# Spot removal tool not working (on one specific spot)



## Ashley G (May 23, 2017)

I'm editing a family session from last night and I noticed these "light spots" on the images. They're not in every picture, but most. I thought it could be sun flare but it was overcast so I think it might be dust on my sensor, or lens? "Okay, no biggie. I'll use the spot removal tool and clone/heal the noticeable ones out in LR." Well, maybe not. Because when I try to do that, it doesn't make any difference. It almost makes those spots more noticeable - a little brighter and maybe hazier. I included LR screenshots which have my camera and SRT settings. The "spot" I'm referring to is on her forehead. Other areas on the photo can be cloned/healed with no issue. It's like this spot is immune to it. Any help with be appreciated... I searched a bunch of forums with no luck. TIA.

Mac OS X
LR 5
Canon 6D
2 different lens used, and both had issues with the spots/flare:
85 mm and 35 mm


----------



## Johan Elzenga (May 23, 2017)

Use clone, not heal. Heal will try to match the brightness of the underlying image, but that is exactly what you want to remove. Another option is to use heal, but with a bigger brush. That will make Lightroom understand it should match the brightness of the surrounding area, not of the underlying spot.


----------



## Hoggy (May 25, 2017)

Another trick I've heard mentioned is using the local adjustments (radial, or brush w/feathering) to lessen the exposure there.

And in my view, it most certainly _is_ possible to get 'sun/lens flare' even in overcast - just more unlikely.  And it definitely does look quite bright out.

I wouldn't think it's dust.  If that were the case, it should be darker - not lighter.  (Unless maybe you were at a strip club or something.  )


----------



## jorgealmaraz (Jul 4, 2017)

I have a similar problem, my spot removal disappears in a specific spot right in the center of the image in all my images


----------



## Johan Elzenga (Jul 4, 2017)

jorgealmaraz said:


> I have a similar problem, my spot removal disappears in a specific spot right in the center of the image in all my images



Most likely you used Auto Sync and deleted that particular spot removal.


----------



## jorgealmaraz (Jul 5, 2017)

I didn't use auto sync unless I hit a key made mistake I already tried resetting the spot removal tool but still not working


----------



## Johan Elzenga (Jul 5, 2017)

If the same spot removal disappears in several images, then it's almost certain that this is due to synchronisation, one way or another.


----------



## Johan Elzenga (Jul 5, 2017)

The only other explanation I can think of is that you used 'Read Metadata from Files' and these metadata weren't up to date. Because edits are also metadata, you can 'undo' recent edits this way.


----------

