Expert: LizaL - 12/1/2004

Question
I have numerous photos made in brigh sunlight shadows just to avoid overly high contrast and hot spots. However I have many quality photos with the exception of small or medium size areas maximally exposed.  How do you handle this problem? I am currently using photoshop cs and setting a layer to multiply just isn't cutting it.
I selectively crop to remove as many problems as possible but still have hotspots in the field of interest.  I've had to give up on many photos. can they be fixed?  I use the clone function where ever possible but need additional methods.

Thanks,
Douglas

PS- I am running this on a PC. Use a Nikon D100 camera.  Save as large file with fine resolution.  

Answer
Hi Douglas,

Hot spots are the hardest things possible to fix, reason being that they come across digitally as no pixels at all -- it's like a blank part of the picture with no electronic detail with which to work.

One technique to try is to duplicate the layer that has the hot spot on it, and work on this layer (above the original).  Use the Patch tool, set it to Source in its options, and select the hot spot. Move the spot to an area of better tonal information, if that's possible. (If you've already used the clone stamp on this layer, you might have some decent areas you can use for patching.)

Continue this process -- and when I do this, I do it in small bits, not huge areas -- until you're satisfied that the hot spot is corrected. Then set the opacity of that layer to something like 60%-65%. You do want the tonality of the other layer to show through, while blocking the hot spot at the same time. Generally speaking, you don't want to leave the layer you've worked on at 100%, because that can make the picture look dull and flat.

Try this and see what happens -- hope it helps, but if it doesn't, let me know and we'll try something else.


Lisa