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Advise if I should continue:

Started by happyheart, August 05, 2011, 10:19:27 PM

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happyheart

Hannie,
I sent you an email saying "I give up" but I will let you decide.  This is about the clearest the face will get.  I might be able to smooth a little more, and add texture back in.  I have replaced the background.  I will have to replace the robe, as nothing is in the picture at all, except the outline itself. 




I still have a lot of blending, healing, etc. to do, but before I go any further, I want your opinion as to whether it is worth the work.   It's not going to be a restoration, it's more of a recreation.
If it's artsy or Photoshop, I'll give it a try!
aka Betty

glennab

Hi Betty

I don't think this could be considered restorable. But you might be able to pull just enough contour from what's there by using one of a couple of methods (or possibly both).  Being the calculations queen, I had to try that.  But I changed the mode to CMYK, and combined the cyan and magenta channels, set to Multiply blend mode.  The image is much too dark, but you can - "from a distance" - see some of her features.  I'll post that here, but something else you might want to try is to use levels in RGB and CMYK, but bring the light control to the left until you get to the histogram, then bring the midtone control to the right to bring up just enough color depth to get some shading.

None of it is going to give you a great restoration, but you'll be closer to having something that might still be treasured by the owner.

Also, please note that you left the personal information on the images when you posted them.  That data should always be removed.   Please go under File/Info and delete.

Here's the way-too-dark version. I didn't go as far as using the "color corrected" one with this, but that's what I'd recommend - playing with the blending modes of the layers of each Alpha channel (if the RGB one has any further image).



Good luck.  You're a stalwart to have grabbed this one.

Cheers
GK
What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal. ~Albert Pine

(Photoshop CS5 /Mac Pro)

glennab

#2
Betty, I make myself crazy - and probably you, too.  I can't leave well enough alone.  Just discovered that Shadows and Highlights will give you better results.  It'll take a lot of tweaking - but I was able to see drapes behind her and even more of her face.  Rather than try to give you parameters, I'll just recommend that you "play" with the controls.  It's not a function I use often - but on a whim I thought I'd try something that I don't normally do.  See what you can bring up.  I think you'll be amazed.  Even with weird color casts, you actually get an image - with disclaimers!.

GK

P.S.  I wouldn't even try to get detail on her face.  Follow the darks and lights and let that be the impression of her face.  If you do any more, it won't look like her at all.  I've learned that the hard way! My suggestion would be to keep everything relatively soft and faint.  Anything really sharp isn't going to look right because of all the irretrievable damage.  Goodnight, sweet princess!
What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal. ~Albert Pine

(Photoshop CS5 /Mac Pro)

happyheart

I had already tried all the channels; RGB, CMYK, LAB.  I got the best results by replacing the Black in th CMYK with the cyan channel.  Then I converted back to LAB and used levels and highlights on the L channel.  I had not tried the shadows and highlights filter.  I'll give it a shot.  The problem is there isn't enough detail in any of the areas for an actual restoration.  Yes, there is a small spot of drapes in the back, behind her head, but they would have to be cloned across the rest of the background.  You can't tell what the floor looks like, because of all the spotting.  There's a lecturn, or something, off to the right side behind her, but again,you can't really tell what it is. 
I hate to give up on anything, as I know these people have lost everything!  Anything we can restore will mean so much to them.  The question becomes, do I create something that resembles the original photo, or do I stop.  I've already spent two whole days trying several versions.  I came up with the same thing you posted, vague areas.  They look ok from a distance, but no detail.  When I try to lightly fill in the empty color areas, everything starts to look fake.
I'm going to fire up Photoshop right now and give the Shadows and Highlights filter a try.
If it's artsy or Photoshop, I'll give it a try!
aka Betty

happyheart

Thanks for the ideas glenab!

Boy, I've worked with Photoshop for years, and I don't think I have ever looked at File:Info!  I didn't realize all that stuff was there!  I'll know next time.

Ok, I tried the Shadow and Highlights Adjustment, and it is by far the best as far as differences  for the facial features.

Now the quandry is how to get rid of all the 'paper residue' on everything.  There is probably enough curtain to work with and clone in the rest (pain in the you-know-what), but the robe and floor are a mess!  The robe is gone.  The floor is all water marked.  I'd appreciate suggestions on how to handle this, as I hate to just quit...it goes against my nature! :-)
If it's artsy or Photoshop, I'll give it a try!
aka Betty

glennab

Betty, I'm glad you had luck with the Shadows and Highlights. You can't get any detail in her face without ending up with a mess.  All I'd suggest is to follow the shading as best you can around her face.  You'll end up with a visage that looks shadowed, but I believe the true planes of her face will be recognizable. As for the background, you already know there are drapes, because you did a fine job of creating some in your first version. I'd use those and just mask off the darker area and lighten it (unless what you drew is very different from what showed up in S&H.

See if you can find any part of the floor that looks like part of the photo and clone that up to the wall.  If you have a large enough area, make your brush large and just clone the heck out of it.  Then use the good area and use the healing tool of your choice to blend in the parts that look cloned. That works wonders on large areas that are as big a mess as yours are.

Again, good luck.  You're asking all the right questions, and I think you're heading for a restore, even if not a perfect one (and that's not your fault - you have very little with which to work.)

GK
What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal. ~Albert Pine

(Photoshop CS5 /Mac Pro)

happyheart

This is what I've ended up with.  I'm sending it to Hannie and she can decide if they want to print and use.  I honestly don't think I can do any better.
Thank your glennab for your ideas.  They were a big help.


After viewing it here, maybe I will 'blur up' the robe.  It seems to stick out too much.
If it's artsy or Photoshop, I'll give it a try!
aka Betty

happyheart

If it's artsy or Photoshop, I'll give it a try!
aka Betty

happyheart

If it's artsy or Photoshop, I'll give it a try!
aka Betty

Oldfaded

wow, I would have called that one a non-restorable. I think you did a pretty good job with all considering. braver than I that's for sure!
KATE
Old Faded Memories
-------------
Adobe CS5
Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2

Judy

I had a picture of my sister in her cap and gown and played with it on this lady.  If you are interested I could get you the pix --



Your face is far improved, vague is better!  Of course I see you have it labeled final final so you might not want to re-dress the lady!  I think the shoes would have to match.  Anyhow, it is amazing what you have done, congratulations.

Judy

happyheart

Thanks to all of you!
Judy, thank you for the offer.  Hannie has already accepted the one I sent.  I also had replaced the gown with one I found on the web.  The problem was that with everything else being so fuzzy, the clear gown and hat just looked strange.  Your gown actually drapes better than the one I found, but I think I will leave well enough alone.  The important part, the face, just won't come any clearer without it looking like a caricature.
If it's artsy or Photoshop, I'll give it a try!
aka Betty

Oldfaded

It doesn't always work but sometimes you can take a replacement off the web and create fuzzy. I have done that with restorations before. As you know the item you choose is close to perfect and the restoration is not.  So just bring the perfect down a few notches. :)
I have wished that they had software that would bring a caricature or drawing to real photograph, they have software to do the opposite!  Wouldn't that be nice...  :cool:
KATE
Old Faded Memories
-------------
Adobe CS5
Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2

Judy

Happy Heart,

I'm glad you found a replacement gown on the web, I looked at that and thought that all grad gowns were pretty much the same and remembered my sister's pix as the pose was so similar.

Judy