Use of cyan layer

[Hannie]

Hi everyone!

I'm working on a B/W portrait of a very handsome young man, fair amount of damage.  I looked at the RGB channels and none were any better than  the other.  When I looked at the CMYK channels the cyan seemed to have very little damage. 
I tried pasting the cyan as a layer in the RGB using the luminosity blending mode but that still showed too much of the underlying damage.
Do you have any suggestions for me how I can make the most of this cyan layer?

:hug:

Hannie

[schen]

If it is a B/W portrait, can you just use the cyan layer and discard the rest of the layers?   I'd never thought about going into CMYK for a B/W picture.  Could you post the image for me to try?

[mschonher]

Hi Hannie, welcome home.
I've been experimenting with formal photos doing clean up by working on the blue channel at first, it's easier to see all the crud in that blue channel and I suppose the cyan channel is working for you in the same way in this instance. After the clean up I converted the photo back to RGB I used the primary coloring technique to paint in the flesh tones, hair,background etc. There is a good tutorial on this technique at Worth 1000. I used the brush from Furiae to do the painting. You could us any brush that gives you the results you're looking for, they will recommend a big soft brush at Worth. Check out this tutorial as I think it has good potential to help with some of our restorations.

I don't know if this will be of any help to you Hannie, but it might be worth looking into................Mary

[Hannie]

Chen and Mary, thanks for your reaction.  I forgot to post the photo before, enjoy!

:hug:

Hannie

[mschonher]

Hi Hannie,
I'm so jealous, this is a wonderfull photograph...I just love the old ones. Is this the the cmyk version? It doesn't look too damaged to my eye but then this isn't the hi res version, also, I didn't realize that this was a black and white photo. Obviously, you don't need to paint in any color! Good luck with this handsome guy, I just love those dreamy eyes.
Mary

[schen]

Hannie,

I love the file name  :)

The cyan layer seemed to give the least blotchy image but the contrast is poor.  The blue layer usually gives the best tonal quality of the image but at the same time is the noisiest.

I would suggest that you put cyan layer over the blue layer (create two images by discarding the other layers.)  Use mask to extract the features you like more from the blue layer.  The way I see it, part of the hair, the eyes, the collars are much better in blue layer.  The face, neck and the background are better in cyan.

Chen

[Mhayes]

Hi Hannie,

What a great looking photo. Here is another way to work with your cyan layer. I went this route when I did the oval photo with the baby and small girl. It was the one that you were able to pull the most color out of the fabric on the chair. In the end, it went to B/W because there was too much information missing. Try this and see how you come out:
In PhotoShop (CMYK mode) go up to Image>Calculations. You will have a Source 1 and Source 2, which you could make both channels Cyan. On the Source 2, play with the best blending choice and also lower the Opacity as needed. This may be a case where you do two layers and mask. Look forward to your progress.  :)

Margie

[Hannie]

Chen, that is great advice, I will try that.  I agree with what you say about the poor contrast in the cyan channel and the tonal quality of the blue channel.  It'll be fun to try working with masks and such, I do way too little of that.

Mary, I have been through a bit of  a rough spot these last 3 months and I think I fully deserve to work with this fine looking young man, just to have a break!   :halo:

:hug:

Hannie

edit:  Margie, just saw your reply, that also sounds good.  I will give it a try, may the best method win!

[glennab]

Doggone it, Hannie, you were too quick for me.  I saw this gorgeous guy in the galleries and realized that he looks a bit like a younger version of my hubby, so I was going to try to nab him.  I wonder if he's aged as beautifully as my beloved has.  Lon just had his 61st birthday, and most people think he's in his 40s.  They probably think it's sweet that he takes his mother with him wherever he goes (i.e. moi!).

Do any of you photographers have knowledge or a theory as to why the blue (or cyan) channel usually has the best information in so many of these restorations?  Is it the nature of the damage, or a function of that color that allows so much more to be gleaned than from the other colors, whether RGB or CMYK.  Usually the yellow is worthless.  Because at my job I'm accustomed to working with pristine photos or ones that need only minor color adjustment, I'd never considered the question before.  It's part of what we do that really interests me.

Cheers,

Glenna

[cmpentecost]

It's the machine Glenna...you know....our spotting machine.  We're currently working on methods to create damage that will require use of the other channels!  :funny:

Chris

[Hannie]

Glenna, what ARE you doing wasting time sitting at the computer when you have a man looking like that walking around the house?   Shame on you! :P

baffled,

Hannie

[mschonher]

 Hannie, I was bored today so I played with your handsome young man..... sort of speaking....but took a much more simple approach. Probably because I don't know how to do that complicated stuff you technical guys are talking about. I did an adjustment layer>hue saturation>chose yellows and moved the sat slider to take out some of the bold yellow tone until it looked good to my eyes. Then I did the usual levels adjustment and a few other simple things, I can send it to you Hannie if you want to see it, but I won't post it because I practically finished it... I'm always afraid of stepping on someones toes so I hope you're not mad. I had nothing to do this afternoon and I wanted to play. I like doing this restoration stuff way too much.........Mary

[cmpentecost]

Nothing to do?? Wow, you can come and help me sort photos and stuff and address envelopes, vacuum and dust, scoop the litter box, wash the floors, cook dinner, etc., etc.!   :D

Just kidding!  I think (hope) we've all put our egos aside when we post our images, because the input everyone provides only helps us do a better restoration and provides the owner with the best photo possible.  I have learned SO much just by seeing and reading how some of these restorations are done.  I know you have a lot of talent Mary, especially based on your art background, so I think you offer a wonderful input to our restorations!

Christine

[glennab]

Chris, I so agree with you that our egos need to be set aside when we do this work.  Mary, you're such an asset with your knowledge and talent, it's wonderful to see you posting more and more.  You've helped me many times with my dilemmas.  If we get our backs up when someone offers constructive suggestions, we're defeating the purpose of giving our families back the best possible restorations.

Hannie, my hubby doesn't suffer from neglect, believe me.  Not only is he beautiful but he's one of the most decent human beings imaginable.  He gets hit on all the time, but I'm pretty secure, and I don't blame other women for finding him irresistible. I think he is! (Besides, my daughters keep an eye on him when they're out with us, and they're quick to step between their dad and any woman who appears to have designs on him.  My team!)

As for cleaning litter, Ms Bozeman, there's a much more needy person in Gulfport.  Most of my cats are HUGE (up to 22 pounds), so I scoop a bucket full of asteroids every morning before heading off to work.  Any volunteers?

Regarding your muck-up machine: I wouldn't be surprised if you've figured out a way to sneak hidden channels into the images (i.e., the mauve or puce channel) just to keep us from getting complacent.  After all this time, I know your act!

Anyway, I do ramble.  Better head for bed.  Bad deadline day tomorrow.  Ugh!

Cheers

Glenna

[schen]

...
Do any of you photographers have knowledge or a theory as to why the blue (or cyan) channel usually has the best information in so many of these restorations?
...

Glenna

I don't know and I would like to know.  I love color theory.