Photoshop fixes... How to fix under the eye darkness

If your are like me, you get a great photo than needs little adjustments, you fix it in your editing software but then you notice a small detail that just seems to throw off the whole picture. In this case, it was my daughter's eyes. The picture itself was almost perfect, but I increased my contrast, and bam was pretty much done. I even went as far as posting on Facebook, oh wait and on my blog here, when I was talking about the chair re-do.

But of course like all other times I do editing and posting, I'm tired and don't always see any additional problems. Well, I got a lot of likes on FB, and then when showing the picture to my husband, I then saw the eye flaw.

This can happen when you increase the contrast. Plus the sun was perfect in all the other areas, but like most of the time harsh on the eyes. A reflector probably could have been used to avoid that, but this was a real quick, hey get dressed, and drag her and the chair outside kinda of thing. I was trying to get the picture done before sunset.

But its ok, it can be fixed. Now... a lot of software programs have airbrush, which by the way is one of my favorite tools. But in this case it would make her whole face to soft. I didn't want that look for this picture. And also airbrush doesn't always correct dark spots. You can try the Spot healing on Photoshop, but its hard to get it just right.  So what do you do?

Photoshop Elements 11 is the editing software I use for now. I will one day upgrade to CS6, but for now this software has a lot of the same features. This can be used in a lot of programs. It just may not be as easy. I found it did work slightly the same in Pixlr adavanced. Which was the program  used before PSE 11.

Step 1:

Click on blank layer

Step 2:

Click on the eye dropper

Step 3: 

Click on an area near by the eyes that is the correct color that the under eye color should be. I clicked on below the eye but closer to the nose to achieve the color I needed.

Step 4: 

Click on the brush, and slightly zooming in, (not to much or you'll over do it on the brush and brush away the eye lashes and affect the eye shape). And carefully brush the darkness away.

Step 5: 

If it seems to be obvious, then decrease the opacity to your liking. If its too dark or too light, go back to step 3 and click on another part of the skin nearby to see if that skin color matches up better.

And Whaaa-laa your're done! Easy Peasy, Mac and Cheesy!

I love this picture of my daughter, it would have been nicer if she smiled a little, but hey that's the model in her right? Look serious and glamorous!

Hope this helped. I love learning new tricks. I am still trying to get the hang of PSE, but the best thing to do is look on pinterest and look and search photography tricks. You can find tons of tips, actions, and freebies. I have a lot of on my pinterest board, titled photography tricks. If anyone wants to follow me on that board, simply click on the link.

Thanks for tuning in. If you haven't already please follow me here on my blog!