touching up a black eye

Jim Olson · 11-23-2011, 07:14 AM

I took some photos of my grandchildren and my granddaughter got a slight black eye playing basketball and I can't touch it up to my satisfaction. I use lightroom and have photoshop elements 6 but am not familiar with elements. Does anyone have
any simple techniques to make this acceptable.

Attached Images

markdesmarais · 11-23-2011, 09:25 AM

I've done this to remove bags under the eyes . . . should work here, as long as there is not too much swelling. ;-)

In elements, get in close.
Sample the skin color from an unblemished area nearby (eyedropper)
Make a new layer on top of this one.
Using a brush with low opacity, paint the color over the "black" part of the skin, on the new layer.

Oog · 11-23-2011, 11:32 AM

Or do the same with the clone stamp tool

Jim Olson · 11-23-2011, 01:21 PM

Thanks I will give that a try

Wheatfield · 11-23-2011, 02:57 PM

You could always copy the "good" eye and paste it over the bruised one. Flop it and transform it until it's right.
A little creative work with the patch tool and your done.
I've had to do this very thing from time to time.

**Schraubstock** · 11-24-2011, 11:51 PM

Originally posted by Jim Olson

I took some photos of my grandchildren and my granddaughter got a slight black eye playing basketball and I can't touch it up to my satisfaction. I use lightroom and have photoshop elements 6 but am not familiar with elements. Does anyone have
any simple techniques to make this acceptable.

Hi

Looks like a staged photograph, therefore a bit of makeup applied to the bung eye before pressing the shutter button would have been the easy option. I just mention this so you remember this next time. Preparing a shot when there is time is everything. But now the clone stamp in PS is probably your only option. I have done the reverse to some portraits even added a bloody scar and stitches for fun.

Greetings

bossa · 11-25-2011, 12:25 AM

Don't 'paint' colour onto the eye unless you add some noise/grain to that layer. Any further development will make that area stand apart from the rest of the skin and probably show up in prints. It's better to use the clone tool in Photoshop and sample another area of skin so that it looks completely natural.

bossa · 11-25-2011, 12:34 AM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

You could always copy the "good" eye and paste it over the bruised one. Flop it and transform it until it's right.
A little creative work with the patch tool and your done.
I've had to do this very thing from time to time.

An interesting idea but the human face is not symmetrical and people who actually know the subject might sense that something is wrong if your technique was followed. Besides, the human face is not flat and there is a different perspective for each eye. Anyone trained as an artist, or with an understanding of form, would see it as wrong. Check out the Paramount lady with the torch. The arm holding the torch looks like a stump hanging off the shoulder because it's foreshortened 'incorrectly' - because it's basically a photograph and not a drawing. Even artists as far back as Rubens understood that you need to change things in those kinds of situations so that the form is still 'readable'. Photographs, generally, don't allow you to do that. And yet the decision makers at Paramount allowed that abomination to progress.

magkelly · 11-25-2011, 01:07 AM

I don't know what version of photoshop you are currently using but under the brush tool in the latest one there is a color replacement tool that is just ideal for this kind of thing. I just did something like this a few weeks ago for someone actually where their son was doing a football team pic but had a bit of shiner showing and it was fairly easy to change it out with that tool and it didn't look too fake after. Just zoom in, sample the skin in a good spot (Go to the other eye if you need to.) and you can pretty much kiss that shiner goodbye. IM'd you if you need more help.

Gashog · 11-25-2011, 05:38 AM

Wheatfield and Schraubstock both have very good solutions. Stealing the other eye is an old trick and works very well. There are YouTube tutorials on just that very technique. It's tricky but very well known and documented.
In hindsight, a little makeup goes a long way. You could have traded half an hour in post for 5 minutes with the coverup.
Nice portrait! I hope it turns out well and everyone loves it!

11-23-2011, 07:14 AM	#1
Jim Olson Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 49	touching up a black eye I took some photos of my grandchildren and my granddaughter got a slight black eye playing basketball and I can't touch it up to my satisfaction. I use lightroom and have photoshop elements 6 but am not familiar with elements. Does anyone have any simple techniques to make this acceptable. Attached Images

11-25-2011, 12:34 AM	#8
bossa Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Adelaide Posts: 4,546	Originally posted by Wheatfield You could always copy the "good" eye and paste it over the bruised one. Flop it and transform it until it's right. A little creative work with the patch tool and your done. I've had to do this very thing from time to time. An interesting idea but the human face is not symmetrical and people who actually know the subject might sense that something is wrong if your technique was followed. Besides, the human face is not flat and there is a different perspective for each eye. Anyone trained as an artist, or with an understanding of form, would see it as wrong. Check out the Paramount lady with the torch. The arm holding the torch looks like a stump hanging off the shoulder because it's foreshortened 'incorrectly' - because it's basically a photograph and not a drawing. Even artists as far back as Rubens understood that you need to change things in those kinds of situations so that the form is still 'readable'. Photographs, generally, don't allow you to do that. And yet the decision makers at Paramount allowed that abomination to progress. Last edited by bossa; 11-25-2011 at 12:39 AM.

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11-23-2011, 09:25 AM	#2
markdesmarais Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery Posts: 186	I've done this to remove bags under the eyes . . . should work here, as long as there is not too much swelling. ;-) In elements, get in close. Sample the skin color from an unblemished area nearby (eyedropper) Make a new layer on top of this one. Using a brush with low opacity, paint the color over the "black" part of the skin, on the new layer.

11-23-2011, 11:32 AM	#3
Oog Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 85	Or do the same with the clone stamp tool

11-23-2011, 01:21 PM	#4
Jim Olson Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 49 Original Poster	Thanks I will give that a try

11-23-2011, 02:57 PM	#5
Wheatfield Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 14,303	You could always copy the "good" eye and paste it over the bruised one. Flop it and transform it until it's right. A little creative work with the patch tool and your done. I've had to do this very thing from time to time.

11-24-2011, 11:51 PM	#6
Schraubstock Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,386	Originally posted by Jim Olson I took some photos of my grandchildren and my granddaughter got a slight black eye playing basketball and I can't touch it up to my satisfaction. I use lightroom and have photoshop elements 6 but am not familiar with elements. Does anyone have any simple techniques to make this acceptable. Hi Looks like a staged photograph, therefore a bit of makeup applied to the bung eye before pressing the shutter button would have been the easy option. I just mention this so you remember this next time. Preparing a shot when there is time is everything. But now the clone stamp in PS is probably your only option. I have done the reverse to some portraits even added a bloody scar and stitches for fun. Greetings

11-25-2011, 12:25 AM	#7
bossa Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Adelaide Posts: 4,546	Don't 'paint' colour onto the eye unless you add some noise/grain to that layer. Any further development will make that area stand apart from the rest of the skin and probably show up in prints. It's better to use the clone tool in Photoshop and sample another area of skin so that it looks completely natural.

11-25-2011, 01:07 AM	#9
magkelly Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,900	I don't know what version of photoshop you are currently using but under the brush tool in the latest one there is a color replacement tool that is just ideal for this kind of thing. I just did something like this a few weeks ago for someone actually where their son was doing a football team pic but had a bit of shiner showing and it was fairly easy to change it out with that tool and it didn't look too fake after. Just zoom in, sample the skin in a good spot (Go to the other eye if you need to.) and you can pretty much kiss that shiner goodbye. IM'd you if you need more help.

11-25-2011, 05:38 AM	#10
Gashog Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: NY Photos: Albums Posts: 523	Wheatfield and Schraubstock both have very good solutions. Stealing the other eye is an old trick and works very well. There are YouTube tutorials on just that very technique. It's tricky but very well known and documented. In hindsight, a little makeup goes a long way. You could have traded half an hour in post for 5 minutes with the coverup. Nice portrait! I hope it turns out well and everyone loves it!

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