need some suggestions

[gypsy72]

this is a fun one! lolz  definitely harder than i first thought it would be.  :wow:

does anyone have any good techniques for getting rid of the fuzzy/fog feeling the photograph has? (or on any other aspects of fixing this photo?)

[Johnboy]

Gypsy,

The photos have a way of fooling us. They almost never look that hard in the gallery until you get it downloaded and look at it in horror. Now you know why we pick on the distributors. We wouldn't purposely pick a difficult photo.  :funny:

I notice that the photo looks to have some green tones especially in the shadows. You might try a Color Balance adjustment layer and add some magenta to cancel the green. You might play around with the midtones and shadows to see what you get. Someone else may have a different idea.

To try to sharpen the image some you might try the High Pass filer. You can find it in Filter>Other>High Pass. You might try a setting between 2 and 5. I used this on one of my earlier snapshot restores. Here is the thread: http://www.operationphotorescue.org/forum/index.php/topic,1883.0.html As I understand the High Pass filter, it works on the edges of the photo's content so you won't get a completely sharp image but it may help it some.

I have a copy of Katrin Eismann's book Photoshop Restoration & Retouching, Third Edition. In there she states that the High Pass filter often maintains some of the original color which has to be removed with Image>Adjustments>Desaturate. I added this as an FYI in case it is needed.

Hope some of this helps.

Johnboy

[Mhayes]

Gypsy72,

I think this photo is beyond doing a color correction, because the mold has destroyed too much information. Also, please do not try to sharpen by using the High Pass Filter. For one thing it will muddy up the waters even more on the colors. Plus, once you sharpen and it goes to Quality Control, there is no way to undo the sharpening. I think the best way to go is to change it to a B/W as I have done. I did a Channel Mixer as Red being the color used. I did some burning and dodging and played around with it. See what you think.

You were very brave to attempt this one.



Margie

[glennab]

Gypsy & Margie, I think the B&W conversion improved the image considerably.  I ramped it up a little and used levels to get more contrast (just moved the sliders en masse until they hit the large portion of the histogram).  In so doing, I can see a bit more damage that could be worked on, i.e. some spots in the upper right corner, and some discrepancies on the people.

Here's my version:


JB, I understand that Katrin's 3rd version is for CS2.  What do you think of it?  I've been thinking of getting it, since the other 2 were so valuable for our use.

Have a wonderful day, all.

GK

[gypsy72]

thanks for the suggestions!  It does look better in B&W, i'll have to work on fixing it up that way i think. I may still try to see how far i can bring the color version too.   wish me luck!! hahahahaha!

[Tess (Tassie D)]

I got a very similar result to Glenna by converting to B&W and adjusting the contrast, levels etc. I then colour picked from the original in places to bring a bit back into it.

[Mhayes]

Tess, this looks great, especially the skin tones! You almost have to laugh at the trash in the photo since it feels like it was trashed!

Margie

[Johnboy]

Glenna,

I received my copy of Katrin's third edition book for my birthday last year. While it is for Photoshop CS2 I am on CS so there are some things she shows in the book I cannot do. She states in her introduction that if you are working in PS 6 or later that you will still learn from the book.  I like the way she gives you step by step directions for the photo samples you download from her website. While I have read through the whole book I am only on chapter 6, Restoration & Retouching, working on the samples. It has been helpful to me. It is only trying to remember it all or remember where you read something you can use on the restore you are working on.

I have not read the other editions of her books, but I would guess that other than some updating related to the earlier Photoshop books, the third edition contains those features that have been added from CS and PS 7. So far there hasn't be many tutorials in the book I have had to skip by not having CS2.

Johnboy

[glennab]

Hi JB

From what you've said, maybe I can hold off on getting the third book.  Much as I'd love to buy it, hubby's just past his year mark of unemployment with no prospects in sight, so we're having to cool it a bit on the purchases.

I've read the first two, and got a lot of valuable information from them.  The other book that's been a great help is Ctein's Photo Restoration from Start to Finish (I'm guessing at the name, because I'm not sure where I've stashed it).  To be honest, I'm picking up a good deal of helpful information from NAPP tutorials, tutorials I'm downloading from I-Tunes (Deke McClelland has a great "Top 40" that can be subscribed to right now, and there are several other gurus with mini-lessons that when put together can give you a great overview to extrapolate into techniques for attacking our monsters.) I highly recommend them.  I'll usually have one  playing while I'm working on my restorations.

There's an incredible amount of information to be had, it's just that not much of it is geared to the degree of damage we battle.  That's one reason I so value our own OPR "tutorials" as we help each other through our challenges.

GK

[gypsy72]

thanks for all your suggestions!  here's my 2nd attempt at it. Let me know if it looks ok, and what else i can fix in it!!  :)  i've tried to keep the graffiti on the backdrop intact, but i think i may have done too much, let me know if you think i should get rid of some of it.



ok, i'm forever tweaking.. here's my final compare... i think, unless you guys see something i should change or still work on!!

[Hannie]

Very nice job!
Graffiti is fine too.

:up:

Hannie

[Johnboy]

Looks great. Even the garbage looks clean.

Johnboy

[Hannie]

...Even the garbage looks clean.

Johnboy

;D

[Mhayes]

Great Recovery!

Clean trash--that's a new one! :funny:

Margie

[gypsy72]

thanks!  lulz at the clean trash!  :funny: