Lightroom Classic Remove Tool changes exposure of the image

[gadgetgeek2000]

I've upgraded to the latest Lightroom Classic for Windows, version 14.2

I opened a photo in the Develop module and used my develop tools to set a reasonable exposure for my photo. In this photo there is an overexposed area that I want to remove. I use the Q Remove tool to draw a brush stroke over the area to remove. The removal is successful, but the overal image exposure is dramatically changed. Deleting the Remove adjustment puts the exposure back. Drawing a new removal stroke changes the exposure again.

This is unexpected behavior that I haven't seen before. Video attached.

[moved from bugs to discussions according to the community rules - Mod.]

[JohanElzenga]

Some algorithms use the entire image for their calculations. If you remove a very bright area, then that can indeed influence the result of that calculation and cause it to update its effect on the image. Dehaze is known for this, and I wouldn't be surprised if the new adaptive profiles would also react that way.

[gadgetgeek2000]

Resetting the photo and then removing the white doesn't change the exposure. So now to figure out what is doing it.

Removed masks

Removed dehaze

Removed Tone curve

Removed Sharpening

Removed manual noise reduction

Reset whitebalance

Reset presence 

At this point EVERYTHING on the photo is reset except the tone section in the Basic panel. Nothing there should be AI or calculated, I'm just boosting areas of the photo with a slider. Right?

If I reset the Highlights/Shadows/Whites/Blacks sliders there are zero changes to exposure when I add the Remove.

Maybe this particular photo has a lot of black and a little white, but I just don't think the overall exposure should change so dramatically by removing an object from the photo.

[gadgetgeek2000]

Cropping that same area out of the photo rather than using the remove tool does not change the exposure. This is either a bug or a quirk of using Lightroom.

[JohanElzenga]

Could you post the original photo on something like Dropbox and post a link here, so others can try to reproduce what you see? That can determine if this is some quirk in Lightroom, or something local. If this is a raw file, then try if Photoshop/Camera Raw shows the same thing.

[gadgetgeek2000]

Here is a link to a small JPG that replicates the problem. I have saved develop settings in the file so hopefully the sliders will be set when you import it.

Remove the solid white incense stick on the bottom and you can see what it does for you. For me it changes the entire exposure of the image.

20250215-DSC09029.jpg

[JohanElzenga]

I see the same thing, but I also see that your edits are quite extreme with very high Highlights and Shadows adjustments in the base panel, and more Highlights and Shadows adjustments in a mask. Highlights and Shadows are also algorithms like I was talking about, so I think what is going on here is what I explained. If I remove all edits, then there is no effect on the image when I remove the white stick. So my advice for something like this (or even for all photos) is: always remove what you don't want first, then make your image edits.

[gadgetgeek2000]

1. The mask plays no part. Delete it.  I thought it had been removed but it copied/pasted in.

2. Now try to crop that area out of the photo instead of using the remove tool. No change to exposure. Calculation must not take any cropping into consideration.

3. White balance and Presence can also be removed. This isn't texture or dehaze.  It is only highlights, shadows, whites, and blacks.

The area I'm removing is so small compared with the overall pixels in the image. It barely even registers on the histogram. It is clipped to pure white. Removing such a small area has a dramatic impact to the exposure. I wouldn't expect that.

[JohanElzenga]

I wouldn't have expected it either, but it is as it is. Shadows and highlights are also algorithms and because the image is almost completely black, removing a bright object from it will have an effect if you have such extreme shadows and highlights adjustments, even if that object is fairly small. So take my advice and always remove unwanted objects before you start editing, not the other way around. That is also the advice for in case you add AI masks during your edits, so this is clearly the best order for all images.