Hello - I'm a new guy with one restoration under my belt. As I struggled through this one, my workflow shortcomings really came out. Is there a recommended standardized workflow - e.g. global color/tone/contrast first, followed by local color/tone/contrast, followed by the hard stuff (clone stamp/patch tool/healing brushes etc).
Thanks in advance
Hi Bill,
Welcome aboard! The best starting point is to do a color correction first. If you are logged on to the forum, you will see the Official OPR Handbook, which is a link to the PDF explaining some of the ins and outs. The first part deals with Photoshelter, but as you get further into the handbook is different ways to do color correction. From there it is usually a case of doing damage control with whatever tool will do the trick. The more you do this kind of work, the more you will see the advantages of layers masks and saving different versions of your work. For photos that are so badly damaged with color streaks across, you will start looking at different channels in rgb and if need be change to cmyk (change back before uploading). Another great thing to save your sanity is to ask for help on the forum. You will get different ideas of how to approach your problem, because what might work well with one restore, won't on another.
Katrin Eisman's book, Photoshop Restoration & Retouching, will be a big help and the exercises to each chapter are on line. We have all been where you are and wondered what we got into. Post to the forum and you will start feeling more comfortable about how to start on your photo.
Margie
Margie