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How to Remove Lens Distortion

Although wide-angle lenses are very helpful for creating sweeping panoramic shots, there is often noticeable distortion within the image. The curved edges of buildings and curling horizon lines which become evident in wide-angle shots are caused by the bulging, convex elements within the lens itself. Although the photographer can shoot from afar and avoid tilting the camera to minimize effects, the best corrective results are achieved in digital post processing. To remove distortion and straighten most of the image, any photo-editing software can be used.

Things You'll Need

Photo-editing program

Instructions

- 1
  Run the photo editing software of your choice. Once inside the program, open the image you wish to correct.
- 2
  Add corrective margins, also known as rulers, to the sides of your image by selecting "View" from the top toolbar and then selecting "Rulers" from the menu that appears.
- 3
  Open the software's lens-correction toolbox by selecting "Filter" from the top toolbar. Choose the distortion option or lens-correction option from the menu that appears -- the specific name of the adjustment filter varies depending on the software.
- 4
  Select the ruler or grid icon from the lens-correction toolbox to access the "Straighten" tool. Click a corner of the image and drag until the horizon (or suitable reference point) appears straight. Use the side ruler lines for visual assistance.
- 5
  Remove bulging edges and other curves by choosing the "Remove Distortion" tool (usually represented by an icon resembling a "D") from the lens-correction toolbox. Click and drag the distorted area until it is corrected.
- 6
  Crop or resize the image as needed. The crop tool is located within the software's main toolbar, and the resize function is typically found under the "View" tab.
- 7
  Save the corrected image. If you wish to preserve the original image, select "Save As..." and type in a different file name.

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