Adobe introduces a new option for Photoshop allowing remove reflections from windows on your photos. Available for testing with Camera Rawshe opens new perspectives in the correction of previously neglected images.
The new miracle solution?
Who has never been tempted to capture an image through a window? Whether trying to reproduce an amateur document in a museum (poster, painting, etc.) or trying to highlight a fleeting moment seen through the window or the window of an airplane, the result seems promising …but is often mixed.
Worst case scenario, your camera failed to focus through the glass. And, at best, your camera was able to record the desired subject, but at the cost of reflections coming to pollute your cliché.
For the second situation, the option of removal of reflections that Adobe has just integrated into Photoshop is particularly interesting, since it should allow correct photos that we once thought inexploitables.
This function was already mentioned at the Adobe Max conference in 2023 and can finally be used today – although it is still in progress. testing phase and only available via Camera Raw. Adobe specifying that it should, eventually, also be integrated into Lightroom.
AI again and again to the rescue
Removing reflections is based on the use of artificial intelligence. According to Adobe, the AI was fed thousands of photographs devoid of reflectionswhich were then used to generate millions of images containing artificial reflections. Thanks to this trainingthe algorithm knows how to differentiate and dissociate images from reflections.
To activate the function, you must ensure that Photoshop and Camera Raw are up to date (versions 26.2 and 17.1) and go to the « Camera Raw preferences” , Then ” Technology Insights » and select “ New AI features and new Settings panel“. Finally, remember to restart the software. Currently, the option is only usable with fichiers RAWcompatibility with JPEG or HEIF files will come later.
The tool is called “removal of distractions” and comes in the form of an adjustable slider from -100 to +100allowing precise control of the applied effect. At its maximum, +100, all reflections are removed, while at -100, only the reflected image is retained.
An impressive result
The process takes a few moments depending on the size of your RAW, and the result is quite stunning. The removal of reflections East really effective and often, only a few artifacts remain that will be easy to remove using AI-powered tools. Also, we note a automatic contrast enhancementprobably to compensate for the loss of sharpness due to the glass.
As you can see from the images above, if it weren’t for the residual marks in the bottom right part of the shot, we wouldn’t know that the photo was captured through a window. We can also observe that our device manages to record much more data than it seems; data that Camera Raw arrives at return without difficulty.
This treatment is very complex et « sometimes our model mixes the scene behind the window and the reflected scene » specifies Adobe. The Californian company also explains that this function will be gradually improved. And that it remains a solution of last resort. Because the best way to avoid reflections is… not to capture any from the start.
Also note that the use of a polarizing filter often helps limit unwanted reflections, but not everyone carries one around in their bag.
However, this option is similar to a real miracle solution to catch up on photos of objects taken behind a window – at a trade fair for example, or through the window of a car or train. It will thus be possible to use images that we would have previously deletedand without distorting them. A undeniable progress in the world of photo processing. We can’t wait for the feature to be added to Lightroom !
