Getting a “Deserted Morning” Without Reshooting | Tips for Naturally Removing Unwanted Objects with lama-cleaner

Introduction

I got a great composition at a famous spot, but 10 people's heads ended up in the shot...🥲 The night I despaired, thinking, "Do I have to reshoot?", I gently erased them with
lama-cleaner and the photo returned to its “early morning look.” This article is a personal experience, not a tutorial. From failure to adjustment, learning, and reproduction, I'll share it in 3 screenshots. This time, I'll dig a little deeper into the fine tips and pitfalls I discovered along the way.

Today's Situation (Real)

• Photo to use: The main shot of the trip (I want to use it as a blog eye-catcher)

• Problem: People are scattered along the promenade in the distance, there's a selfie stick in the foreground, and part of a stroller wheel is visible

• Conditions: Reshooting is impossible (already home). I want to finish it using only my smartphone

• Goal: To create a “deserted morning” feel. Finding the line where it doesn't become a “fake photo” due to over-editing.

Failures I had first (NG)

1. “One-shot erase” with a thick brush → The floor or cobblestones look like they melted and blurred. When details collapse, the whole thing suddenly looks “AI-generated.”

2. Painting too widely → The background pattern is repeated like a copy-paste job and it's obvious. Especially the rhythm of fences or tiles gets misaligned and stands out.

3. Ignoring shadows → The object is gone, but only the shadow remains, which is creepy. I should have treated the shadow as an object on a separate layer.

4. Pressing OK without zooming in → It's hard to notice awkwardness when viewing the shrunken image on a smartphone. You look back later and think, "Wait, what?"

→ In the end, "a little bit at a time, from the edges" was the correct answer. The lesson is that the sloppier you paint to finish quickly, the more time it takes to fix it later.

The “Winning Strategy” I Found Through Adjustment

• Fine brush + incremental removal: Remove large unwanted objects in 3 to 5 passes. Check the boundaries after each pass and only lightly overlap areas that need more work.

• Background to foreground order: Clearing the 'grains' in the distance first makes flaws in the foreground less noticeable. The background has less information density = easier to fake.

• Shadows and reflections last: Treat the main object, shadows, and reflections (floor sheen) as separate tasks in that order. Mixing the sequence often leads to unnatural results.

• Be aware of 'extensions' of straight lines: Handrails and tile joints are less likely to break if you draw them straight first before Inpainting. Just imagining the guide lines improves accuracy.

• Match the 'granularity' of the material: Be conscious of directionality, such as when bringing elements from right to left. It looks natural when the light direction and noise texture are consistent.

Before→After (Visualizing in text)

Before: People scattered along the promenade. A selfie stick is prominent in the front right. A stroller wheel is in the frame.
After: The tile joints on the promenade connect smoothly, and the foreground has the atmosphere of a 'vacant morning.' The selfie stick and its shadow are gone, leaving zero presence.
Checkpoints: Are the periodicity of the tiles / the straight lines of the handrails / the density of the shadows consistent across all frames?

Reproduction Recipe (3-minute version)

1. Load the image (either via the lama-cleaner web interface or locally is fine)

2. Set the brush size to be small (slightly thicker than the edge of the target object)

3. Paint from the edges toward the center (do not paint everything at once)

4. Apply once, then fix errors (target only misaligned joints or distorted railings for a second pass)

5. Handle shadows and reflections as separate tasks (check at 100% zoom at the end to ensure nothing faint remains)

6. Check at 50%/100%/200% zoom (flaws invisible when zoomed out become apparent when zoomed in)

7. **Save as a 'new file'**. Keeping the original allows you to revert if you overdo it.

Key Takeaways (3 points)

1. 'One-shot thick brush' leads to errors: Segmenting and starting from the edges looks more natural.

2. Treat shadows and reflections as separate entities: They are tougher opponents than the main object. Handle them carefully at the end.

3. Straight line assistance → Inpaint: For joints and railings, just drawing a straight line makes a world of difference in the finish.

Supplementary Note: Settings for Smartphone/PC Users

• Smartphone: Using an app that allows you to set the display to actual size (100%) stabilizes the finish. If you have thick fingertips, consider using a stylus.

• PC: A mouse is easier for fine adjustments than a trackpad. Lowering the screen brightness makes it easier to notice unnatural shadows.

Common Mistakes (and How to Recover)

• Tile grout lines disappear midway → Temporarily draw in the grout with a thin line → Then lightly Inpaint over it.

• The same pattern repeats, creating a 'pasted' look → Lightly overlay a part from a different direction. Add some randomness.

• The direction of light doesn't match → Match the length and direction of the shadow to the existing area. Aim for a density of 80-90% of the existing shadow.

Screenshot Insertion Points (3 images)

1. Before (photo with people in it)

2. Screen while masking (painting from the edges with a fine brush)

3. After (grout lines and shadows are naturally connected)

Points of Caution

• Be careful not to overdo it: In advertising materials or news media, this may count as 'falsifying facts.' Clearly state the intended use.

• Rights and Rules: Facility notices or event terms may sometimes prohibit photography or editing.

• Make zooming in a habit for commercial work: Eliminate moiré, repeating patterns, and unnatural shadows before publishing.

Summary

• The trick is to remove things bit by bit to achieve a "natural" look.

• As long as you fix the shadows and straight lines, you can significantly clear away the clutter of tourist spots.

• No need to reshoot = saving both time and money. It also improves your efficiency for side jobs.

Time Required Memo (My Actual Measurements)

• Rough removal (people in the distance): 3 minutes

• Selfie stick & shadow in the foreground: 3 minutes

• Final check & recovery: 1–4 minutes
  Total: 7–10 minutes (reviving a 'usable shot')