overall_success = success
 
+        #log.debug("Has file: {0} Uploaded: {1} Image Ok: {2}".format(has_file_to_upload, uploaded_to_s3, image_ok))
+
         return overall_success, get_data
 
     def check_for_url_in_text(self, string):