Use the Dodge tool in Photoshop Elements to gently brighten just the darker side of an unevenly lit scan, working gradually so the fix doesn’t look patchy.
What you need
- The scanned photo, opened in Photoshop Elements
- About ten minutes
Work in light passes
Work in several light passes rather than one heavy one. Overdoing local brightening leaves an obvious patch that looks worse than the original unevenness.
How to even out the lighting
- Open the scan in Elements and select the Dodge tool.
- Choose a large, soft-edged brush.
- Set Exposure low, around 10 to 20%.
- Gently brush over the darker area in several light passes, rather than one heavy one.
- Zoom out regularly to check it still looks natural, then save a copy.
Check the lighting looks even
Viewed at normal size, the lighting should look even across the photo, with no obvious brush-shaped patch or hard edge where you brightened it.
If the unevenness is strong
For strong unevenness, a full graduated adjustment through Elements’ Shadows/Highlights tool may give a smoother result than manual dodging. The free program GIMP has a Dodge/Burn tool that works in a similar way.
Next step
If the photo has also faded in colour, see Restore faded colour in a 1970s print.
Sources and date checked
Adobe Photoshop Elements Help, checked 22 September 2026.