Removing "red eye" in the GIMP

• original image
• desaturated red channel, reduced gamma

GIMPguru.org has a great tutorial on removing "red eye." That technique gives excellent results, and readers may want to consider using it. However, I wanted a simpler technique that did not require any fine tuning to get results. My technique is essentially the same as the alternate method presented at GIMPguru.org, but with a step added at the end.

The Technique

1. • use the Ellipse Select tool to select the pupil

   Zoom in (+) on the eye. Using the Ellipse Select tool (E), select the pupil. Feather the selection (a value of 2 or 3 usually works well).

2. • deselect the Green and Blue channels

   Open the Channels dialog box (Image:Dialogs/Channels) and deselect the Green and Blue channels, leaving only the Red channel highlighted.

3. • desaturate the red channel

   Desaturate the red channel (Image:Layers/Colors/Desaturate).

4. • select the Green and Blue channels

   Open the Channels dialog box (Image:Dialogs/Channels) and select the Green and Blue channels. All three channels should be highlighted.

5. • change the gamma to around 0.70

   In the Levels tool (Image:Layer/Colors/Levels), change the gamma to a value of around 0.70.

Have something you would like to share? Send your comments, suggestions, and questions to John Hall.

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