Clone & Healing Tool reproduces objects

[OutsideShooter]

With Background copy Blending Mode at Normal, Opacity & Fill defaulted at 100%, & Brush diameter & Hardness set at 30 & 25 respecfully, Spacing at 81 & Angle at 80° & Roundness at 100% & Size Off, (I don't know how much of this matters) why when I oscillate back & forth or up & down with a series of strokes to eliminate flaws are these tools recreating objects within the image file?

For example, if I want to eliminate a flaw in the snow, footprints perhaps, & I use either tool enough to eliminate a fair amount of footprints, I am left with an adjoining object, a portion of a bush as a recreated object. The example I am including here, if this attachment works, is of a 200% crop of two men, with a portion of a wall I have done just for demonstration. To the left of the man stooping over you can make out a foggy recreation of the base of a birch tree just upper left of the cloned area.

Do the settings have much to do with this?

[Jonathan Wienke]

If you don't want the clone tool to put a tree in your footprint, then don't set the clone source to a part of the image where there is a tree. Set it to a snow area larger than the footprint (alt-click), and don't use a brush size larger than the object you are trying to disappear (footprint or whatever).

[OutsideShooter]

If you don't want the clone tool to put a tree in your footprint, then don't set the clone source to a part of the image where there is a tree. Set it to a snow area larger than the footprint (alt-click), and don't use a brush size larger than the object you are trying to disappear (footprint or whatever).
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=94777\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Thanks Jonathan, I get your meaning. However there are times when there is no alternative, other than to leave the footprint in the photo. That would be your suggestion? I'm gathering there is no setting that can eliminate the possibility other than leaving the footprint in?

Let's use another example; recently I did a shoot with a model whose complexion needed a small amount of retouching. As I worked near one nostril to remove an imperfection, I recreated a small portion of her nostril. What then?

[francois]

...Let's use another example; recently I did a shoot with a model whose complexion needed a small amount of retouching. As I worked near one nostril to remove an imperfection, I recreated a small portion of her nostril. What then?

Work with small touches and isolate the area you're working on with a selection. This will prevent (or reduce) "contamination" if you're careful.

[OutsideShooter]

Work with small touches and isolate the area you're working on with a selection. This will prevent (or reduce) "contamination" if you're careful.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=94786\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

francois, thank you, I do tend to try to get a lot accomplished rather swiftly , so your term small touches I will try, but Isolate? Can you further clarify?

[francois]

francois, thank you, I do tend to try to get a lot accomplished rather swiftly , so your term small touches I will try, but Isolate? Can you further clarify?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=94788\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Isole: create a selection of the area you want to correct. In the screenshot below, I try to avoid "contamination" outside the selection (marching ants)...

[OutsideShooter]

Isole: create a selection of the area you want to correct. In the screenshot below, I try to avoid "contamination" outside the selection (marching ants)...
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=94790\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

francois, though I can't tell for sure what you've created that selection with , I'll assume its the Lasso, but probably doesn't matter, so long as that eliminates the possibility for clone or healing brush to recreate objects I would be satisfied with that work. Thank you I'll give it a try.

[francois]

francois, though I can't tell for sure what you've created that selection with , I'll assume its the Lasso, but probably doesn't matter, so long as that eliminates the possibility for clone or healing brush to recreate objects I would be satisfied with that work. Thank you I'll give it a try.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=94801\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Yes, you're right, I created the selection with the Lasso tool. To help your healing process, you can also reduce the strenght of the healing/clone tool. And another tip, if you see that you contaminated something, immediately  undo the last action (CMD/CNTRL + Z). It takes time, practice and patience.

[OutsideShooter]

Yes, you're right, I created the selection with the Lasso tool. To help your healing process, you can also reduce the strenght of the healing/clone tool. And another tip, if you see that you contaminated something, immediately  undo the last action (CMD/CNTRL + Z). It takes time, practice and patience.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=94803\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Thank you francois, I have all of the personal tools & now with CS2 I have all the rest. And thank you Jonathan. I'll reread these posts & work on the suggestions.

[francois]

Thank you francois, I have all of the personal tools & now with CS2 I have all the rest. And thank you Jonathan. I'll reread these posts & work on the suggestions.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

You're welcome! Now if you want to get better understanding and learn better techniques, Katrin Eismann ([a href=\"http://www.photoshopdiva.com/]website[/url]) has a few articles, DVD's and excellent books (Photoshop Restoration & Retouching, 3rd edition  and  Photoshop Masking & Compositing) about retouching and masking.