Remove flash glare from photo

TimTDP said:
How can I remove the camera flash glare from a photo?

Thanks
Tim
Click to expand...

If you have a raw photo you could selectively adjust the overexposed / blown out section of the image. If you only have the jpg then you’re going to have to be creative with your photoshopping and replace the blown out part with another image of a similar fish… or possibly replace that section with an AI generated image.
 
OnlyOneKenobi said:
If you have a raw photo you could selectively adjust the overexposed / blown out section of the image. If you only have the jpg then you’re going to have to be creative with your photoshopping and replace the blown out part with another image of a similar fish… or possibly replace that section with an AI generated image.
Click to expand...
Thank you
How??????
 
I’m feeling generous today, so here’s a step by step from ChatGPT to help you out.

Step 1: Open the Image in Photoshop
1. Open Adobe Photoshop.
2. Drag the image into Photoshop or use File > Open to select it.

⸻

Step 2: Duplicate the Layer (ALWAYS work non-destructively!)
1. In the Layers panel, right-click on the Background layer.
2. Select Duplicate Layer.
3. Name it something like “Fix Glare” and click OK.
4. Hide the original layer by clicking the eye icon next to it—this lets you revert if needed.

⸻

Step 3: Identify the Overexposed (Blown-Out) Areas
1. Zoom in on the flash glare using Ctrl + + (plus sign) (Windows) or Cmd + + (Mac).
2. Notice the completely white areas—these are blown-out pixels with no color data left.
3. If the glare is mild, we can reduce it with adjustments. If it’s completely blown out, we’ll need to rebuild those areas.

⸻

Step 4: Try the Highlights & Shadows Adjustment (If Some Detail Remains)
1. Go to Image > Adjustments > Shadows/Highlights.
2. Increase the Shadows slider to bring back details in darker areas.
3. Reduce the Highlights slider to minimize the glare.
4. Adjust Exposure and Contrast slightly if needed.
5. Click OK and check if the glare is less intense.

✅ This only works if there’s some color detail left! If not, move to the next method.

⸻

Step 5: Use the Healing Brush Tool for Small Glare Spots
1. Select the Healing Brush Tool (J).
2. Set the Mode to Normal and Source to Sampled in the top toolbar.
3. Hold Alt (Windows) / Option (Mac) and click on an undamaged area near the glare.
4. Release Alt/Option and start painting over the glare.
5. Keep sampling new areas as you go to make the texture look natural.

âś… Use this for small glare spots on skin, clothing, or backgrounds. If the glare is big, use the next step.

⸻

Step 6: Rebuild the Overexposed Area Using the Clone Stamp Tool (For Large Glare)
1. Select the Clone Stamp Tool (S) from the toolbar.
2. Set Opacity to around 50% and Flow to 30% for smooth blending.
3. Adjust Brush Hardness (right-click while using the tool) to Soft (~10-20%).
4. Hold Alt/Option, click on a nearby area with similar texture, then paint over the glare.
5. Repeat this, resampling often, to make it blend naturally.

âś… This works best for textured areas like fabric, backgrounds, or even fish scales.

⸻

Step 7: Use the Patch Tool for Seamless Fixing
1. Select the Patch Tool (J) from the toolbar.
2. Draw a selection around the overexposed area.
3. Drag the selection to an area with similar texture.
4. Photoshop will blend it automatically.

âś… Great for fixing large blown-out areas with clear edges.

⸻

Step 8: Manually Repaint Lost Details Using the Brush Tool
1. Select the Brush Tool (B).
2. Set the Opacity to 30% and choose a soft round brush.
3. Hold Alt/Option to sample colors near the glare.
4. Carefully paint in missing details, using different shades to match the surroundings.

âś… This is the most time-consuming but gives precise control.

⸻

Step 9: Reconstructing Complex Textures (Like Fish Scales) Using AI or Stock Images
1. If the glare covers complex textures (like the fish scales in this case), AI can help.
2. Open an image of a similar fish and copy-paste that section.
3. Use Edit > Transform > Warp to make it fit naturally.
4. Apply Layer Masks to blend it smoothly.
5. Adjust Brightness/Contrast and Color Balance (Ctrl + B) to match the lighting.

✅ For an easy fix, generate a fish texture using AI (like Stable Diffusion or Photoshop’s Generative Fill).

⸻

Step 10: Final Adjustments & Blending
1. Add a Gaussian Blur (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur) to the fixed areas if needed.
2. Adjust Brightness/Contrast to make everything match.
3. Zoom out and check for inconsistencies.
4. Merge the layers (Ctrl + Shift + E) and save the fixed image.

⸻

Alternative: Try AI Retouching Tools

If all of this is too much effort, try AI-based tools:
• Photoshop’s Remove Tool (Beta)
• Topaz Photo AI
• Luminar Neo
• GIMP’s Resynthesizer Plugin

⸻

Conclusion

✅ If the glare is mild → Reduce highlights & use healing tools.
✅ If the glare is bad → Clone Stamp & Patch Tool.
✅ If the glare is extreme → AI, stock images, or manual painting.
 
rh1 said:
Dude I only fished once in my life, in East London, the markerting/sales guy took me fishing after work as that was his thing, I caught a nice size squid. Did not take a photo.

So maybe this was the one?
Click to expand...
Dude. that is like going fishing in the dam and a goose fly into your line and you hook it.
A goose is not a fish and neither is a squid.
 
rh1 said:
I dont care, I caught something edible. By modern standards, I am a certified hunter.
Click to expand...

Did you apologise to the guy whos bait you foul hooked?
 
  • Haha
Reactions: rh1
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