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Eye Retouching in Photoshop

One the most common problems I find myself fixing in Photoshop are over exaggerated lines under eyes. This problem is the result of strong light above the subject, something that is almost unavoidable at most weddings and outdoor portrait shoot, even if you have some shade. Luckily there is a simple remedy.

Step 1

Duplicate the background layer (Layer > Duplicate layer or Cmd J [Mac], Ctrl J [PC])

lick to Enlarge

lick to Enlarge

Step 2

Select the Patch Tool, which located under the Spot Healing Brush (J)

step2

Click to Enlarge

Step 3

Zoom into the eye area

Step 4

Draw a rough selection around the lines under the eye. You don’t have to be too accurate, but make sure you get most of the severe lines and don’t select any of the eye itself.

Click to Enlarge

Click to Enlarge

Step 5

Drag and drop the selection onto a clear piece of skin, usually a piece of the cheek below the eye. This fills the selection under the eye to blend in with the surrounding skin.

Click to Enlarge

Click to Enlarge

Step 6

Repeat on the second eye

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Click to Enlarge

Step 7

Double click the Hand Tool (H) to go back to a full view of the image.

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Click to Enlarge

Step 8

At the moment the selection look a bit unrealistic and we need to adjust the opacity of the layer. There are several ways to do this but as we are using a tool without an opacity setting of its own (the Hand Tool) we can use the keyboard to do it for us. Simply type the first number of the opacity you want e.g. 6 for 60%.

Opacity levels will vary with subjects age and gender: for women I will use an opacity between 50% & 80% and men 40% to 70%.

If I have a male & female subject in a photograph I will usually adjust them separately, flattening the image between subjects

Click to Enlarge

Click to Enlarge

Step 9

You’re done

 

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Click to Enlarge

About Richard Hales (35 Articles)
Richard’s first foray into was photography was as an apprentice photographer for Oxford University over 20 years ago. From there Richard went on to study photography at University somehow gaining a BA & MA, he still is rather confused how he managed to do this. After University and an unfinished (and un-started) PhD Richard “retired” from photography for a few years to pursue a career in wine and, oddly, scrap metal before returning to photography and setting up a wedding and portrait photography business in Worcestershire. As well as running his photography business Richard is currently working on a bread & jam making book. He is the average height for a Nut.

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