Red eye tool doesn’t always give good results

JG
Posted By
Jeff_Gossett
Dec 26, 2003
Views
306
Replies
12
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Closed
I’ve got the red eye tool set for first click sampling with the replacement color set as black. But still on photos with really bad red eye, it will not turn the eye black even after several clicks. It turns it a white or silver color that never gets any darker. I’ve tried the whole range of tolerance settings as well. Has anyone else experienced this or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks.
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CS
Chuck_Snyder
Dec 26, 2003
Jeff, I’m afraid you’ve encountered one of Elements’ less effective tools; the Red Eye brush. Basically, it will remove the red color but it won’t darken the eye, leaving it a shade of gray. After using the tool, many people go back over the eye with a paint brush set to very low opacity and black color to darken it further. You can also use the Burn tool, set for Shadows, to darken the area that’s gray. We’re hoping a better Red Eye tool accompanies the next version of Elements…

Chuck
WE
Wendy_E_Williams
Dec 26, 2003
Jeff,

It isn’t you it is just the way that the Red Eye Tool works …. it just replaces the hue without making any other change … so gray is a usual result. You can try using the burn tool afterwards or colour using Hue & Saturation.

Wendy
WE
Wendy_E_Williams
Dec 26, 2003
Hi Chuck,

We must have been writing a reply at the same time ….

Regards
Wendy
CS
Chuck_Snyder
Dec 26, 2003
Wendy, yes – and I’m glad we suggested the same approach! 🙂
TF
Terri_Foster
Dec 26, 2003
I never use the tool myself. I select each pupil, then create a hue/Saturation layer…max out the hue, minimize the saturation in master then go to reds and minimize them. Sometimes I may have to go back to master and darken the ligtness a touch. It works with all but the nastiest red eye.
KL
Kenneth_Liffmann
Dec 26, 2003
Jeff,
Try this:
1. Open image
2. Create a new layer and change mode to Saturation
3. Choose black as foreground color
4. With paint brush of appropriate size, working on the new layer, paint the red part
5. Duplicate this layer and change mode to Overlay
6. Adjust the opacity of this layer to the desired intensity of darkening. In step #5 you may want to try Soften, Darken, or Multiply Ken
T
Tel
Dec 26, 2003
Hi,
It seems that I use a different method which I haven’t seen described here. I never use the red-eye tool either because of it’s limitations.
Here’s my favorite tip for red-eye elimination.

Mark around the red-eye a few pixels outside it, often the ellipse marker can be used. feather a couple of pixels. Go to Enhance/Colour/Hue & Saturation and select Reds from the Edit box then sample the red. reduce the saturation to zero or close to zero. This leaves you with ‘cataract eyes’ but any other colour present is not affected. Switch to Enhance/Brightness & Contrast/Levels and bring in the left black marker to the left knee and bring the right black marker to the whites. Adjust the centre gamma to a suitable point.
Try this with a much enlarged view, say 100%. Note that it’s easy to go overboard and end up with very black eyes which is more noticeable when you zoom back out. Also the two eyes often need separate levels adjustment.

Try it, you will like it you will see,

Tel.
GD
Grant_Dixon
Dec 26, 2003
Tel

I have used your method but with a slight variation. I move the eyes to a new layer or layers, depending on the situation, and then continue as you do. I do this because I can be clutsy and make errors or in the future I may want to make revision and this method allows me to back up. Either way it is done, you are right, it is a great method.

Grant

..
T
Tel
Dec 27, 2003
Hi grant,
I never make mistakes (tic) but in new layers is a good idea. I do, however, have the history set to an enormous number… For revisions I’d go back to the original anyway. Seems that each year I have learnt so many new tricks from this site and elsewhere that the next attempt is far better anyway.

Tel.
K
Ken
Dec 27, 2003
On Thu, 25 Dec 2003 17:21:20 -0800,
wrote:

I’ve got the red eye tool set for first click sampling with the replacement color set as black. But still on photos with really bad red eye, it will not turn the eye black even after several clicks. It turns it a white or silver color that never gets any darker. I’ve tried the whole range of tolerance settings as well. Has anyone else experienced this or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks.
Here’s a quick procedure that I came up with that gives good results:

1. Select the pupil using either the Lasso or Magic Wand tool (If Magic Wand was used, right-click and use "Grow" if necessary to select a slightly larger area)

2. Right-click and select "Feather". Set "Radius" to 1 pixel, then "OK".

3. From the main menu select "Enhance" – "Adjust Color" – "Hue/Saturation"

4. Move the "Saturation" slider to left to desaturate color.

5. Move the "Lightness" slider to the left until desired result is obtained.
NS
Nancy_S
Dec 27, 2003
Tel,

I completely agree with you. My images have greatly improved as my skills with the program have improved over the years I have had PSE. This is a good testament for the suggestion to always work on a copy, you may want to re-edit in the future.
JG
Jeff_Gossett
Dec 31, 2003
Thanks to everyone for the replies. I’ve just now gotten a chance to get back to the forum. I’ll give your suggestions a try.

Thanks again!

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