Suggestions on how to get rid of the glare in the top left?

[JBW]

[shreds]

Quite apart from the fact that I don't know what it is?

A spider presumably or an accident with a window? We don't get too many of those brightly coloured creatures where I live....otherwise I might run a mile.

I think the only way to resolve this is to crop out the majority of the bright spots. If you rotate the image first, it is easier. The couple that remain, I am afraid you are stuck with otherwise cloning is going to interfere with the web lines. Ok you could do it, but it will take longer than reshooting.

[Geoff F]

Yes, whatever you do is going to be a problem. Easy to simply tone it down a bit in that area, but that will still leave a blown space without detail.

I did think about selecting another area of web then using copy, paste and a bit of rotation and fiddling around to cover the bad spot. Not easy though, and I'm not sure if it would look natural even then.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Brian,

Being perhaps a bit brutal, I think a re-shoot, if it is say, in your back yard, with a different angle avoiding the bright spots, or at a different time of day when they may not be as bright, and crucially; better subject focus, is worthwhile.

I see from EXIF data: Fuji FinePix S4200, f/3.1, 1/85s at iso 64.

I'd suggest using a higher iso, faster shutter speed, wait for wind to subside if that is causing focus issues.

You might even want to try some shots using the pop up flash, this can help raise subject illumination relative to background. Here is an example, although admittedly shot with a DSLR, similar results should be possible with your camera with practice. For some reason, I note the EXIF data panel on my web page it says the flash wasn't used, but I'm sure it was.

Hope that helps,

[JBW]

not a window, could be the sky peaking through leaves. Cloning?

[JBW]

certainly not with my cut and paste skills

[JBW]

luckly we have multiple happy face spiders here so a re-shoot is easy. It is definitely time to start learning manual operation.

[rawill]

I am a novice too, but if it was my camera I would try using a Polarising filter, and changing the exposure compensation settings.

I have just been experimenting with this on a bright sunny day at motor racing.
I think I got some better results.

I suspect that the photo could be doctored, but it would be painstaking work. And it might not turn out how you wanted it to.

[jcuknz]

You don't need manual operation just to be aware of such problems as you shoot and re-frame to avoid them or have something to put between the web and the light.

[jcuknz]

Just to give you a clue I have done the first stage which was select the right hand corner, copy and paste as a new layer, flip horizontally, drag into left hand corner and merge edges which I have not done .

The same basic procedure could be done with the smaller highlights by copying the intersection of adjacent web rungs and placing it over the light blob. You editor needs to be able to precisely rotate an individual layer to make that work.
PSP enables this to .01 of a degree but I don't think I have ever worked to that precision

[jcuknz]

An afterthought ... perhaps better would be to copy the whole of the right hand side of the picture .... your little freind is remarkably symetrical in its weave. Another A/T copying short lengths of web for where the original doesn't match the copy.
Much better the reshoot avoiding the glare and I wonder if being in a hot country you took the camera out from airconditioned house which has resulted in the small blobs .... I ruined most of a shoot in not noticing this was happening a few years back ... just taking the camera out of its case into the hot atmosphere is my explanation.

[JBW]

if I had a polarizing filter i would try it.

[JBW]

Hi Pn, nope no air con. We live on the side of sleeping volcano at about 400 meters asl so it is right in the Goldilocks zone. I am still new with Gimp as well as with my camera but i will see if it can do what you have done.