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Did your annoying uncle photobomb your best party pic? Let’s learn how to remove unwanted elements in a photo, so Uncle Hamish doesn’t put a damper on your next shindig.
Photoshop’s Content Aware tools are really good at filling in the background of a photo when you either delete or move an element. This is what Adobe has to say about Photoshop’s Content-Aware feature:
Content-Aware seamlessly fills the selection with similar image content nearby. For the best results, create a selection that extends slightly into the area you want to replicate. (A quick lasso or marquee selection is often sufficient.) Adobe
Content-Aware Fill
Content-Aware fill is great for either deleting or moving elements in a photo.
Delete an Element
In the image below, we want to erase the wires, the path and the fence. Select them with the Lasso Tool. Hit Shift-F5 to fill. Remember to duplicate the affected layer before cloning.
![content-aware-fill](/images/photoshop-content-aware/content-aware-fill.jpg)
Move an Element
The microphone in the photo was obviously not positioned at the right location, above the woman. Let’s use the Content-Aware Move tool to shift it over. Remember to duplicate the layer before making the edit.
![content-aware-move](/images/photoshop-content-aware/content-aware-move.jpg)
Content-Aware Patch
We can completely remove elements from a photo using the Patch Tool. It uses Content-Aware technology to fill intelligently.
![content-aware-patch](/images/photoshop-content-aware/content-aware-patch.jpg)
All you need to do is use the Lasso Tool to select around the subject.Switch to the Patch Tool. Set it to Conent-Aware in the Control Bar. Move the subject to a carefully chosen area.
Content-Aware Scale
Content-Aware Scale allows you to stretch or shrink a photo. It fills in new areas between existing pixels with its best guess of how it should look. This works best with photos that have low-energy areas. Use Edit > Conent-Aware Scale or hit ⌘-Option-Shift-C to envoke it.
![content-aware-scale](/images/photoshop-content-aware/content-aware-scale.jpg)
Content-Aware Crop
While Content-Aware Scale adds pixels within the photo, Content-Aware Crop adds content on the outside of the photo. It expands the canvas, then fills in that new space intelligently.
![content-aware-crop](/images/photoshop-content-aware/content-aware-crop.jpg)
Photomerge
Photoshop’s Photomerge feature stitches together a series of overlapping photos to create a panoramic composition. You can access it from File > Automate > Photomerge…
![photomerge-menu-dialogue](/images/photoshop-content-aware/photomerge-menu-dialogue.jpg)
The Content-Aware feature is built right into the Photomerge process. Check the box at the bottom of the dialogue to turn it on.
![photomerge-content-aware-not-filled](/images/photoshop-content-aware/photomerge-content-aware-not-filled.jpg)
If you turn off the composite layer, you’ll see the panorama without Content-Aware filled areas.
![photomerge-layers-masks](/images/photoshop-content-aware/photomerge-layers-masks.jpg)
The Photomerge function behaves like a good Photoshop citizen, in a non-destructive manner. It saves separate layers with layer masks on each. If you need to, you can edit its work after the fact.
![photomerge-content-aware-done](/images/photoshop-content-aware/photomerge-content-aware-done.jpg)
Formative Activity
Use the various Content-Aware tools on the provided photos.
- 01-content-aware-fill.psd
- Remove the wires from the sky on a duplicate of the original layer. Make sure to name all layers for all of these images.
- 02-content-aware-move.psd
- Move the Cuba sign using the Content-Aware Move tool. Move it to the right side of the image.
- 03-content-aware-patch.psd
- Get rid of the girl. Use the Patch Tool with Content-Aware turned on. You can use cloning tools after the fact to edit out any flowers that look like they’ve been repeated. Just make sure your edits are non-destructive.
- 04-content-aware-scale.psd
- Use Content-Aware Scale to widen a duplicate of the layer with the dude on it. You can actually scale it quite a bit.
- 05-content-aware-crop.psd
- Use Content-Aware cropping to extend the height of the sky and the grass. Be reasonable with the extension size. After a while, Photoshop will create a discernable pattern.
- 06-photomerge
- Create a panorama with the Photomerge feature. Make sure you have Content-Aware turned on.