How To Photoshop *Your Ex* Out Of A Photo // 3 Steps

in #photography7 years ago (edited)

Before

IMG_0120_original.jpg

After

IMG_0120_edited.jpg

An old flame doesn’t need to prevent the continued circulation of an otherwise circulatable photo 😍

Bathing Belles parted ways with a musical partner a couple months ago, not too long after we had taken a bunch of photos together. Luckily, this type of Photoshopping is my favorite -- technical procedural work that is done best when you can't tell it was done at all.

Here is my process...

There may be better ways to do this, but I will show you what I do. It involves a lot of duplicating, cloning, and masking.

1. Mask the foreground

Duplicate the background layer and mask the part of the foreground area that is touching the part of the image that will be erased.

IMG_0120_edited_fg.png

In this case, my left arm was touching his soon-to-be-erased body. I wanted to be able to paint/paste background contents on new layers and tuck them safely underneath my foreground/arm layer.

2. Clone + Mask

Make a new blank layer. Use the Clone Stamp Tool to sample parts of the background that could be used to cover up the person/object/ex you are trying to remove. In my case, I sampled the visible areas of trees, and I masked away parts that I didn't like or need.

3. Duplicate + Mask

You can also straight up copy and paste parts of the image. In this photo, I used the Rectangular Marquee Tool to select segments of trees and paste them into different areas.

Screen Shot 2017-12-12 at 1.10.24 AM.png

I added masks to those layers so I could smooth out their hard edges.

Screen Shot 2017-12-12 at 1.10.37 AM.png

Trust your eye, and use whatever you have access to.

There are no limits! You can sample:

  • Elements of the photo
  • Elements of other photos from the same session that may contain more visible background elements
  • Elements from random internet photos that look like they could be part of your photo.

Little by little, you will come up with a convincing photo. <3

IMG_0147_orig_1000px.jpg

IMG_0147_new_1000px.jpg

IMG_0300_orig_1000px.jpg

IMG_0300_new_1000px.jpg

Share your tips with me!
I would love it.
-Jessica

P.S. That's @amyinautumn in the photos with me. Say hello, she's new... ;)

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Hi kindstranger, I personally learned from you an unforgettable lesson,I can not believe any picture or video Only after confirming its validity, And how do we know of the validity or lack thereof, Are there programs to detect this ???

I've wondered about that, too... there must be forensic photo analysis software made for that sort of thing that detects pixel irregularities, or something. Sometimes the edges/borders of elements are unnaturally jagged, or the lighting is clearly different in parts of the photo-- those can be tells.

I know that photos can contain metadata, and maybe date/time/location/whether it was made in photoshop/etc. information coded into the image could offer up some clues in certain cases (though that can be faked, too).

But yes, it's true, you can't really trust your eyes...

Hi kindstranger, thanks for Value Clarifications
If you find an image-detection program or videos, point me out and I am very grateful for your great efforts!!!
I wish good luck to all, with more sustained work for financial freedom.

Nice and cleanly done! I hope to see a slower/detailed video tutorial though.

Thank you! Yeah, perhaps that would have been better...with the time lapse I just wanted to show that it's a lot of tiny little patches over and over and little by little it starts to look convincing. But @amyinautumn said the same thing, that it was too fast, hehe.

I've never done a video tutorial before, but maybe one day I will try :) Thanks for reading.

Whao, you just removed someone using digital skills.
But why Mr Ex is not smiling in any click? Does he know he's gonna be removed soon?

Haha, I couldn't say...

Haha, nice one ;)

Lol, best tuturial!

Excellent work, it seems very easy to do but I'm sure you're a profecional. Thanks for sharing Upvoted & Followed

Thank you, @crazystreak! I do work with Photoshop a lot, but it's not too hard -- anyone can do it with a little patience! <3

In order to work on Photoshop, One needs to know about many of the features of the program,To the accuracy of the observation, Which produces another image contrary to the original.

Must say I had a giggle at this 😂

Lol. This is really good. My bestfriend always took pictures with me and her ex, now she can look at those pictures once more!!

Haha, yes! That's great. :) Let me know if you have any questions if you do try it.

This is absolutely hilarious!

ahahah thanks for sharing, I might use your tips for my photos as well

@avivakohen, that’s great, I’m glad I could help you! Out with the old and in with the new ;)

This made me laugh haha, very nicely done!

Thank you! Laughing was mostly the goal ;)

You should have posted this three months ago. I could definitely use it instead of deleting photos :)

Now you know how to hehehe

Ahhh, I wish I had, @doctorcro! I hope you get another chance! Wait... maybe not... ;)

hahaha i needed this wish i new about this years ago great job

Great tutorial! thanks for sharing @kindstranger

Thanks for reading, @nikonmarshall!

I like it, and also find it eerie! Having put 6 years of my memories on lockdown after a bad breakup, I wonder how many great photos I got rid of...? Wow...

Yes, I suppose it is a bit of an eerie thing... In this case, we took the photos specifically for promoting our project, and I had no real emotional connection with the person being removed.

If it were an actual ex-partner, I would have probably felt a little more weird doing this. It would have to be a really special photo wrapped in a really dark memory, I suppose (meaning I wouldn't be able to display/enjoy an otherwise super-amazing photo because of said ex's presence in it).

What photos come to mind for you? From trips you took together, perhaps?

I was mostly just trying to be funny with the title, but I'm enjoying the ethical questions that have been raised. Thanks for your comment :)

Oh, mountains climbed near Seattle, swimming in the ocean at Goa, India, and a whole year of living in China teaching English! Jeez...

Thanks for the explanation of the post... As a writer and photoshopper, I totally support using a model to get the point across!

Wow, yeah, you had a lot of intense experiences together. My partner, @amyinautumn, taught English in Korea for a year. She's currently teaching Chinese kids online via VIPKid.com. . . we've lightly tossed around the idea of moving to Taipei.

I can't watch the movie, 'Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind' without balling my head off... (10 years later, LOL!!)

Ahh, it has been far too long for me... I’m going to rewatch soon.

Interesting photoshop. I really liked your work. I'll have to try to do something yourself.

Thank you, please share if you do!

Love it. I never would have thought to do this. Seems almost like therapy to just delete delete... :)

Haha, I think it actually did have a therapeutic effect...

great great work i would love to lean how to do it

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hm ty for technics but I do not like people changing own paths they made in this life...

You would never photoshop someone out of a pic, you are saying?

Indeed :) it was part of life that way or another and and is why we are what we are today so :)

Hmm... I suppose there are certain exceptions, in my opinion (this photo being one of them). I wouldn't want to use an image of someone not in the band to promote the band, ya know?

But, I agree with you for the most part. I absolutely do not have anything to hide re: my past, my beliefs, etc. I live as honestly as I can, because it feels the best, and it's actually easiest. ;)

Ah now we talk :) and now reason is clear so all am saying, if is for the band and he plays nothing then DELETE him gdamn :)

its unlivable

its cool my friend, i have work with photoshoop in my mini photo studio

Nice eye opener.... I gotta try it

Let me know if you do, @seanmalex :)

poor guy :D

thats awesome!!!

Jajajja so original, great post, i alredy know what to do with my pics when i brake up with my girl lol

With regard to the last photo, the before shot has great contrast. The after is washed out with heightened black levels. Why?

I bet that is a matter of taste. Sometimes, that matte/vintage look is more powerful...

Yeah, I was experimenting with the 'matte' look, for sure. I had the same thought, though, that it might be too extreme...

That's really impressive work!

If only the legal and emotional aspects of getting an ex out of your life could be handled as easily!

Thank you! And yes, if only... ;p

Greate Post thanks for sharing

Nice photosop editing 🤗

wish I knew this a few years before! Thanks for sharing:)

No problemo, @eclairy. Did you think of a photo you could have done this on?

Yes, I did. There is one or the other photo which I would like to have cleaned up :D
Instead, I deleted them, but now I know better.

Well done! Let me know if you come up with a process for photoshopping exes out of memories too- we'll be rich! ;)

Haha, we probably would be... but I don't think I could do it! Memories are where I draw the line ;)

Haha fair enough- i guess the problem is, what would we replace that open space with? I'm not sure If I trust any content aware algorithms for my memories lol- although more cheeseburgers and less heartbreak does sound appealing ;)

it is amazeng who do you did that i intrsted at

If it was me I would have had more fun changing his face to a bunch of different things, a Clown, Gene Simmons, Denis Rodman

Very good tutorial my friend !!!

Thank you, @savoures. I just checked out your page and see you live in Athens... my friend from Athens taught me how to say one of my favorite phrases in Greek... Ειναι οτι ειναι (It is what it is) ;)

Awesome tutorial!! Great pics. Good riddance!
GET'EM'OUTA'THERE.
Are you a designer by trade or for hobby/utility?