Photo Repair and Upscaling in Photoshop
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to:
- Identify common photo damage and choose the right repair tools
- Use Photoshop's Generative Upscale feature to improve image resolution
- Apply removal techniques to clean up scratches, dust, and unwanted elements
- Prepare restored photos for printing and digital archiving
Introduction
Old photos tell stories, but time hasn't been kind to them. Faded colours, scratches, tears, and low resolution can make precious memories hard to appreciate. This chapter shows you how to bring damaged photos back to life using Photoshop's repair and upscaling tools.
You'll work through practical techniques that turn worn-out family snaps into clear, printable images. These skills work whether you're preserving historical photos or improving low-resolution digital images.
Lessons
Setting Up Your Workspace
Before diving into repairs, get your workspace ready for detailed work.
Step 1: Open your damaged photo in Photoshop and immediately duplicate the Background layer (Ctrl+J on Windows, Cmd+J on Mac).
Step 2: Rename this duplicate layer "Working Copy" so you always have the original untouched.
Step 3: Create additional layers above this for different types of repairs – one for dust removal, another for colour correction, and so on.
Step 4: Zoom to 100% view to properly assess the damage. Look for tears, scratches, fading, dust spots, and overall image quality.
This setup keeps your edits organised and reversible. You can always go back to any stage of your work.
Removing Dust, Scratches, and Small Damage
Small imperfections respond well to Photoshop's healing tools. Here's how to tackle them systematically.
Step 1: Select the Spot Healing Brush Tool (J key). Set it to Content-Aware mode in the options bar.
Step 2: Start with dust spots. Click once on each spot – don't drag. The tool samples surrounding pixels to fill the damaged area.
Step 3: For scratches, switch to the Healing Brush Tool (also under J key). Hold Alt and click on clean skin or background near the scratch to sample, then paint over the scratch.
Step 4: Use the Clone Stamp Tool (S key) for areas where healing tools struggle. Sample good areas and paint them over damaged sections. Keep your brush opacity around 80% for natural blending.
Step 5: Work in small sections and frequently resample from different areas to avoid obvious repetition.
The key is patience. Fix small areas at a time rather than trying to repair large sections in one go.
Using Generative Upscale for Better Resolution
Photoshop's AI-powered Generative Upscale can double your image size while adding realistic detail.
Step 1: Make sure you're working on a flattened copy of your repaired image. Go to Layer > Flatten Image on a duplicate of your work.
Step 2: Choose Image > Image Size from the menu.
Step 3: In the Image Size dialog, click the dropdown next to "Resample" and select "Super Resolution".
Step 4: The width and height will automatically double. Click OK and wait for processing – this can take several minutes depending on image size.
Step 5: Compare the result with your original using the Navigator panel to zoom in and check fine details.
Generative Upscale works best on photos with clear subjects. It struggles with very abstract or heavily damaged images, so complete your repairs before upscaling.
Fixing Larger Tears and Missing Areas
Big damage needs different tools and techniques.
Step 1: For tears, use the Patch Tool (grouped with healing tools). Draw around the damaged area, then drag the selection to a similar undamaged part of the photo.
Step 2: For missing corners or edges, extend the background using the Clone Stamp Tool with a large, soft brush. Sample areas that would logically continue into the missing space.
Step 3: When reconstructing missing facial features or important details, work on separate layers. This lets you adjust opacity and blend modes for realistic results.
Step 4: Use the Content-Aware Fill for medium-sized missing areas. Select around the damage, then go to Edit > Content-Aware Fill. Photoshop will analyse the image and fill the gap automatically.
Step 5: Clean up any obvious repeating patterns or unnatural edges with smaller healing tools.
Large repairs often need multiple techniques combined. Don't expect perfection in one step.
Practice
Find an old family photo or download a damaged image from a free stock site. Work through these repair steps:
- Set up your layered workspace
- Remove at least 10 dust spots or small scratches
- Try the Generative Upscale feature
- Fix one larger area of damage using the Patch Tool
- Save your work as a PSD file to preserve all layers
Compare your before and after images. You should see clearer details, fewer distractions, and better overall quality.
Try the same process on a different type of photo – perhaps a landscape instead of a portrait – to see how the tools behave with different subject matter.
FAQs
Which tool should I use for different types of damage?
Spot Healing Brush for dust and small spots, Healing Brush for scratches and lines, Clone Stamp for detailed reconstruction, and Patch Tool for larger irregular areas.
Why does Generative Upscale take so long to process?
The AI analyses every pixel and generates new detail based on the image content. Large images or older computers will take longer. Processing times of 5-10 minutes are normal.
Can I upscale an image multiple times for even higher resolution?
Technically yes, but quality degrades with each upscale. One pass of Generative Upscale gives the best results. For extreme enlargements, consider specialist AI upscaling software.
What's the difference between healing and cloning tools?
Healing tools blend repairs with surrounding lighting and texture automatically. Clone tools copy pixels exactly as they are. Use healing for natural-looking repairs, cloning for precise reconstruction.
Should I fix colour problems before or after upscaling?
Handle major colour correction after upscaling, but fix obvious colour casts and fading before. This gives the AI better information to work with when generating new pixels.
Jargon Buster
Content-Aware: Photoshop technology that analyses image content to make intelligent edits rather than simple pixel copying.
Generative Upscale: AI feature that doubles image dimensions while adding realistic detail rather than just stretching existing pixels.
Non-destructive editing: Working methods that preserve your original image data, usually by using layers and adjustment layers.
Sampling: The process of telling Photoshop which pixels to copy or reference when using healing and cloning tools.
Super Resolution: The technical term for AI-powered upscaling that adds detail rather than simply interpolating between existing pixels.
Wrap-up
Photo repair combines technical skills with artistic judgement. You've learned the core tools – healing brushes for small damage, patch tools for larger areas, and Generative Upscale for resolution improvements.
The key to convincing repairs is restraint. Fix obvious problems but preserve the character that makes old photos special. Practice these techniques on different types of images to build your skills.
Your next step is applying these methods to your own photo collection. Start with images that have clear damage you can see improvements on. As you get comfortable with the tools, tackle more challenging restoration projects.
Ready to take your photo editing skills further? Join our community of learners and get access to advanced techniques and personalised feedback.