Adobe's New Tool Tackles Reflection Removal on Raw Images

Adobe is rolling out a new feature for its Camera Raw plugin which makes it easier to remove reflections from glass surfaces, the company announced on Thursday

The tool, dubbed Reflection Removal, leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and works for window reflections in images. It is currently available in Technology Preview to get feedback from the community, as per the company. Notably, Adobe is also releasing an adaptive profile for monochrome in public beta in Adobe Camera Raw.

In a blog post, Adobe detailed the workings of its new Reflection Removal feature. Glass reflections generally tend to occur when an image is shot through a window. While this isn't ideal, sometimes it is the only way to capture unmissable moments, such as the Northern Lights during a transatlantic flight. Adobe says that its new AI tool is designed to be used in such situations.

It works by separating the two images captured with different content, such as white balance and sharpness of focus. The feature also detects if there is a superimposed reflection between them. The AI model used by the Reflection Removal tool then untangles these images.

The AI model is trained on thousands of images of various subjects without any reflections, as per Adobe. Pairs of images are then added together to simulate more examples, but this time to form images polluted by reflections. The results are fed into the AI model which is then asked to predict the original photos, with correct answers being rewarded. This process is repeated with various examples to train it.

At the moment, the Reflection Removal feature works only for raw images with support for the following formats supported — DNGs, CR2s, ARWs, and ProRAWs. It can be used with the Camera Raw plug-in in the Technology Previews section of the Preferences Panel. While only available via Camera Raw, the company says it will also be rolled out to Adobe Lightroom soon.