When to clone out distractions???

Hi All

I have been asked to help someone by editing their image, this is to clone out some unwanted elements in an image (FWIW it will be challenge and I hope my skills are up to it as the background behind the subjects to remove is not homogenous and in some places there is foreground elements that should be preserved! Plus where one might use a content aware move there is not matching element to fit the location!)

There is even some glassware in the FG that has part of the subject to be removed seen through it! This element I see as the most awkward so if there are any tutorials for such cloning do please post the links

At this stage they have given me a B&W edited file...............now should I insist on having the original colour file? The final output is required to be B&W but is it best to have a copy of the original and then redo the B&W conversion once all the cloning has been completed?

At this stage I have only said I will appraise the image and then say whether I can & how good a job I will be able to do for them.

TIA for the insight

Do it in color, otherwise you may have to redo it. I'd outsource it to retouchup.com - cheap and pretty good.

tim wrote in post #17108131
Do it in color, otherwise you may have to redo it. I'd outsource it to retouchup.com - cheap and pretty good.

Hi Tim

Thanks for re-enforcing my thought that any work should start from a copy of the "original" file.

I have seen mention of retouchup.com before so will go look it and see what it says. Have you had any work done by them before especially such cloning removals and can post an example or before & after?

The only problem that occurs to me is that color to B/W conversions can vary wildly, depending on the relative strengths of the R, G and B channels in the mix. After doing the clones you would either have to reproduce their conversion or return the color version to them and tell them to do the conversion again.

tzalman wrote in post #17108158
The only problem that occurs to me is that color to B/W conversions can very wildly, depending on the relative strengths of the R, G and B channels in the mix. After doing the clones you would either have to reproduce their conversion or return the color version to them and tell them to do the conversion again.

Hi Elie

Thanks for the insight, as far as I can tell the B&W conversion was possibly a preset and as I am being asked to make B&W prints I would be IMO, subject to clearing it with the person, doing the conversion in manner to best yield a good high quality print.