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Removing the cracks

Flash Cards

Tiddy the Mighty Hunter

Dugan009

[SweetSam]

Hi!

I am not exactly new here, but have not done any restoring for  OPR in a couple of years, so I'm back.
I got the invite to help the other day, & I have the time, so here I am! I helped a couple of years back, with just a few photos, and i think I only finished one! Most were more of a challenge than I thought they would be.

I have a lot of Photoshop experience, and other digital graphics software as well. I have an art background, and could always draw pretty well ...maybe that will help. I don't have a lot of experience with retouching ...just a little, and I know some techniques. I hope I can help here! Some of the things I LOVE to do are photorealistic digital painting & illustration. I'm using P'shop CS2 at home, but may have access to a newer version at the community college where I work & go to school, starting again next week

I bought a book on restoring photos a few years back when I tried to help with some of the photos for OPR, but then I got too busy with other things!

I think what I can do well is clean spots and usually repair tears, but I'm not sure what I can with extensive damage! I remember that we are not supposed to "invent" parts we can't see.
Any tips will be helpful!

Right now, I'm working on my first project since being back, and I'm not sure what part of the forum to ask for advice on! This is because in most of the photo, the people are easy to see with just a few spots to clean up, but the foreground is a mess. There are parts of their lower legs that are not showing due to extensive damage on the bottom of the photo! So, what do I do? Do I crop it? Do I fill that part in with a solid color or something? (I hope it's OK to ask these questions here.)

Thanks!
~ SweetSam (Debbie)

[Mhayes]

Debbie,

Great to have you back. The best thing to do is to use a site like Photobucket (free-see link LH) where you can store your image and then use a link to post on the forum. Make sure to post the before and your WIP. Do not crop unless you ask your distributor. Post your photo and then we can tell you how to go about repairing it. Rember to color correct first.

Margie

[SweetSam]

Ooh, it looks like I forgot to color-correct. I guess i have to start over. No big deal, as all I did was clean up some spots. It was good practice!

I do have a photobucket. I'll post my attempts later tonight.

Thanks, Margie!
~ Debbie

[SweetSam]

I've done some color correction on this image, and now will be fixing the spots.

Here is my main question: What should I do about the bottom? When I picked the photo, I did not see the extent of the damage. I thought there were some flower bushes or something in the foreground(!) & just some spots on the image ...thought it was an easy one to fix.

Before I go on, any opinion about what to do about all this damage in the front? I tried viewing each channel separately & with some levels adjustments to see if I could find more of image, but there seems to be no information under what I looks like an unfortunate obliteration from the elements.

Thanks.
~ Debbie

Original:


Just color corrected so far:

[kiska]

Maybe you could crop it something like this. Keep the 5x3.5 dimension at 300 res.

[SweetSam]

Hi kiska,
I was thinking of something very much like that. Would I be allowed? Would I have to ask the owners of the photo first, and if I do, how would i get in touch with them?

Thanks.
~ Debbie

[kiska]

Yes, that would be fine. The main focus of the pic (the people) will still be there. Same dimensions at 300, please.

[Mhayes]

Debbie, Kiska is right and that would be OK to crop. As long as we OK with the dimensions, you are free to crop.

Thanks,

Margie

[SweetSam]

OK, good. Thanks for the info & quick replies! Would you suggest making the "mess" a solid color, or blurring it, maybe, or just leaving it?

[Mhayes]

I would try to making the two on the left with their pants continuing down. Restore what you can of the chair and then have the rest can be dark like what you see under and around the table.

Margie

[SweetSam]

Sounds like a good idea. Thank you!