Help needed

[michaelkay]

Hi All
This is my first post so I hope I get it right. I'm having problems with the lady's face in this restore. Whatever I try to do I can't seem to improve it. Could anyone offer suggestions please.
Cheers
Michael

[Hannie]

Hi Michael,

Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your work with us.
You have come along way on your first OPR restore and cleaned up a lot of the damage, well done!
From what I can see from the lady's face I'd say you're on the right track.  Just a little damage left on the right side of her face and her nose needs to be built up some. 
You could use the blue channel to get an idea of what the shading on her face looks like.  I tried to do it but when I pasted the blue channel on your restore I noticed that it is a different size.  You can use the uncropped version of your restore and add the blue channel layer of the original photo to that.

I have one pick and that is the wall and front (white part) of the couch.  You have selected the area and painted over it but I would like to suggest you try and use the detail that is still there.  You can clone or use the patch tool to copy the good parts to the damaged area.

No matter how carefully we select the background, after we replace it the result always looks a little off.  The reason it doesn't look quite right is the loss of subtle shading.  Another reason is the aura effect where a thin white line is all around the unselected area, the guy's head in this case.
(For visibility reason I've applied a little curves adjustment to the aura example below.)

Hannie

[rlmichael]

Hi Hannie, I did not know where to go for this question, since you mentioned it I thought I would ask you. I have a long time ago used the blue channel to restore detail, but I have forgotten how. Is the some where I can go to get more info on this.  I have a photo where the mans face is almost destroyed. One eye missing, nose missing, and one ear missing. I have restored the ear by ciping the other and flipping it. I did the same with the eye, but I can't with the nose.  Could you help, or send me in the right direction. I want to restore the face, but I do not want it to look like a mask.

[cmpentecost]

Hi Mike,

Here is the tutorial on how to use the blue channel:

http://www.operationphotorescue.org/forum/index.php/topic,394.0.html

Christine

[Hannie]

Michael, you could start by going through some of the tutorials on the OPR homepage:
http://www.operationphotorescue.org/tutorials/
Just try it out with the example photos so you'll get a feel for it again.  These methods will not always work on everything but sometimes you can have amazing results!
The blue channels works particularly well when the photo has yellow stains all over it.

The best thing to do then is to post your work (before and after) and let it be taken apart by the forum members! (just kidding here)

Hannie

edit: just saw that Chris already answered your question, thanks Christine!

[rlmichael]

Hi Hannie, I must say the channel thing is awsome. I used the green channel, and it has helped me greatly. I would upload my original, and my one I am working on, but I bearly can find my way around the forum. Thanks to people like you it is getting easier.  :cool: When I can figure it out I will post my photo's and get some fresh ideas. Thanks again, the forum is lucky to have you. Mike

[Hannie]

Michael, I'm glad the tutorials were of some help, you can also use the forum search function and find tons of stuff on just about anything.
Looking forward to seeing your work!

Thanks,

Hannie