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This tutorial demonstrates three different ways of removing red eye using either the Red Eye Removal Tool the The Colour Replacement Tool - or the Brush Tool. To work along, you are welcome to download the Start Image I am working with Here. Unzip the file and open the image onto Elements’ workspace.
This Tutorial
Removing Human/Animal Red Eye using the Red Eye Tool
Removing Human/Animal Red Eye with the Colour Replacement, Brush Tool and Burn Tools
Alternative Tutorial
Remove Green/Blue/Yellow Eye In Animals
General Flash Eye Notes
Redeye (green, yellow or blue eye for animals) occurs when a photograph is taken with a flash. Light from the camera’s flash is reflected onto the retina at the back of the eye, and in humans, (and sometimes dogs) results in red eye, caused by the blood vessels.
Animals; including, dogs and cats, have special reflective layers (tapetum lucidum), over their retinas - similar to mirrors, and this aids their nocturnal vision. This results in the strange green/yellow/blue eyes often displayed in photographs of indoor pets, (taken with flash). As they age, their eyes become cloudy - exacerbating the spooky appearance caused by flash.
Undo Note
You can step backwards at any time by clicking the top menu’s Undo Tool.
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Please Note: Elements 8’s Orange Horizontal Bar
The following Orange Horizontal Bar is exclusive to Photoshop Elements 8. Please link here to read my comprehensive Understand Elements 8, 9 and 10’s Workspace tutorial.
1/ The Red Eye Removal Tool (Colour Replacement and Brush Tool Elements Here)
Open your Start Image onto Elements workspace.
Tips
To centralise your image - snap it to the top menu’s orange horizontal line by dragging it towards it: in addition, activate the Zoom Tool and zoom into the eye area.
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Then from the Toolbar, activate the Red Eye Removal Tool.
And set the following attributes into its Options Bar.
Red Eye Removal Tool Notes
Pupil Size is dependent on the size of your photograph. Additionally, because the Red Eye Removal Tool is looking to eliminate hues of red, the Darken Amount setting is dependent on the lightness of the red eye, and will therefore be different for each photograph.
Note
To automatically remove red eye, click the Auto tab. Alternatively, (from the top menu), select the following Auto Red Eye Fix Command: Ctrl then R.
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Now, hover your cursor over the left-side eye and left-click, then drag out the Rectangular-shaped box over the pupil area - as demonstrated below.
 
Then release the mouse button. You will notice that much of the red has been replaced by black.
Now, reapply the Red Eye Removal Tool’s Rectangular-shaped box, until the red has been completely replaced with black.
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Repeat the previous steps, this time working with the right-side eye. Remembering to adjust the Pupil Size and Darken Amount settings if necessary.
Note
Bear in mind, the density of red eye, (and indeed the pupils’ size), may not be equal, therefore, settings may need to be altered for each eye.
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When you are happy with the result, your work is ready to save.
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Remove Red Eye Using The Colour Replacement Or Brush Tools
1/ Open your Start Image onto Elements workspace.
Tips
To centralise your image - snap it to the top menu’s orange horizontal line by dragging it towards it: in addition, activate the Zoom Tool and zoom into the eye area.
Selection Marquee Note
If you prefer, first isolate the red pupils with a Selection Marquee using the Polygonal Lasso Tool, exactly as described in Chapter 2 of my Removing Yellow, Blue and Green Eye tutorial Here. After surrounding both pupils with a Selection Marquee, return to this lesson, and continue with the next Chapter below (Chapter 2). However, given that human pupils are rounder than cat’s - and therefore easier to alter using Round Brushes; a Selection Marquee is not always necessary.
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Set the Default Foreground and Background Black and White Colour Swatches swatches by tapping your Keyboard’s D Key. (Tapping the X Key swaps their colours).
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Now, from the left-side Toolbar, activate the Colour Replacement Tool.
And set the following attributes into its Options Bar, ensuring the Tolerance it set to 100%.
Tip
Quickly adjust the Brush Size by tapping your Keyboard’s Outer Bracket Keys - ensuring your Keyboard is set to Lower Case.
Alternative to the Colour Replacement Tool: activate the Brush Tool.
And set the following (Mode = Colour - Opacity= 100%) attributes into the Brush Tool’s Options Bar.
Note
Both the Colour Replacement and Brush Tools are applied in exactly the same way - and both rely on the colour swatches being set to the Default Black and White.
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Zoom into your image  . (Then reactivate either the Colour Replacement or the Brush Tool):
And hover your cursor over the left-side eye, and ensure the Brush Size is large enough to encompass just the red pupil - as illustrated below.
(Take care not to transcend onto the coloured iris - as illustrated below).
Now, left-click (and hold), and drag your cursor over the red area - in a circular motion until all of the red has been been converted to greyscale. (Alternatively, repeatedly
left-click to remove the colour).
After you have removed the red colour from the left-side eye - do exactly the same to the right-side pupil - as illustrated below.
Colour Replacement And Brush Tool Notes
Both the Colour Replacement Tool and the Brush Tool are removing colour from your photograph - otherwise know as desaturating; - and for this purpose, they work in exactly the same way, when using the settings I have mentioned. With this in mind, you need to be very precise with your Colour Replacement/Brush Tool application: if you transcend outside the pupil area, you will remove the colour, as demonstrated below.
If you remove colour in error, Step Backwards by clicking the Undo Arrow and reapply the Colour Replacement/Brush Tool.
5/ Burn Tool
To darken the greyscale pupil: from the Toolbar, activate the Burn Tool.
And set the following attributes into its Options Bar; - experimenting with the settings for personal results.
Tip
Quickly adjust the Brush Size by tapping your Keyboard’s Outer Bracket Keys - ensuring your Keyboard is set to Lower Case.
Now, hover your cursor over the left-side pupil.
And left-click - or left-click and drag the cursor over the (grey) pupil area.
This darkens the pupil, as illustrated above.
Note
Each left-click darkens the Burn application, progressively - therefore, repeatedly left-click (or drag the cursor), until you are happy with the amount of darkness.
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Now, repeat the previous Chapter - (Chapter 5): this time, darkening (or burning), the
right-side eye. When you have completed this, both eyes will be complete - as illustrated below.
Note
Bear in mind, the density of red eye, and indeed the pupils’ size, are not always equal - therefore, settings may need to be adjusted.
Blur Tool Tip
If necessary, soften the edges between pupil and iris using the Blur Tool - setting a Strength of around 15%.
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When you are happy with your work, it is ready to save.
Now you know the best Tools for the job, you can quickly remove red eye from your favourite photographs.
Wendi E. M. Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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