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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Removing a hot spot?
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Canon EOS-7D
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
 05/07/2007 02:04:11 PM · #1
Would anyone be able to give me some tips for reducing the overexposure on the 2nd tree to the left in this photograph? I'm pretty new to post-processing. I have Photoshop Elements 5.0 and GIMP available.

Nikon Z8
Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120 f/4 S
 05/07/2007 02:19:34 PM · #2
The first thing to try and do is not overexpose the image too much so you don't lose all the detail. If you don't notice that you have a blown out sectionuntil after the fact, you can try a couple of things.

Dodge (lighten) and Burn (darken) are two tools that you can use - they are available in Elements 5.0 on the main toolbar (down the right side of the editing window). If you want to reduce the blown out section, you can 'burn' the area of interest (using very small opacity (1 to 5% or so and a soft brush (looks like a spray can burst).

Another trick would be to do some cloning of another non-blown out area and then smoothing it out so it looks natural.

There are others on the site that are probably going to be able to help you more....

I would also look at the tutorials under Learn - Pedro has a great one on dodge/ burning and another by kiwiness on cloning - These guys know what they are talking about!!!


Message edited by author 2007-05-07 14:21:51.
Canon EOS-40D
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
 05/07/2007 02:36:42 PM · #3
I'm not sure if Elements has this, but thought I'd give it a shot. Select your "paint" brush tool, then up top where it says "normal" there's a pull-down button on the right. Click that and select "color burn." Now, hold the "alt" key and select a color on the trunk you wish to fill in the hotspot with and click that. Now adjust your opacity of the brush to say 12% (you'll probably have to play with this number to get the desired amount). Then just go in and paint the hotspot with a light touch keeping in mind the more you paint the darker it will become and you can use that artistically to give some detail to the area.

Message edited by author 2007-05-07 14:38:20.
Canon EOS-5D Mark III
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM
 05/07/2007 06:08:29 PM · #4
(I'm hoping Elements has these features. I'm using CS2)

Using your RAW file, under expose the picture to recover the hotspot. Open it in photoshop and open the original. Copy the under exposed picture to the regular exposed shot.

Hide the underexposed layer. From the menu, Select/Color Range and choose the hotspots. Then feather the edges (Select/Feather).

Unhide the underexposed layer and click on the mask icon (bottom of layers. It should mask only the high area.

If you didn't shoot it in RAW. Try using Select\Color Range and feather to select the hot spots and copy it into a new layer. Then use Image/Adjustments/"Brightness/Contrast" to darken the layer.

good luck.

My Attempt:



Message edited by author 2007-05-07 18:14:17.
Canon EOS-7D
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
 05/07/2007 06:28:40 PM · #5
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll get busy and see what I can do. Thanks for doing a sample for me Nullix.

I did shoot it in RAW, so that's certainly an option. And I'll also try some burning as well, to learn that tool.
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