Photoshop: Help w/Smart Objects and/or RAW edits

LiveAwake

Hello all,

I wouldn't call myself a complete novice with Photoshop, but my knowledge certainly has some big holes, and I'm also pretty new to the world of RAW, so here's a question for the experts.

I've managed to discover how to make needed adjustments in Camera RAW, then open as a Smart Object so that I can apply further adjustments without losing the ability to go back and modify my adjustments to the RAW file. So far so good.

However, I seem to be limited to "filter" type adjustments, or at least only adjustments that can constitute a separate layer. I'm working on a picture right now of a great sunset over a volcanic landscape, and I need to edit out a few distracting radio towers on the horizon. I seem to be unable to use the "Spot Healing" tool without first "rasterizing" the background layer, which from what I can tell means I lose all the advantages of a Smart Object, because I can no longer go back and adjust my RAW settings. Is there any way to make edits of this kind without cementing my RAW adjustments?

Thanks all in advance for your help.

colourbox

There is a Spot Removal tool in the Camera Raw toolbar. It's not as nice as the one in Photoshop, but determined people have managed to clone out all kinds of things with it. Open the Smart Object in Camera Raw and try the tool. And of course since it's in Camera Raw, it's nondestructive spot removal; you can change or remove the edits anytime.

LiveAwake

colourbox wrote:

There is a Spot Removal tool in the Camera Raw toolbar. It's not as nice as the one in Photoshop, but determined people have managed to clone out all kinds of things with it. Open the Smart Object in Camera Raw and try the tool. And of course since it's in Camera Raw, it's nondestructive spot removal; you can change or remove the edits anytime.

Thanks, I'll give that a shot. I must have overlooked it before . . .