Help needed improving picture

[jefke]

Hi All,

I need some help with improving some family pictures. I can do some basic editing but I can't get these done right.

Could anyone guide me on how to improve the picture below. I tried the De-haze feature and played with all the filters but no results were satisfactory.



Thanks in advance,
Jef

 

[Eggy]

This is a back lit photo where the photographer forgot to use his flash.

There are several ways to try to correct this: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=photoshop+correct+backlit

 

[Tom Mann]

What Eggy said is right on the mark.

Also, when he said, "Turn on your flash", he is talking about a real flash, not the little LED illuminator that cell phone camera manufacturers call "flashes". There is no way the latter are powerful enough to compete with the sunlight.

If you only have access to a cell phone camera, then your best option is to put some large (ie, at least 3 or 4 feet on a side) white reflectors (clean, white bed sheets can be used in a pinch) on either side of the camera to bounce some sunlight back into the subject's faces. The difference will be night and day, and vastly better than anything anyone would be able to achieve trying to repair an image like the one you posted.

HTH,

Tom M

 

[jefke]

Thank you both for the advise on the flash usage. The person who took the pictures had a 'full' flash but my guess is that she didn't use it with all the pictures. But thank you for this take-away, I won't forget this...

I tried to rectify this and it works for half of the picture but the left side remains a problem area where there is still too much backlit.

 

[Eggy]

Unfortunately that part is a lens flare.
Again, there are many ways to try to reduce or even remove that lens flare: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=photoshop+remove+lens+flare+