Hi all..
I just received some feedback from Chris wondering about the bold and unicolor background on this portrait restoration I just completed. I am attaching the original damaged photo and the restoration and am looking for background suggestions that might enhance the quality of the image. I originally completed one restoration using a gradient background, but chose the unicolor after my son thought that the gradient didn't "look right". I used one of the colors I saw in the original background for the background of the portrait.
Any other ideas related to the improvement of the image will also be welcomed.
The images are referred here in print size.
Thanks for your help!
Pat
(http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2882/hagina118x10startbr4.jpg)
(http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/6168/hagina118x10complete5un1.jpg)
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff264/Charlene5_photos/hagina118x10complete5un1.jpg)
Hi Pat,
I think your background needs some depth and texture - it's too flat and it makes the figures look a bit two dimensional. I did three things to your picture. I noticed that the poor woman had orange bits wandering around on her skin. I did a selective color adjustment and shoved that yellow slider all the way to the left. In Photoshop it's in the Layers menu. Choose Selective Color, go to yellow in the drop down menu, and give the slider a push all the way to the left. Instant fix! I did a layer of large, soft noise on a 50% gray background and put that over your blue. On top of that I put a black to transparent radial black gradient. It adds some depth and tooth to the background and brings your eye to the figures.
You did a nice job on the restore!
MJ, who is thinking about laying in bed watching TV and eating Cheetohs. Doesn't that sound decadent? :)
Thanks Charlene, Terrific tips!!!
I will work your suggestions into the image
and resubmit..
Thanks so much for your help!
Pat
Pat,
Another approach is to use a Pattern Fill layer in PS on top of the plain background color. Pick the most random pattern you have available and enlarge it as far as you can. Adjust the fill control for that layer to 10% or so, you can use the move tool to shift the pattern to the most artistic position. You can even add more than one pattern fill layer for a more random result and add gradients if you desire
Used that style of background in the last image I posted.
Athol
Hi Pat,
How's the weather in our lovely sunny Arizona? I envy you, when I got up this morning it was only 7 degrees Celsius, brrr!
Your restoration looks great, just a few little things I might add to MJ and Athol's recommendations?
I used MJ's example and then took the the original photo and tried to copy some shadows back in the lady's face. Then I also tried to soften all the sharp edges and smooth the blouse just a little. I would also tone down the teeth a bit even though the owner might appreciate the MacCleans smile!
If you get stuck with anything please don't hesitate ask, we will be more than pleased to pick on you again!
I'm just kidding Pat, I think you are only a few tweaks away from sending the picture back home!
Hannie
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb18/marijtje2/OPR/shade.jpg)
Thanks Hannie and Atho for you kind help and suggestions!
Weather has been unseasonably hot here in the desert.
97F on Monday, a new record!
Hopefully, we will return to the winter norms soon!
However, all in all, it still beats shoveling snow!
All the best,
Pat :loveit:
It's 26 degrees here this morning, with a heavy frost on the ground, and snow in the mountain tops!
Chris
Temperature dropped below freezing for the first time last Sunday. We are going into November with only small proportion of the trees changing color. This is the greenest October I can remember here in the last 20+ years. The city scheduled three leaf collections each fall and two already passed without much leaves to collect. I hope this is only a temporary temperature fluctuation not a long term trend.
This is the time of year that I adore being in Florida. Our prediction for the next few days is low 70s during the day and high 50s at night. We've just begun to feel fall in the air and soon will be able to turn off the air conditioners. We've had a few much-needed rainy days, but right now it's sunny and gorgeous.
Here's how our trees change color in fall:
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n222/glennab-fla/RainTree.jpg)
three or four days later
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n222/glennab-fla/RainTree102006.jpg)
This is the golden rain tree in our front yard. It's aptly named, because in fall it first blooms with millions of tiny yellow flowers that literally rain on the yard. For a couple days the front lawn is covered in gold – beautiful! Then the flowers morph into gorgeous salmon-colored pods. Once the display is over all the leaves fall off and it looks pretty sad for a few months. Right now the city is ablaze with the pods. Exquisite!
Glenna
Glenna, you are so lucky to have a view like that! My neighbour's golden rain tree only gets the yellow flowers, no pretty pods.
I miss the sun...and I'm so envious of all of you living in warm states! (I think I might just turn you all into toads anyways, just out of spite)
Hannie
Quote from: Hannie on October 31, 2007, 03:28:07 PM
(I think I might just turn you all into toads anyways, just out of spite)
Hannie
Hannie I think you need to lay down in your closet with a hot water bottle and your favorite toy until your mood improves ::running away real fast::
:funny:
Everyone, I am warning you not to get Hannie stirred up as strange things are happening around here!
Glenna, lovely picture of the Golden Rain trees, the ones here the pods stay a brown color.
Thats a beautiful tree Glenna. We are having our typical spring weather here, all 4 seasons in 1 day. ::)
We have had some doozie storms here the last few days...I love the look of spring but loathe what it does to me!!
Hannie, I have a much better idea than creating toads from your fellow volunteers. Get your butt on a plane and come visit! You're always welcome to come join me in my little crumbled house overrun with cats, cat hair and various other types of cat debris. And October, November, March and April are glorious in Central Florida.
One thing I especially love is that we have flowers all year round. Unless we have a deep freeze (seldom) I can have my potted plants outside all year. Usually right about now I'm putting out planters full of double impatiens (they look like tiny roses), but I've been rather distracted with OPR and my yard's not the showplace it used to be. One hazard of year-round plants and flowers, is year-round maintenance. Lotsa work!
I'll get the futon ready for you.
Hugs,
Glenna
Beautiful pictures of the rain tree Glenna. We have a builder here named Raintree and I never knew there is actually a kind of tree with that name. Around here the only outdoor maintenance we need to do is shovel the snow off driveway and sidewalk.
OK everyone, the spell is broken, no more bug eating!
Something strange happened, this morning I posted a reply here and it seems to have disappeared! ???
Glenna you are such a darling, It would be so tempting to take up on your sweet offer! I have to be honest and admit that the transatlantic flights have taken their toll on me over the years, I am getting too old. I used to fly over there every year but now I haven't seen my family in 3 years and they don't like that, shame on me.
Still, it is a lovely thought and I thank you for it!
:loveit:
Hannie
Tree is breathtaking Glenna! We're in full fall foliage here in New England, also beautiful but our little household has been cursed of late -- one child with pneumonia and the other child with croup. (It's been a harried few weeks!) Happily both are OK and on the mend, though I have a feeling that the croup is going to be problematic through the season change... :(
I spent a half hour yesterday composing an entry on my latest image and it too mysteriously disappeared into cyberspace!
Hi!
Kerry, I'm glad your kids are on the mend. Awful when they get sick. Really don't like those respiratory monsters. They can take the stuffing out of you! We usually get a lot of that starting in November, because we have so many visitors from all over the world, and we're not immune to some of the bugs they bring with them. I can't tell you how many Christmas seasons I've had to do my shopping hacking and coughing from a cold, flu or bronchitis. (Thank goodness for Amazon.com!)
There's that Mercury in retrograde syndrome again. I swear, I'm beginning to believe there is a tie-in to computer glitches. My computer at work is being a brat today. She usually just purrs along, and now, at deadline, she's balking at everything I try to do. (Do computers get PMS?)
Chen, you can have your snow! It's beautiful, but we're accustomed to walking out the door in our shirtsleeves most of the year. I've lived in Florida-like conditions all my adult life, and I've had some interesting, if uncomfortable experiences on snowy days when visiting my family in Maine. The one that makes the best story (especially to Mainers) was the day I had to go get meds for my Mom, jumped in the car, got to the main road and couldn't see well -- so I turned on the windshield washers. Needless to say, I spent some time at the side of the road, windshield covered with ice and cursing myself for being so stupid! We're warm-weather wusses!
Hannie, the invitation stands if you ever change your mind. Oh, and I wanted to clarify that even though I said to get your butt on the plane, I'd as soon you bring the rest of you, too!
It's nice to see you back to normal. Those toad threats were getting scary.
Welcome to November, everyone. Where has the year gone?????
Cheers
Glenna