# Diminishing the brightness of a spotlight and an altar lamp in a cathedral



## JohnKendrick (Jul 9, 2012)

I'm working on some photos I took in the interior of the Santa Maria sophia Minerva church in Rome in early June. The colors are amazing but in the best of them I'm staring right into a low level spotlight (obviously intended to provide light in an otherwise dark cathedral) and a very bright altar lamp.  The effect is to draw one's eyes to those two light sources rather than to the amazing architecture and coloring. I would like, at best, to diminish their brightness. At worst, eliminate them. 

I've tried the spot removal device using the healing option and am either incapable of using it well (I am fairly new at LR) or it's the wrong tool. Just created a long smear.

Any advice as to whether that tool should do the trick would be helpful. And, if so, what sort of best practices text I might find. If it's not, is there another tool in LR that might do the trick?

I have Photoshop Elements but rarely use it and would prefer to keep all my developing work in LR.

Thanks in advance for any assistance,

John Kendrick


----------



## ernie (Jul 10, 2012)

I'd try the adjustment brush with some combination of exposure and highlights. You'll just have to experiment. I've tried similar things with varying results. Good luck.


----------



## JohnKendrick (Jul 10, 2012)

ernie said:


> I'd try the adjustment brush with some combination of exposure and highlights. You'll just have to experiment. I've tried similar things with varying results. Good luck.



Thanks for the advice, Ernie. I was hoping for some magic in which reducing the brightness would bring out the unusual shapes and colors in the arch behind the spotlight. I had thought the healing or clone effect on the spot remover might do the trick. Again, I was disappointed, either with the tool or my skills. I've tried some more and still can't till which is at fault. 

As for the altar lamp, the adjustment brush looks to be the tool of choice. There is no background behind it which is worth saving.

Thanks,

John


----------

