Best steps to remove parked cars?

[CharlieRoi]

My first post.

I had a request from a client to remove the parked cars in front of this building. I'm working my way through it using the vanishing tool and stamp tool. It's slow and tedious and I should just go back to the building and shoot it again without the cars there but I want to see if I can do this.

Basically, what steps would you take to remove the cars, what tools would you use?

Thanks,
Charlie

[Repairman]

Cut, paste and flip patches of texture from the predominantly 'clean' left side of the building. All the information to do a good job exists in this photo and even the lighting won't be too much of an issue. 95% of the rebuild will be easy wins but you will need to be patient with brick alignment, tree trunks etc. Spread the retouched area beyond the vehicles to avoid leaving the 'ghost' shape of a vehicle. Fun job!

[CharlieRoi]

Haven't used the left side yet, I will try that. So far just cloning from the right side, mainly using the vanishing tool. I'm slowly getting there. The fun continues. Thanks

[CharlieRoi]

Repairman,

Wondering how you organize cutting and pasting? Do you make a new layer for each cut? thanks

[unimatrix001]

As repairman said i would do the same and yes use separate layers for each paste with masks then combine all layers when satisfied.

[Repairman]

I generally cut, place and flatten. Layers are for wimps LOL!

[kav]

Originally Posted by Repairman

I generally cut, place and flatten. Layers are for wimps LOL!

I kind of like that too. After I check the work for problems and there's no chance it's going to be reversed, I do merge some of it together. The same goes for people. I wouldn't be bringing a pimple back. It just can't create a weird flat spot or anything that's noticeable/not seamless. The janitorial stuff just adds unnecessary complexity to the file at times.

[KTG]

Charlie,

I do a lot of this kind of work. From what I can see in your image I would try to copy from the left side. Flip, transform, heal, clone etc. For each piece I select I put on its individual layer and then put all those layers into a Group.

As much as possible I organize my layers and workflow so that I can go back into any aspect of the file and make changes. I understand the reasoning for merging layers, but one should be very careful.


k

[kav]

I forgot to mention this before. Seeing as it's a known location, I'd suggest that you grab more reference to figure out the rest. You should stop thinking in terms of cloning and take into consideration what is actually built behind the cars. The tedious portion would be the ones on the far right of the photo. This is why I'd say use something like google earth for reference on that area. You look at the building that is actually there, then try to find parts within your photo that could approximate it. The others are still pretty tedious and you'd need to understand how to shade them after. I'd go part by part. I'd rebuild the road edge + sidewalk, then work on those walls and stuff. In the end you will still have to do some shading to give it a final touch. It's tedious, but clone stamping something like this is garbage. You just need to build pieces that approximate what would be there, and like I said, it's tedious.

[CharlieRoi]

Fortunately I had other shots for reference so have a good idea what's behind cars. Good point about going part by part. I'm thinking about completing things like the road, sidewalk, etc., instead of just "removing" the cars, which seems overwhelming. One section at a time and I'm getting there but man it's slow.

I'm flattening as I go, so many layers gets confusing. Which brings up a question for me.

If you have multiple layers and you're using masks how can you retouch an area that's masked from a previous layer? Is there a way around that or is it in the planning of how you do your retouching?