7.4. Remove image elements with a CONTENT-AWARE FILL

In previous versions of Photoshop, you were able to use the Clone tool, Spot Healing Brush tool, or Patch tool to selectively remove objects from a photograph to transform the photo into the image you wanted. You might also have blended multiple photographs and used masks or other techniques to remove unwanted image elements. Most such tasks were difficult and time-consuming.

Photoshop CS5 introduces a new fill option called Content-Aware. Selecting an area and applying a Content-Aware fill, you can not only remove an element in a photo but also replace it with pixels that match and blend into the surrounding areas. The selected area is replaced with elements that match the lighting, tone, and even the noise of the adjacent areas so the replacement appears more natural. For smaller areas you can also use the Content-Aware Fill setting along with the Spot Healing Brush to brush away the element you want to remove. You can then easily use the other tools to refine the edited areas.