I just downloaded ThompsonA and I have a question.
(http://[img]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z43/Hoodman3/ThompsonA_5_12.5x4.jpg)[/img]
The photo seems to be in an oval mat and the black part on the left is space behind the actual photo. Should I move the photo so it is centered on the mat or just crop the mat out totally and make the photo rectangular? Either way I will need to create the rest of the right side of the photo.
Any help will be appreciated.
Pete
(http://[img]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z43/Hoodman3/ThompsonA_5_12.5x4.jpg)[/img]
Sorry, can't seem to get the photo to show. Will keep trying.
Sorry
Pete
(http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z43/Hoodman3/ThompsonA_5_12.5x4.jpg)
Personally, I would extrapolate the gray background and maybe the edge of his arm to get rid of the black and the arch at the top. That will give them more options when reframing the photo.
It seems to me that if the photo was skewed in the mat that OPR would have straightened it before copying. If so the man is really off center in the photo and I need to create the info in the left space. I'm scared to do anything right now except fix what I know to be good info.
Thanks
Pete
Pete, it would probably be a good idea let Admin make the final call, but depending on the size of the photo, I'd think the best way to handle it would be to crop the left side to get him more in the center, as well as crop the top closer to his head and fill any white that's left with the background color. I'd try to get it proportionate to a standard size photo for easier framing. There's nothing interesting in the background that would be lost, and I think that cropping a little of his arm on the left where the black area interferes with the photo would improve the look without losing important information or having to add to his arm.
Something like this:
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n222/glennab-fla/ThompsonA_5_12.5x4.jpg)
Glenna
Glenna, I agree 100%. I'm working on the coat, face & background until I hear from Admin.
Thanks
Pete
Hi Pete,
You are OK with cropping out the black on the left side of the photo, as that is apparently part of a matte or frame or something. It was an odd shaped photo to begin with, so I'd probably try and keep as much of the original shape as you can. However, you may also want to do another version with it squared off at the top, perhaps leaving a bit more space at the top than Glenna did.
I hope this helps with your restoration. Good luck!
Christine
Christine, thanks for getting back so soon. I tried a crop set at projected print size, 4 x 5 and got about the same result as Glenna. I can crop more rectangularly, say 4 x 7, but that may not be what the owner wants. I would like to straighten the man if I do crop and that will cause more of the image to be lost. I'll post different examples when I get the rest fixed.
Thanks again
Pete
Hi Pete,
Go ahead and straighten the image. Some of the images got photography/scanned crooked, so I've come across a few crooked ones! You could always leave it a 4x7, and when it comes time to print, the printer will size it accordingly.
Thanks!
Christine
Christine, how does this look? I don't like the colors and I'm still working on some of the details.
(http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z43/Hoodman3/ThompsonA_extract-copy_opt.jpg)
All comments welcome
Pete
I did a little dodge and burn around the original moustache area. I think it may look a little more like this. It looks like some shadow area was mistaken as moustache. Although it could just be the way I see it.
(http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/5376/moustachemw7.jpg)
All I can say is: Man, I wish my moustache looked like that!
Kurt
Thanks phischer, you might be right. His mustache is a bit gnarly the way I've got it. Think I'll give it a try on a different layer.
Pete
How does this one look? Am I on the right track?(http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z43/Hoodman3/ThompsonA_extract-copy_opt-1.jpg)
Thanks for comments
Pete
Hi Pete,
He is coming up well, only thing I see is I think the "highlight" on his chin may be damage from the area I have outlined, it seem to large an area and the wrong shape to be a natural lighting feature.
(http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/851/thompsona5125x4hv0.jpg)
Max
Pete, I think you've done a wonderful job. Especially in blending the jacket where the fading was funky looking. I agree with Max about the chin. Much too light to be natural. Ditto the light area to the right as we look at him that's possibly a continuation of the same damage. I'd blend that in to match the rest of the background.
I so want to pull his jacket down and get rid of the wrinkles! But they're in the original, so no artificial, even if improved, tweaks!
And Kurt, I wish my moustache looked that good too, darn it!
Glenna
I believe sepia image is an imitation of the aging of a picture and therefore should not have any white left.
All these mustache talk, I am going to stop shaving.
I would give his hair another look. It looks to me like his hair got a little more angled on the top. I would round it slightly so that it matches the original and blur that top edge a little so that it looks more natural.
I have a question about this photo, which I think is finished. In the time period this photo was taken there was no color photography so any color I found was caused by age or stain. I took the color out with a selective color layer and added a brown fill adjustment layer, which after schen comment I turned it off. I also burned the chin a bit to darken. Here's what I've got.
(http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z43/Hoodman3/ThompsonA_extract-copy_opt-2.jpg)
Please let me know what you think as I want to upload this weekend
Thanks
Pete
Juliet, are you referring to the top of his head?
Juliet, does this look better?
(http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z43/Hoodman3/ThompsonA_extract-copy_opt-3.jpg)
Yes, I think that is a huge improvement.
Didn't miss many meals did he! lol Great job though. :up:
Nope ...he could never say he wasn't fed! :funny: You have done an excellent restore though!
Sanbie
It's great to see these old photos come back to life. :up2: