First restoration (finally got the pictures to show)

[Alan_P]

I switched to photobucket Thanks Margie.

Any comments are welcome. I have two questions. I used the curves eyedroppers to set the white, black and midtones based on thresholds and a grey layer set to difference mode. One of the books I have read said to set the midpoint eyedroper to 133,133,133. WHy not 128,128,128?


If this were my photo I would have used the free transform to straighten the left side. I assume that would not be correct for a restoration Is that right?

Alan

[Mhayes]

Hi Alan,

You don't want to link from PhotoShelter,  but rather one of the three free imaging share sites that you see listed (visible only when signed into the OPR Forum) on the upper left hand side under the Official OPR Handbook: Photobucket, ImageShack, and Picasa. I like Photbucket the best and it was simple to use, but lately Photobucket has decided to add some razzle dazzle to their site and forget simple!

When you post to the forum, reduce your photo's resolution to 72 dpi or else reduce the size of your photo and keep at its original resolution of 300 dpi. Make sure this is a copy rather than doing it to the original or you will have the wrong size when you upload. I made a special folder on my hard drive named PhotoBucket and that way all of my posted files are there. In Photobucket once you are signed in you will have the option of getting an image off your hard drive and uploading it to Photobucket. You will click on save and then go back to the your home page. Here is where the razzle dazzle has made things different than before. Now you will click on the image and then click Share. You will then have a window with more choices than before and for posting an image pick: Image for Bulletin & Forum>Right click for copy if you are on a PC. Once you are back in the OPR forum, right click again and hit paste the link.

Hope this is not too confusing. Also, PhotoBucket has hid the Log Out and you have to find by clicking at the top where you see your log in name and click on that to find Log Out.


Margie

[Mhayes]

Hi Alan,

Sorry for the slow response, but when you added to your original post it doesn't show up as a recent post.

The numbers that you list for changing  the midtone (gray eye dropper) are numbers that Scott Kelby uses and appear in his The Adobe Photoshope (CS series and up and maybe before then) for Digital Photographers. There is nothing wrong with 128, but Scott feels he gets a better picture by using:

Black Eye Dropper (Shadow)
R:7
G7
B:7

Gray Eye Dropper (Midtone)
R:133
B:133
G:133

White Eye Dropper (Highlights)
R:245
G:245
B:245


I use Scott's numbers and would recommend his book listed above as the illustrations are very helpful.

Your photo looks pretty good, but the walls seem to have a rosy appearance where I think they are more of an off white. I very seldom use the white eye dropper unless I know something is really white, because it will blow your highlights out. In your case this didn't happen. My first choice is the gray eye dropper and this photo has and easy choice with the fireplace for both black and gray.

As to straightening up the photo with a free transform, that is perfectly OK if you keep the original dimensions. I think the reason for it being titled is from how the photographer took the picture. Luckily the woman is straight.

When I downloaded your photo, I notice clone marks where the tape was on the photo. I also noticed the clone marks along the edge of the wall on your left by the fireplace. These need to be smoothed out. Sometimes when you have a area with a straight edge, it is easier to find good areas and use your marquee tool to select on to a new layer and then more into place. With a layer mask you will be able to fine tune. You may also want to feather your selection a few pixels. The patch tool is also very useful.

Otherwise a nice restore.

Margie

[Hannie]

Welcome to the forum Alan, nice restore so far!
When you make changes to your restore it is a good idea to make a new post, Margie already mentioned that. 
One more tip to add: before using the grey dropper do a simple levels adjustment layer in the separate RGB channels as explained in the OPR Handbook (link on the left side of this page). 

Hannie

[Alan_P]

Hi everyone.

Thanks for the input on the eyedropper levels. I uploaded the image already so I will not do any additional work on this one. I will post all future work on the forums for comments.

Alan

[Mhayes]

Hi Alan,

That is fine, but you are always able to upload revisions to your work on PhotoShelter.

Margie