Easy Photoshop Fix For Edge Halos

Edge Halos, or thin white lines along edges, can be caused in a variety of ways during image editing and they don't look good. In this video, I show a Photoshop fix for getting rid of them I call Darker Color Cloning.
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[@davestokes3446]

It's far better to create a blank layer, set the layer to darken, the clone tool to sample all layers, and carry on from there. It allows you to erase mistakes and gives a smaller file size.

[@SeanBagshaw]

You are correct Dave, that is better. Didn't think to change the mode of a blank layer instead of changing the mode of the clone stamp tool. Brilliant!

[@deanimator]

@@SeanBagshaw Yep...that's how I do it. When you have a tree, with branches and leaves etc against a bright sky it can be hard work, but then I use a much bigger clone stamp and pick a suitable area of the sky and do one large area at a time, resampling from the same or similar area each time

[@jazzman1626]

The blank layer worked a treat, so thanks for the tip. It didn’t take me long to get rid of the halos round loads of leaves.

[@MyFriendlyGiant]

Thank you! I have spent the past couple of hours adjusting an image that had been pasted in another and just when I thought I was done, I saw there was now haloing. I used the clone tool and spotted another inconsistency whilst removing the halo. I am so glad I found your video.

[@rlfisher]

Hey Sean - I searched back in my history to find this gem. It really saved an otherwise poor image! The separate layer blend darken is a bit easier I think, and then the cloning is isolated onto a separate layer - just in case. This also works "in reverse" for parts of the image where the misalignment caused a DARK halo, easily removed by cloning with lighten blend. Another Sean Bagshaw Lifesaver!

[@JoostDaniels]

This is brilliant, and the improvement suggested in the comments by Dave Stokes is great too. Thanks Sean, Glen and Dave!!

[@MrFotoFool]

This is incredibly helpful. I have been using Photoshop Elements for a few years now and always use the clone stamp tool in "normal" mode. I didn't even know it had all these other modes but I just looked and there they are! Thank you!

[@GBB70]

Thanks for keeping this video up because I am always referring to it. Don't need it most of time but it is a life saver.

[@L.Lyubomirov]

When i started using Flat/Linear Picture profile...never have edge problems,because the transitions are very very smooth and realistic.

[@PaulBeiser]

Most awesome, Sean - thanks! And your Summary at the end is awesome, I like the way you do this. Thanks again, Paul

[@2mcarp]

Sean, thanks. I know I watched this in the past, but forgot. Today, I had an image that I ran thru Topaz Noise AI, and all the light/dark edges had terrible halos. So, I'm glad I was able to find this to help me fix my photo. Thanks.

[@lukebrouwersphotography]

This is such a helpful tutorial Sean. Thank you.

[@scottfenton1145]

Like magic this works! Thanks Sean.

[@ChrisKoehn]

Oh... this could really clean up some of my lightning landscapes this coming season... thanks for the tip!

[@sarahfranklin2480]

This worked a treat for me, thank you. I also used the Lighten version for the other side of the halo.

[@duffyhunter]

Excellent tip that I will be using for sure. Thanks Sean for sharing 👍

[@emilebaudot904]

Excellent tip Sean… As usual!

[@kenfallu727]

Thank you Sean for this tip. Very useful!

[@alexfurer]

WOW! What a live saver - thank you for sharing this!

[@gordroberts53]

Hi Sean, I have your favourites courses 1 & 2 but this served as a great refresher. Thanks for sharing!

[@SeanBagshaw]

Awesome! A refresher is always nice.

[@envolvedbn]

Hi Sean! this video is asome! thanks for your kindness

[@matssandquist9258]

Just tested it. Works brilliant!

[@mamari_ph]

Incredibly useful! Thank you!

[@NabilAbdulla07]

Another great & helpful tutorial :) Thanks for the video.

[@ArnieStein]

Thank you Sean!!! Wow, that solved a major headache for me. 🍻

[@melindapryor]

Awesome Sean, thanks for sharing 🙏

[@bodywise007]

Beautiful. simple and effective. That is the trick that works.

[@jan.eigil.m]

A very useful tips. Thanks a lot for sharing.

[@user-rw5ly2rl5r]

wow thanks man - this is very useful

[@rajeshs1978]

Great tip Sean

[@bartsmith9987]

Great tutorial! Thanks.

[@swirly_magnolia]

Cool little fix. Thanks

[@skizaak]

Great tip!!

[@DavidRDay]

I needed this one. Thank you. I have pretty much that exact image from your fantastic workshop.

[@SeanBagshaw]

Right on! Those sea stacks at sunset can be a killer. Man, just a month ago but a world away. Stay well my friend.

[@DavidRDay]

@@SeanBagshaw Oh, so true. I was headed to Stanley today, but they have shut it down. Sun Valley has been hit hard. Yes, stay safe.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Super helpful video Sean! Appreciate you sharing this👍

[@SeanBagshaw]

Thanks Mark! You can pay me back with a video showing how to never get halos in the first place. Haha!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Sean Bagshaw lol! I’m on it🤣

[@tonyb2760]

This is the way I have been removing halos for years. I do try to avoid them, but sometimes you can't. Thanks for sharing

[@SeanBagshaw]

Right on! It's amazing how well it works. I was blown away when my buddy first showed it to me several years ago too.

[@tonyb2760]

@@SeanBagshaw Using different blend modes is handy for other cloning operations, not just halos.

[@PaulthomsonphotographyUk]

Great video Sean this will definitely help my processing many thanks man😀✌👍

[@SeanBagshaw]

Right on Paul! Another tool to add to the kit. :-)

[@MattJonesYT]

Awesome idea!!!!!!

[@Mackymcd]

Hi Sean, this is a clean up process I have used on halo a good few times and it has an amazing result. I was wondering is there any possible way this can be done on the reverse edge. I have a star trail image with a lower iso foreground image of a tree blended in and the outside edge of a tree is much lighter, really stuck trying to find a way, if possible, to darken down the edge pixels of the tree?

[@mibreit-photo]

Great video. I also do this but a little different. I just put an empty layer on top and set the mode of that layer to darken. Then I clone stamp and sample from below.

[@SeanBagshaw]

Thanks for sharing that Michael. Someone else commented that they do it the way you do it. I hadn't thought of setting the mode of an empty layer for this instead of the clone tool itself...but I think it is an even better solution than the way I have been doing it. It keeps file size down and is more flexible and easy to reverse or adjust.

[@toddaophoto]

Ditto on the comment by Mike Clasen II. Occasionally, I find those dark edges on the white tail feathers of eagles in flight. As always, thanx Sean for your informative videos.

[@SeanBagshaw]

That sounds like the perfect place to use the Lighter Color mode.

[@stephencarmickle]

So first...instant subscribe. Your tutorials have helped me greatly recently. I am in a situation, somehow, where actually using “lighten” instead of “darken” is what’s working for me. So if you somehow found yourself in a position where your foreground is lighter than the background, switch it to lighten. In my case I think it’s just because my foreground is snow and ice, which is causing it to be lighter....

[@SeanBagshaw]

Yes! You are totally correct. Use Darken to paint a darker color into a lighter area and use Lighten to paint a lighter color into a darker area. I have less success with Lighten, but when it works it is great.

[@guillermogiannini]

Thank you very much

[@davidholdstock]

Hello and thank you for this tip. I recently discovered another VERY effective way to deal with the same issue. Simply use the 'minimum' filter on a layer mask and the edge fringe disappears completely! Once again though, thank you very much for showing us this other method. :)

[@SeanBagshaw]

Thanks! I'm not particularly familiar with the minimum filter so I'd love to see a demo of what you are talking about. I can see how it could be used to refine a mask that was the cause of an issue, but not sure how to remove a halo that is already cooked into the image itself.

[@davidholdstock]

@@SeanBagshaw Hello again. As you rightly suggest, removing a halo (fringe) already "cooked into" the image with the 'minimum' filter option, doesn't actually seem to work. It does however remain a great way to remove one from an image in other situations, particularly if you do it through the layer mask, rather than the image itself. I am of course still very grateful to you for showing us the other method. Looking forward to whatever else you can teach us! Thank you again. :)

[@lukaszw7608]

It was bothering me for years o_O You just made my processing better, thanks!

[@SeanBagshaw]

Glad that will make your life easier! Make sure to check the pinned comment at the top for another approach I actually like even better now. :-D

[@lukaszw7608]

@@SeanBagshaw I've seen it, thanks! :D

[@evenaicantfigurethisout]

You mentioned perform better masking as one of the ways to avoid this. Do you have a video on that? I'm trying to merge two images by doing s channel mask. One with the subject properly exposed (sky blown out) and the other with sky properly exposed. After making the mask there is a halo around subject. I could not see how to improve the mask

[@Raging__Savage]

good vid bro

[@rohitgurung909]

Nice!!

[@jorgbehrendt695]

Top ,Thanks.

[@AlexFeldstein]

Nice to learn about Blending Mode-Darker Color which I never used. Good tip. Like the jacket but I can see you are not a bird photographer like I am. That bright red would scare the birds away. LOL

[@SeanBagshaw]

Definitely not a bird photographer 😆 But my office sure gets cold in the winter. Ha!

[@pauldomsten8331]

I've found if i globally sharpen the image I often times get halos, especially seen in blue hour cityscapes. I have stopped globally sharpening some of my images and mask it in manually and staying away from the edge of the buildings or horizon if I find it's a problem.

[@SeanBagshaw]

Sharpening is definitely something that can create or enhance this issue. Your method of selective sharpening is a good solution. 👍

[@b.a.p.4718]

Sean, I've noticed a similar effect in my photographs after removing strong chromatic aberration. I never knew how to remove it until after watching your video! Thank you. Have you also used this technique to remove the white (colorless) line left behind after removing chromatic aberration? Or is there a different technique not mentioned here?

[@SeanBagshaw]

Brendan...if you have used another method for removing chromatic aberration and that has left behind a thin white outline, then this is probably the best solution.

[@clintonjohnson424]

Where in your workflow should you do this? Before or after sharpening? Great video!

[@SeanBagshaw]

Good question. See my video on the three types of sharpening. Probably after creative sharpening but before output sharpening. However, if a halo appears in my output file then I would also do it there before going to print.

[@clintonjohnson424]

@@SeanBagshaw Thanks for the reply! I'll definitely check out the vid. If it's anything like your others I'm going to be learning gold. Thanks for what you do!

[@mariolopez.photographer]

Awesome!! Thank you. BTW where did you get your jacket?

[@SeanBagshaw]

Very welcome! It's a Patagonia. I think I ordered it online a few years ago. I didn't imagine wearing it indoors at the time but it sure cuts the chill in my cold office. Ha!

[@mariolopez.photographer]

@@SeanBagshaw Thank you!! Love the information you cover in your videos! Love your photography as well!!! But while watching the video I just kept thinking; I need that jacket!! LOL

[@SeanBagshaw]

@@mariolopez.photographer Haha! It is quite cozy. I'm pretty sure Patagonia thinks you NEED that jacket too. Too bad I'm not on their payroll.

[@Lilcrunkgy]

I assume the technique volume 2 will talk about sample the mountain and darken the Halo.

[@mikeclasenii6567]

You can also use this trick to clone out dark edge halos, switch to "Lighten" mode with the clone tool. ;-)

[@SeanBagshaw]

Yes! Thanks for mentioning it. I find that it doesn't work quite as well as using Darker Color for the light halos and I also find light halos are more common for me, but it's still worth giving it a go if the situation presents.

[@mikeclasenii6567]

@@SeanBagshaw Same for me, I have occasionally seen some dark halos appear on edges after sharpening or pushing the image after applying clarity etc., and sometimes using the clone tool with lighten mode can clean it up halfway descent, but it is more difficult to make it work in the lighten mode, if at all, unless the clone source is actually lighter than the dark edge halo area. Awesome tip you shared, one I use quite often!

[@kubagornowicz]

Thanks a lot! :) (ps. why in jacket?)

[@SeanBagshaw]

Haha! Because my office is freezing in the winter.

[@kenowens9021]

Can this be done in camera or only in Photoshop?

[@SeanBagshaw]

No in camera option I know of.

[@davidd337]

Good info, although it doesn't appear to work on straight edges.

[@SeanBagshaw]

Really? Wonder why?

[@GillmanStudio]

There was a british youtuber photographer who claimed these halos were 'natural phenomena' and argued this with viewers. I think it was James Popsis ... those who said otherwise and pointed out it was his editing mistakes were laughed at by his loyal audience.

[@SeanBagshaw]

Classic. Natural or not...I prefer them not to be there.

[@andywilk38]

It’s extraordinary just how many purportedly ‘pro’ images on Instagram, FB and other platforms display haloing, yet they are ‘accepted’ by hundreds, or more, ‘likes’. Are we letting the threshold of acceptable quality for photography slip in the ever present rush to get stuff out there?

[@SeanBagshaw]

It's a fair and good question. In the end I guess it is up to each of us to set our own expectations and attention to detail.

[@nikolatesla9384]

Is the red jacket part of the color theory influence🤔 it is very distracting somehow

[@SeanBagshaw]

It was all carefully orchestrated to have just that effect. 😁 Actually I was just freezing in my office and forgot I had it on. 🤣🤣

[@Mrbluesplayer43]

Must be really cold in your house?

[@curtis.strange]

great tips but are we just going to ignore that he's wearing a down jacket indoors?!

[@SeanBagshaw]

Haha! No. Nobody is ignoring that. More comments on the jacket than anything else I think. What can I say...my office is freezing in the winter.

[@chumcool]

Your coat looks like Twizzlers.

[@senior_ranger]

Why are you wearing a coat?

[@SeanBagshaw]

Because my office is a freakin’ icebox in the winter 🥶 🤣

[@kustrogallery8413]

What about stop using Photoshop and taking the shot perfect as possible... oh dont be silly i can hear you all say....

[@SeanBagshaw]

Kustro Gallery Well, that would just take all the fun out of it. 😆 Like telling Ansel to ditch his darkroom. 😁

[@MoxxMix]

Sitting in winter jacket could not result in anything else but talking crap.

[@jaychristianson]

Sorry u cannot afford any heating

[@SeanBagshaw]

Haha! I was going to comment about wearing my jacket in the video. It's true...my office is freezing in the winter.

[@kevinp9110]

so much talk get to the point.