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FIXING THEM
by Clive R. Haynes FRPS
Using the Rubber Stamp / Clone Stamp Tool
The most frequent method for dealing with dust, scratches and blemishes is by means of the Rubber Stamp / Clone Stamp tool.
It's advisable to create a new layer upon which to make the corrections as this keeps the original image intact to create a new layer (click on the New Layer icon at the base of the Layers palette or via Layer > New > Layer).
A useful tip is to tick 'Use All Layers' in the Options for the Clone Stamp tool. This, when you're using the newly created layer, enables you to directly clone upon this new layer without constantly having to activate the original image layer. If you wish, create additional new layers as and when needed. Additional layers give you the advantage of being able to dispose of them if errors are made.
Changing the Cloning Blend Mode
Another useful tip is to change the 'blend mode' of the Clone
Stamp as you work to suit the type of blemish you're dealing with. 'Darken' and 'Lighten' blend modes can assist with
different sorts of blemish. Using 'Darken' the Clone Stamp tool darkens/clones into light areas image and therefore
useful to darken a light toned scratch. Conversely, the 'Lighten' blend mode lightens/clones into dark areas of the
image and so lightens a dark toned scratch.
Note:
however, that this frequently functions best when 'cloning' on
the same layer. The blend Mode will not operate on a separate, empty layer (until it 'clones' over pixels on
the layer), even if the 'Use all Layers' box is ticked as the blend mode needs 'something to blend with'. The technique
is worth experimenting with as for the right image, this is a speedy solution.
Alternatives:
Dust and scratch marks can be sometimes difficult to fix by 'Rubber Stamp' / 'Cloning' alone.
Here are two alternative methods of dealing swiftly with them, both using the ‘Dust & Scratches’ filter.
- A Quick Method (Using the 'History Brush')
- A More Flexible Method
Open the image with the offending marks.
Enlarge/magnify a relevant area of the picture.
Go to Filter > Noise > Dust & Scratches
Select a Radius and Threshold level that just removes the blemishes>OK
Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise > Gaussian > Monochromatic
Simulate the grain of the original image > OK
Go to the 'History' palette and click the box to the left of the 'Add Noise' history text - a brush and circular arrow icon appears. This creates a 'History Snapshot'.
Remaining in the History palette, return to 'Open' and click this section.
With the 'original' (blemishes and all) image displayed, go to the History Brush in the Tool Box (RH side, four down) and 'paint' over the blemishes with a suitable brush size - they will be 'filled' with the 'History Snapshot' you created.
This is a slightly longer but preferred method which offers the advantage of being able to be ‘undone’ and set at different levels.
Open the image with the offending blemishes
Copy it to a new layer (above the original)
Switch off the layer you've just copied (click the 'eye' icon)
Make the lower layer (with blemishes and all) 'active'
Enlarge / magnify the relevant area to be treated
Go to File > Noise > Dust & Scratches
Adjust the sliders to make the blemishes disappear - the whole image will become blurred but only concentrate upon the blemishes
Return to the upper layer and make 'active'
Create a 'Layer Mask' for this layer - by clicking on the Layer Mask icon at base of layers palette (white circle in small grey square) - or go via Layer > Add Layer Mask > Reveal All route
Click in the layer mask rectangle (the white box to the right of the layer thumbnail image) to activate the layer mask function
Note re above step: If you don't activate the Layer Mask, you'll paint black on the image! When the Layer Mask is 'active' the paintbrush icon to the right of the eye icon on this layer will be replaced by a mask icon (white circle in small grey square). To come out of Layer mask operation to perform some other function on this layer, click the image thumbnail on this same layer and the brush icon returns
With the foreground colour set to black and the background set to white, choose a suitable brush and size and using 'black paint', paint over the blemishes. As you 'paint', the underlying layer will magically be revealed and this will fill the space with the blemish free image.
The new blemish-free areas so revealed may look 'too clean' and lack 'filmic quality'- to correct this add some noise to simulate grain. Of course, if you're using a digital camera then 'film grain' is not a problem you need to deal with.
With the lower layer (the one you 'removed the blemishes on) active, go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise > Gaussian (or 'uniform', if preferred) and adjust the noise level until it matches the granular structure of the original image
That's it!
This method has three big advantages
By using a Layer Mask, the strength of the effect can be varied by both brush pressure and layer opacity
It allows you to 'undo' the correction/painting that you've made at any time by swaping to white as the foreground
It allows you to set the amount of noise to more accurately match the grain of the film
This article was reproduced with the kind permission of Clive R. Haynes FRPS.
Other articles of interest by him can be found at
www.crhfoto.co.uk
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