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No doubt the best solution for combatting backscatter is to get the picture right in camera, but tough conditions or less than elegant strobe placement can send you running to your favorite image editing software pretty quickly.

Part 2 of DPG member Erin Quigley's video tutorial series “Out Damn Spot – Blasting Backscatter in CS6” explores getting rid of the gunk in your photos using Photoshop CS6. Not only does the video reveal some little known features of traditional tools like the Clone Stamp, Healing Brushes and Patch Tool; but it also touches on more advanced techniques incorporating Layer masks, Filters, and Blending Modes.
 

As usual, Erin teaches a non-destructive workflow with plenty of keyboard shortcuts thrown in. There must be hundreds of different kinds of backscatter, but from the big ol' blob variety to the blinding snowstorm, the secret to post-production success is having as many spot removal strategies at your fingertips as possible.

The more tricks you have up your sleeve, the more confident and proficient an editor you'll be. You can watch the video full screen or in full size by clicking through to Vimeo, as the photoshop interface can be hard to see in this smaller version.
 

Backscatter Final DPG CS6 from DivePhotoGuide.com on Vimeo.