Alpha Photography Blog

Every image is bound to have something to correct - someone may want the bags under their eyes removed. There’s an annoying pole in the background, or power lines are interrupting a perfect sky.

All these things can be fixed with relative ease in Photoshop. Below are some simple steps.

All your fundmental image corrections tools are in the aptly named “Tools” toolbar. It should sit vertically on the left hand side of your window. If it isn’t, go to Window on your top toolbar, and make sure “Tools” is ticked.

Removing Blemishes on Image - Option 1

This is best achieved with the Healing Brush Tool, located 4th row left in Tools.

Right click on this and you’ll see 4 options, select Healing Brush Tool, which is represented as a bandaid.

The purpose is to select a nearby area of the image that is unblemished, and blend the blemished portion of the image into this so it is no longer visible.

So:

• Select the healing brush tool;
• To increase or decrease the size of the tool (which appears as a circle), use your [ and ] keys;
• Press and hold the Alt key;
• Left click once on the area of the image you want to duplicate;
• Let go of the Alt key;
• Left click and drag over the blemished area and it will blend in the unblemished patch you just selected;
• Be careful to notice that the area you originally selected moves as you are dragging over the blemished area - it could take in an area you don’t want, so just unclick, and start again.

Removing Blemishes on Image - Option 2

The Patch Tool - 4th row on the left of Tools, right click and select the patch.

This tool works best if you have a larger area to fix up - say you want to remove a light pole from a perfect blue sky background.

• Make sure “Source” is checked in the toolbar below your top toolbar
• Left click and drag your cursor around the object you want to remove, then release (you should now have moving ants around the object)
• Left click and drag the object over to the unblemished area you want to replicate and release
• Press Ctrl D to deselect the area

Removing Blemishes on Image - Option 3

The Clone Stamp Tool, located 5th row left on Tools.

This is used in the same way as the Healing Brush Tool, only it doesn’t blend it just replicates.

I generally find this tool useful if I want to get rid of a pole which is in front of a tree. I just replicate the tree over the pole. Blending would look too obvious, so the Clone Stamp Tool is preferrable in some instances.

Combining Tools

Taking the Clone Stamp Tool and the Healing Brush Tool is helpful for minimising dark circles under eyes.

You select an area of the skin which is the right colour (the forehead has the largest selection), and change the skin colour under the eyes using the Clone Stamp Tool.

Now using the Healing Brush Tool, blend this new colour into the surrounding skin.

Sharpening an Image (especially eyes)

In true Photoshop style, this is an extremely illogically named tool - Unsharp Mask.

You’ll find it by selecting Filter from your top toolbar, then Sharpen, then Unsharp Mask.

This isn’t necessary in all instances, and if you do use this tool, it should be the last thing you do in the editing process. Otherwise, it can skew your entire image.

The settings I like to use are:

• Amount - 80%
• Radius - 4.1 pixels
• Threshold - 7 levels

If someone’s face isn’t quite sharp enough, I usually just sharpen their eyes, and leave the rest. To select just their eyes I use the Elliptical Marquee Tool.

You’ll find this in Tools, top left.

Left click and drag until you’ve covered the pupil, then select the Unsharp Mask. Repeat for the other eye.

These are the main image correction tools I use in Photoshop. It takes practise and quite a lot of patience, but persevere because you’ll love the results. Enjoy!

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