How to Remove Glare in Photoshop?

Glare in photos can be super distracting. Harsh lighting, reflections, or lens flare usually cause it. It often makes parts of the picture appear overly bright or distorted. Luckily, Photoshop has some easy-to-use tools to remove glare and restore your photo to its clear state.

Remove glare in Photoshop by following these steps. Use the Clone Stamp and Healing Brush. Then, make key adjustments for a professional look.

These tips will help everyone, whether you’re new or skilled in editing. You can easily remove glare and enhance your images.

Ready to start? Let’s dive in!

Tools You Will Need:

Before starting, ensure you have these essentials ready:

• Adobe Photoshop (any recent version like Photoshop CC)
• An image with glare (choose a clear example to practice)
• Clone Stamp Tool (available in Photoshop toolbar)
• Healing Brush Tool (also available in toolbar)
• Basic familiarity with Photoshop layers and adjustments

Step 1: Open Your Image in Photoshop

Open Adobe Photoshop. Go to the top menu and click on File. Choose Open, select the image you want to edit from your computer, and click Open again.

Your selected photo will now open in Photoshop for glare removal. Ensure the image displays the glare or reflections you want to fix. This will make editing smooth and effective.

Step 2: Use the Clone Stamp Tool

Next, select the Clone Stamp Tool from Photoshop’s toolbar (it looks like a small stamp). This tool allows you to replace glare areas with clearer sections from other parts of your image. Adjust the brush size and softness from the toolbar options to match the area you’re fixing.

Hold the Alt (Option on Mac) key, then click on a nearby spot that looks clear and glare-free to sample it. Finally, carefully click or brush over the glare to replace it with the sampled area. Take your time to ensure the replaced area blends naturally and looks realistic.

Step 3: Use the Healing Brush Tool

Now, switch to the Healing Brush Tool, found in the Photoshop toolbar (it looks like a bandage). This tool helps blend repaired areas smoothly, creating a natural finish. Set your brush size to fit the glare spots comfortably. Hold the Alt (Option on Mac) key and click on a clean, glare-free spot nearby to sample it.

After sampling, gently brush over the glare area. Photoshop will automatically blend the sampled area with the surrounding pixels. Continue repeating this process until the glare disappears and the repaired area appears seamless.

Step 4: Adjusting Brightness and Contrast

After removing the glare, your photo may still need adjustments for brightness and contrast. To fix this, go to the Layers panel. Click the New Adjustment Layer icon (it looks like a half-filled circle). Then, select Brightness/Contrast from the menu.

Adjust the sliders to tweak the brightness and contrast. Make small changes until the repaired areas match the rest of the image. Keep it subtle and natural, so the final image looks balanced and clear.

Step 5: Refine with Layer Masking

If any areas seem unnatural after adjustments, use layer masking to blend them. First, select the adjustment layer you created. Then, click on the Layer Mask (the white rectangle) next to it.

Select a soft brush tool and set the color to black. Gently brush over areas where adjustments seem too strong. This technique helps you hide adjustments without deleting anything. Keep refining until your image looks balanced.

Step 6: Final Touches and Review

Zoom in to check your edits closely. Look for any glare spots or unnatural areas that need fixing. You can use the Healing Brush or Clone Stamp tools for minor tweaks.

You might want to sharpen your image or reduce noise if necessary. When you’re satisfied with the changes, save your edited image. Go to File > Save As, pick your format (like JPEG or PNG), and click Save.

To Conclude

Glare won’t ruin your favorite photos anymore. With these easy Photoshop tools, you can remove unwanted reflections and restore image clarity. The key is patience and practice.

Don’t hesitate to experiment. Soon, you’ll confidently remove glare and give every image a professional touch.

FAQs

1. Can I remove glare from eyeglasses using these techniques?

Absolutely! Using the Clone Stamp and Healing Brush tools works great on glasses. Just carefully sample glare-free areas and gently brush over reflections.

2. What if the glare covers important details in the image?

Try sampling from similar areas nearby to retain important details. If details are completely washed out, consider combining parts from another image if available.

3. Can I use these glare removal methods for batch processing multiple images?

These techniques are best suited for individual photo editing. For batch processing, you’ll typically need specialized scripts or automated actions, though results may not be as accurate.

4. Do I need advanced Photoshop skills to remove glare?

No, basic familiarity with Photoshop is enough. The steps described here are beginner-friendly and straightforward to follow.

5. Is glare removal destructive to the image?

No, if you use layers and masks as described, your original image remains intact. Always keep an original copy and work on duplicate layers to preserve your original photo.