How to remove an unwanted photobomber from those special photographs

An unwanted ‘photo bomber’ needn’t spoil your cherished photos, allow James Paterson to explain how to remove pesky intruders

it’s happened to the best of us; we think we’ve captured the perfect moment only to discover later on that someone has unintentionally muscled in on the action and spoiled the composition.

In this case I was at a wedding and there came a split-second moment where everything gelled perfectly. The just-married couple were sharing a loving look, framed perfectly on either side by the bride’s onlooking mother and sister. I’d even managed to catch the groom – not known for his displays of emotion – shedding a few quiet tears. It was the moment of the day. Then, to my horror, I saw the woman in the background – the ultimate photo bomber.

Everything in the composition leads towards her. She’s not even a guest, just an interested gawper that chanced upon the wedding party as they left the church. Upon showing the photos to the couple, they loved this one above all others. But, they asked, could anything be done about the random person?

The answer is usually yes, but with a few caveats. Successfully removing an unwanted photo bomber depends on what lies elsewhere in the frame – or in the frames taken either side. To cover something up, we need to find a piece of image that looks natural in its place. We can then replace the offending area and tidy up it for seamless results. Thankfully I’d fired another frame where the hapless intruder was offset just enough to be less of an eyesore.

Photoshop Elements – with its layer controls and retouching tools – has everything you need, even when faced with tidying up cluttered backdrops like this...