"Non-Restore" Challenge 2

[Mhayes]

It is aimed more for sharpening filters, because once it comes back and doesn't pass QC, it can't be undone. I know that some photos need it, but QC will take that step as needed. What you are doing is fine especially on a photo that was ruled a non-restore.

Thanks Jonas, your reply came in same time as mine.

Margie


Footnote: To all those submitting to the challenges, please do not remove or delete your files from this thread.

[sagahr49]

Here is my WIP.  Like everyone else, I found most of the detail in the blue channel.  I took the advice of Athol and Jonas, and applied some noise reduction to this channel.  Unfortunately, the noise reduction built into PS isn't all that great.  Then I set about seeing if I could pick facial features out of the noise that was remaining using the good old patch tool, the clone stamp, and judicious use of the paint brush to shade the face.  I think I have gotten to a reasonable place with the face, and now I have to clean up the hair (ugh), the background, and the shirt and then figure out how to bring the color back into the image.  Lots of new stuff to learn!


ShultyN15_015_3pt25x3pt75_zps7f6d3c51_blue-1 by Steven Gahr, on Flickr

Regards,
Steve

[Tori803]

Hi Steve,

Looks like you're making good progress. I think, though, that the left eye (the one on our right) is not so wide open. If you look at a copy of the photo in CMYK mode, you'll see the yellow channel shows the eye looking more natural. I think it's damage that's making it look so wide open.

[G3User]

Agree with Tori about the eye size but I think the other eye is a bit narrow and perhaps a little wide to the LHS and exaggerates the effect.

Nice job of the shading, I presume you are still using a mouse :up:

Athol

[sagahr49]

@Tori .. my daughter looked at my restoration at the point that I posted it, and immediately told me her right eye was too big.   I will look at the CMYK channels when I am at my restoration computer.  I hope there is more info about the lips there too, because they don't look too natural to me yet.

@Athol .. Yes, am still using a mouse.  One of these days I will get a graphics tablet.  I would like to have the pressure sensitivity it offers.

I will post my current progress tomorrow.  I made a boo boo in doing her shirt, so I have to go back and correct that.  Should have paid more attention to the full color version.  I still need to figure out how I properly color the corrected blue layer.  I am thinking that through right now.  Any suggestions would be welcome!

Steve

[kiska]

JUST playing.

[sagahr49]

Here is my current WIP.  I like the wisps of hair on the right hand side of her face in Kiska's rendition.  I didn't see those through the damage on mine, but I think they look like they belong there.


ShultyN15_015_3pt25x3pt75_zps7f6d3c51_blue-1b by Steven Gahr, on Flickr

On to trying to get the color back and some more contrast in the hair without having to do a lot more clean up.

[Mhayes]

This is great Everyone! It is amazing to see the progress being made and I have picked up a lot from the tutorials. The one thing to be careful of is too not loose so much detail that the photo painted.

Margie

[Bambi]

Kiska definitely got the eyes right, too.

Bambi

[sagahr49]

To get the color back into the picture, I took the 'repaired' blue channel, and separated it into low and high frequencies.  I then pasted highly filtered, lightly cleaned color image in between the low frequency and high frequency layers in color mode.  I quickly smoothed the color layer using the clone and airbrush tools to even the color in the overall image.

At this point, I flattened the image.  The hair color and and skin tone needed a bit of improvement, so I added a layer in color mode to get the hair color better, and a layer in overlay mode to improve the color in her shirt.  I also used an overlay layer to do a bit of work on the skin tone, which could use a bit more work.


ShultyN15_015_3pt25x3pt75_zps7f6d3c51_color-1e by Steven Gahr, on Flickr

If I were to do this photo again (and I might just to get it better), I would be more careful with the hair, since I have lost a bit of the detail that I think was there, and I think my effort looks a bit 'painted'.  I will continue working on it to improve these issues.

[G3User]

Kiska, could I please have a description of your playing, eyes and mouth are excellent.

Steve, there comes a time with all images when going back to the beginning looses all it's charm and you just go backwards. Sometimes it is time to quit.

You have a very rough background and I am not sure about the color, what about having a crack at it?

Athol

[kiska]

Thanks Athol!
I'm afraid there are no super secrets here. I used the blue channel as a reference and painted on several layers. Obviously, just begun the fight. 8)

[kiska]

Mo' painting with texture added to the background and part of the shirt.

[sagahr49]

Kiska,

Really nice job so far.  Looks quite natural and nice job recovering the detail on the shirt.  I would suggest that her eyebrows are a bit high, and a bit too thin for a young lady this age.  I look forward to seeing your finished effort.

Regards,

Steve

[kiska]

Thanks Steve. Really haven't started on the face. Just blocked in a little.