The Band-aid Tool is one of my most used tools when it comes to touching up a photograph. A lot of photographers use the cloning method… I, on the other hand, really enjoy the simplicity of the band aid.

A Favorite Tool For Touching Up A Photograph

I have found this tool does not work well on really detailed areas… or larger areas with lots of patterns, etc. If you are working with a simple solid color or something like a sky or eye whites, then this works wonderfully!

The photo featured is one I took of a pregnant friend of mine.  Right before we started shooting, her 1-year-old decided to slobber on her belly. Also, the field we were in had power lines shooting across the background. Both elements had to go. (the power lines are hard to see on the resized/smaller image)

Here’s what I did.

1. Select “Spot Healing Brush Tool” – It looks like a band aid with a circle on it.

Above I have circled the areas I want to band aid, as well as where the tool is located.

2. Once you select your band aid tool zoom in on the area you want to touch up. I normally zoom up 150% on a full size image out of my camera.

3. Once zoomed in you will want to make sure your brush tool is a circle shape, and that it is selected to “proximity match” and not “create texture.”