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This lesson demonstrates how to remove spectacle reflections using The Clone, Dodge and Burn Tools. To work along, you can download the image I am working with Here. Unzip the file and open it onto Photoshop’s workspace.
My lesson Here demonstrates the Clone Tool.
Removing reflection highlights from photographs is not a precise science. Every photograph will have unique problems, requiring different settings. Additionally, you will require considerable patience and lots of time.
For accuracy, zoom in - top menu then View then Zoom). Tip: The closer you zoom into your image, the larger the brush size needs to be - and vice versa.
Undo and Navigation Steps
Two ways of undoing steps are from the top menu, Edit then Step Backwards. Alternatively, click a previous snapshot in the History Palette.
Navigate (zoom in and pan) your image using the Navigator Palette,
or the Zoom Tool. 
Activate The Hand Tool by tapping the Spacebar, keeping the Spacebar pressed, pan your image in the usual way. 
Tip
Remove easy areas first - leaving intricate cloning (over the eyes for example) until last.
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Open your image onto Photoshop’s workspace.
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Then duplicate the Background layer by dragging its layer over the following Create a new layer icon. Working on duplicated copy, zoom into a reflective area.
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Now, from the toolbar, activate the Clone Stamp Tool. 
Set your brushes to Basic, and select a Soft Brush - bear in mind, you will be changing the brushes hardness and size, as you work.
Quickly adjust the brush size!
To adjust the brush size, press your keyboard’s left-side (or right-side), bracket keys - ensuring the keyboard is set to lower case, and Not capitals!
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Beginning with the left eye, Alt-click an area very close to a reflection - this primes the Clone Stamp with coloured pixels.
Then carefully apply the Clone Stamp to remove the reflection - adjusting the brushes Opacity if needed. Continue gathering (and applying), coloured pixels as you move around the photograph.
  
Tip
Zoom out of your image to see how the cloning looks in normal viewing.
Carefully check that you have removed the highlighted areas.
5/
Then activate the Burn Tool.  Tutorial.
And set the following (Shadows) attributes into its Options bar.
Now, (if necessary) carefully one click at a time even out (darken), the area above the eyes. Depending on your photograph you may need to adjust the Range (Shadows, Highlights and Midtones) and Exposure.
Tip
Activate the Blur Tool. 
And with an extremely low Opacity, gently smooth rough areas above the eye.
Tip - Lighten Areas With The Dodge Tool
The Dodge Tool works similarly to the Burn Tool, however, it lightens areas.
Zoom out to see how your work appears in normal viewing - then tidy any rough
areas.
6/
When you have completed the clone outside of the eye, zoom into the eyeball, and very carefully repeat your steps - this time cloning out the reflection directly over the eye.
Reduce the brush size accordingly, and working between a Soft and Hard Brush, remove the highlight, pixel-by-pixel, if necessary.
In conjunction to cloning, reduce the highlight over the eye with the Burn Tool - set to a very low Exposure, and gradually build the darkness. Remember to zoom out to normal viewing to check your progress.
Finish by applying the Blur Tool with an extremely low Opacity.
When you have removed the highlight, the left eye is complete.
 
It is time to do exactly the same, this time with the right eye. As you will have gathered, this is not a technique that can be hurried, you must take your time, and remove the highlight very slowly. When you have removed the highlights from the right eye, it is time to redraw the faded spectacles frame.
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First, activate the Eyedropper Tool. 
Then, hover the Eyedropper over the frame, and Left-click. 
This sets the Foreground colour to the frame’s colour. 
8/
Now, activate (either) the Freeform Pen Tool. 
And set the following attributes into its Options bar. Pen Tool Lesson.
Or the Brush Tool, with a Small Hard brush.
And carefully redraw the missing areas.
Pen Tool
  
Brush Tool
Tip
With a very low Opacity of the Blur Tool, gently soften the (redrawn) areas of the frame.
If your photograph looks convincing, it is ready to save. However, don’t worry if it needs a little more work. This is an advanced technique that improves with practise. My completed version is at the top of this lesson.
Wendi E M Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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