HELP!! Facial Glare

[crystalg]

I need help removing the glare from the face... the picture is beautiful if it weren't for the glare. Any ideas on how to do this in Photoshop CS??

[PatrickB]

Hello and welcome to the forums,

this seems to be pretty difficult, the face seems to be extremely over-exposed (because of the glare of course) and hence, there is probably not much information in the picture you could enhance. Retouching is basically enhancing a pictures information and just a minor part is creating new one. Do you happen to have a larger version of this image?

Patrick

PS: This post belongs to the Help requested forum, just to mention

[crystalg]

Yes i have the larger version, i believe its about 700 MPs.
Any ideas?

[Gary Richardson]

As Patrick says, there is no real image data to work with, so not too much you can do.

In cases like this, you could try creating a new layer, then sample colour from surrounding areas and paint over the burnt out areas. Vary the opacity of the layer for effect, and finally add a little noise to simulate texture.

Unfortunately this will not replace some of the facial detail lost in the burnt out areas.

[PatrickB]

Since you have the larger version you could also try the following:

Open up the image, then go to image/adjustment/levels. Drag the middle pointer (the gray one) to the left and to the right and see what it does to the image. This will actually not do anything to improve the image, but could reveal if there is at least some information in that glare you could use.

If so, you might try to copy the background layer several times and turn the copies to overlay, this enhances the information. The picture will look absolutely horrible, but based on what comes up in that glare you can go ahead as Gary described and try overbrushing and painting the burnt out areas.

Patrick

[Kraellin]

to me, this is the perfect job for the clone tool, followed by some push and smudge. basically, you're reconstructing those areas that have been washed out. the data to work with are the surrounding areas. so, you just borrow some of those areas with the clone tool to fill in the washed areas. then smooth things out a bit, color here and there as desired, and you might get something like what's attached here.

now, i'm not real great at this. flora is better, but i did enough to give you an idea.

K.

[Kraellin]

oh, and you might check this link: http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/photo-restoration/10532-blown-out-help.html

for a similar problem.

K.

[Flora]

Hi crystalg,

Welcome to RP!

What everybody said 'no data to work on' .... It would help a bigger picture and if you had another picture of that beautiful baby looking up at the camera in a similar way ....

The biggest problem is her 'missing' features ... (I haven't a clue about what her little nose looks like) ... etc ...

I had a go at it working on her face only .... don't even know if it looks like her ... but just to give you an idea of what can be done ....