before and after

[MB]

Final inspection needed!

[Mhayes]

MB, this is a hard one because of it being a hand painted photo. What would normally work to get a better color balance won't work here. Previously everyone wanted to see a warmer tone, but now it is too much. In the last example, it appears too orange. The shift has now made the lady's dress and pearls orange. The same for the man's shirt and boutonniere which need to be more to a cream color. I would go back to the original and use layer masks to protect colors. I'm also not sure why the change in texture in the background. I look in the middle of the original and it is fairly smooth, but the changes show more of a rough texture.

The other thing that I would change is to not have a dark gradient fade out from the man's suit outward as you loose the oval shape of the picture. I would also restore the lady's dress down rather than darken it downward. You can borrow info from above to do this.

You have done some good repair work, so don't give up.

Margie

[kiska]

MB, this you might try. It does need more tweaking. I selected the black, inverted the selection, THEN did a levels adj. on each channel. Then a curves, click the middle dropper, then test differen areas on the background. A new layer set to color to calm the yellow some more. Selective color to desat the yellow in the red, magenta, yellow channels.

[Hannie]

Kiska, the color looks good!  I tried to follow but get as far as the grey dropper experimenting in background.  
What did you do with the color layer?  I can see some painting there but not sure how you calmed the yellow there.

After that when I try to use the selective color adjustments it only affects the color layer underneath?

questions, questions...

Hannie

[kiska]

On the color layer I painted to lessen the blue cast in the man's jacket, etc. Also, added a little 'rose' to the woman's left cheek and lips. The selective color adjust will affect all layers. If the skin is too yellow the rest of the photo will also have that yellow cast.

In fact, I think I brought the yellow down in the white too.

[Hannie]

Thanks Kiska. 
When I add a selective color adjustment layer from the fast menu on the right side (CS4) it automatically adds a a clipping mask to the previous layer. 
I had to select the selective color adjustment layer from the drop down menu on top, there I can uncheck the "create clipping mask" box.

Hannie

[kiska]

mmmm. I have cs3........don't seem to have the clipping mask option.

[lurch]

Kiska,
In CS3, if you hover your cursor just over the line between layers and press the option (or alt on a pc) key, the cursor will change to a double circle thingy. Click then and you will clip the layer above the line to the layer below.

[kiska]

Thanks Lurch,I knew that. Just don't have the clip mask option included with the adjustment layers like Hannie seems to be saying.

[Hannie]

I wonder if there is a way, other than the upper drop down menu, to add adjustment layers without a clipping mask

(I'm sorry about hijacking your thread Morgan!)

[MB]

Thanks, for all the suggestions.  I will keep trying to fix the color.   I tried working with the layers yesterday and I  followed Kiska suggestions, but i did not get get the same results.  I will keep tying to get similar colors.

Margie, the background texture...i thought i was supposed to add texture to it.  On one of my postings someone said that i should keep texture in the photo.  What do you want me to do about the texture?

[Mhayes]

MB, you want to keep texture in a photo, but the key is keep what is in the original texture, not add something that isn't there. If a photo has parts that are devoid of any information, than adding texture to match with the rest of the photo would be needed. For instance, the lady's dress towards the bottom would be better to extend it down and have the same texture that is showing above. The same goes for the man's suit.

Don't get backed into a corner where you are having so many problems that this becomes a nightmare. If you need a break and would like someone else to take this one and your other photo, and maybe try an easier photo, that would be fine.

Margie

[MB]

I will correct the texture as you want & I will try to correct the color some.  I dont think I can do as good as Kiska.  Maybe Kiska should give the photo the final color adjustment.  I did not know that we could transfer the photo.   It makes sense not to waist time trying to correct something that i can not fix.  I could be spending my time on something else.  thanks Margie

[Mhayes]

Hi MB,

Yes, anytime a volunteer runs into a photo that they have come to a dead end on, may request that their photo be returned back to the gallery. You may send your work along and the next volunteer may or may not want to use your restore. All of us have had photos that just didn't work out. Let me know if you would like to return  this photo. It is no problem.

Thanks,

Margie

[MB]

No, no....i will finish the photo...