The Adobe Lightroom family of applications now includes an exciting new feature that uses Artificial Intelligence to eliminate reflections from photographs taken through plate glass windows. While the AI-powered Reflection Removal Tool is not something that you are likely to use every day, this powerful new feature can transform photos that you might have deleted into something worth sharing.
Click here to download the examples in this video and play along! (Subscribers Only)
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You’ll find the new Distraction Removal Panel tucked inside Lightroom’s Remove Tool Group alongside the Generative Remove Tool and the Content Aware Healing Brush. When activated, the Remove Reflection feature utilizes machine learning to identify and remove reflected areas, revealing the true scene you intended to capture.
Peeling Back the Curtain: Understanding the AI
One of the coolest aspects of this new feature is that Adobe gives us a glimpse into the AI’s thought process. A photograph with a reflection is essentially two images combined: the scene you want, and the weaker, hazier reflection of the scene behind you. Lightroom’s AI works to “detangle” these two images.
In the video, we demonstrate how the Amount slider allows you to blend between the original image, the reflection-free image, or even just the reflection! It’s a mind-blowing way to visualize what the AI is doing behind the scenes.
Optimizing Your Results: Quality and Workflow Tips
Our tutorial also covers essential tips for getting the best results:
- Quality Settings: Discover the three levels of “edge crispness” (Preview, Standard, Best) and when to use each for optimal processing time and image sharpness. We recommend starting with “Preview” to quickly see if the feature works for your image, then increasing the quality for sharper results.
- Workflow with Other AI Tools: Learn how Lightroom’s new AI Status Indicator helps you avoid issues when combining Reflection Removal with other AI tools like Generative Remove. A simple “Update” button ensures all your AI adjustments play nicely together.
- Rotation Matters: While most standard adjustments don’t interfere, correctly orienting your photo before applying Reflection Removal can significantly affect the outcome.
What to Expect (and What Not To)
It’s important to understand the current limitations of this first version:
- Plate Glass Focus: This tool is primarily designed for reflections from large plate glass windows (storefronts, museum exhibits, cityscapes through building glass).
- Night Shots & Other Surfaces: Currently, the AI model has not been trained on night shots, and results can be mixed on other reflective surfaces like tide pools. However, we’ll share a clever trick that sometimes works for non-glass reflections!
Perhaps what is most amazing is that this technology is still in its infancy and it will only get better and better! With just a few clicks, you can now salvage shots that were once ruined by reflections.
