Burning the Haze (My Most Favorite Photoshop Trick)

how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

I want to share my most favorite Photoshop trick with you.

It’s easy and very rewarding.

The reason why I am sharing this technique with you is simple – I would like you to experience the same level of amazement that I go through each time I make this magic happen.

how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

See the gray film over this original (“before”) picture?

how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

This is the “after” picture.

The gray film is gone!

The picture looks much more realistic.

I love this game!

 

Of course, I could continue working on that picture giving it some more light and sharpness but I am leaving that for later.

For now, let’s just get rid of that unsightly gray film.

Let’s burn the haze!

 

What I find most fascinating about this technique, aside from its terrific result, is how quickly and easily it’s done:
1. Open the picture in Photoshop (File -> Open).
2. In the Layers palette, click on the Background layer and then press Ctrl+J (Mac: Command+J) to create a duplicate layer. Leave this new layer selected (highlighted).
3. Click Enhance (in the upper bar) -> Unsharp.
A new window will pop up.
4. With the Amount slider go somewhere between 15 – 30. Then move the Radius slider somewhere between 17 and the end of the line. Set the Threshold slider to 0.

Play with the Amount and Radius sliders to achieve the desired effect. Then click OK.
5. Now click Layer (in the upper bar of your screen) -> Merge Visible.
6. Save the picture (File -> Save As).
And that’s it!

how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

This is another SOOC (straight out of the camera) picture.

how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

Haze be gone!

how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

And another one before the treatment.
how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

And after.

 

Just try this technique and let your pictures enjoy some more clarity, contrast and sharpness.

Enjoy, dear friends!

 

How to Remove Crumbs (…From Your Pictures)

how to remove and clean crumbs, blemishes, and irregularities from pictures with Photoshop tutorial

Before.

After.
Let’s imagine there’s a person in this world who takes pictures of food.

Right, that’s definitely easy to imagine.

Okay. Now let’s take this idea one step further and assume that the person sometimes doesn’t like crumbs in her (his) pictures and feels a strong need to remove them.

Oh yeah, that’s a little weird. I agree. Maybe that person should see someone.

Well, I don’t know whether a person like that exists.

I totally don’t!

But if she (or he) hypothetically lived somewhere and had such bizarre things on her mind and so much time on her hands then this might be what she (or he) would do to get rid of the crumbs:

how to remove and clean crumbs, blemishes, and irregularities from pictures with Photoshop tutorial

She (or he) would:

1. Open the picture in Photoshop.

2. In the Layers palette, click on the Background layer and then press Ctrl+J (Mac: Command+J) to create a duplicate layer. Leave this new layer selected (highlighted).

3. Choose the Healing Brush Tool from the left-hand Tool palette.

4. On the tool options bar, set the brush diameter to a suitable size – you need it to be big enough to cover the crumbs.

5. Choose a part of the picture without a crumb which is close to the spot with the crumb. This is done to get a similar color and texture to replace the crumb with. Alt+click (Mac: Option+click) on the crumb-less spot.

6. Move the circle over the crumb and click your mouse. This should place the sample right over the crumb.

Repeat this as often as needed.
how to remove and clean crumbs, blemishes, and irregularities from pictures with Photoshop tutorial

Feel free to use this tool to replace any irregularities – crumbs, dust, wrinkles or people’s heads.

It’s fun!

Send this to a friend