Some final help needed with this photo

[Lorraine]

Hi all,

After spending countless hours trying to match the herringbone pattern on this boy's jacket, I would like everyone to take a look at my close-to-final product. 

After doing a levels adjustment, the jacket appeared to me to be more black and white than the brown in the original.  Also, judging the colors in his shirt and tie, I'm tending to leave it with the black and white.   

My other concerns are:

The top of the hair.   I left it pretty much as it was but it anyone can see where I can enhance that, I'd appreciate your comments. 

Also, the shading on the right-facing lapel and collar.  Since they weren't there to begin with,  I might have not defined them well enough.  However, the lines show up more clearly that you can see in the full 5X7 reproduction.

Finally, if anyone sees a mismatch in the jacket, please let me know. :funny:

Thank you,

Lorraine

[Tess (Tassie D)]

What a great job you've done on the photo Lorraine. :up: That pattern on the jacket would have had me crosseyed.  :D You could try dodging the top of the hair with a very fine brush then softening it to blend in but its not that evident in the original anyway.

[mschonher]

Hi Lorraine,

You've done a wonderful job on this one andI think he looks fab the way he is with the exception of one tiny thing.  The piece of hair sticking out on our left.  I'd take it out.  Of course that's just my opinion and I'm sure many would disagree.  If it doesn't add anything nice to the photo than why keep it there?  If that were my son's photo I'd want it off.

Mary   :hug:

[glennab]

Lorraine, what a fantastic job!  I saw this handsome young guy and thought I might want to try him until I looked at the jacket.  Nuh uh!

The only place I see anything untoward is right at the seam of the sleeve & shoulder on our right.  There's a small patch of pattern that jumps out, and I can't figure out why.  I think it might be just slightly lighter than the rest or slightly mis-aligned.  Minor stuff on an incredible restoration.

It appears to me that you're spot on making the jacket black.  Your color correction is great, and that would take away the brown cast.

Cheers!

GK

[Mhayes]

Lorraine, what a beautiful job you have done on this one!  :up:

[Lorraine]

Hi Tassie, Mary, Glenna and MarCat. 

Thank you all for taking the time to help me out with this. 

Glenna -- I saw what you pointed out on the shoulder area, and it was much too defined.  So I've worked on that.  Thanks for confirming my color choices for the jacket.


Mary, I did want to take that piece of hair out and have now done that.   I wasn't sure if I could do anything that wasn't true to the original.  But it does look so much better.  Thank you.  P.S. -- This is the one where I used your technique of replacing the background first.  It helped greatly with setting the color tones.

I think he's now ready to go.

Lorraine

[Hannie]

Lorraine, it looks great, you've done a beautiful job!  :up2:

Hannie

[Lorraine]

Thank you, Hannie.

Lorraine

[mschonher]

Glenna, you've quite an eagle eye which is really amazing for a Kraken   ;D

Mary

[glennab]

Lorraine, he looks wonderful!

Mary, we Krakens have skills far beyond normal humans.  But I don't want to intimidate anyone (nyuk nyuk!), so I keep most of them to myself.

I also own part of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which I'm parceling off in half-mile sections for a VERY reasonable price.

Hugs!

GK