Clone Stamp problem

[RLewis]

I searched the forum for the answer to this but didn't find anything.

Does anyone know why the clone stamp tool sometimes just displaces what I'm trying to get rid of rather than getting rid of it? For example, I'm trying to get rid of some branches in a nice hawk photo, but when I try to clone them out sometimes they just move sideways in the photo. It's maddening. Am I doing something wrong?

[ljameso1]

If you have the tool aligned the clone point will follow you and pick up and clone the branch. Try unchecking aligned, doing smaller area at once, or select clone point farther away.

[lisabee]

hi,
when you use the clone stamp tool, you first have to define the 'source area' by alt click -ing on it, then you click on the area you want 'out of the way', what you will see if you watch the little mark which indicates the source area that this moves as you move across/up/down the image, so it could be that your source point has moved on to a part of the image that has the branches.
It is very easy to have what you describe happen if you start off with the source area very close to the area which you want changed.

I don't know if I have described this very well, but hope it helps,

Lisa

[RLewis]

Thanks to both for the ideas. It is a very strange phenomenon. I even had the hawks head start to appear at the top of the picture some inches away from where it actually was. Kind of along the line of your suggestions, it seems to not happen as much if I take more time, alt-click farther from the branches and also clone them out in the direction they are going as opposed to perpendicular to them. I hope that's clear. Thanks again.

[Sassie]

Yes, I frequently have this problem too, Bob. It's annoying, but all I do is resample and try again until it behaves itself! I do get there in the end.:)