Recently discovered this old photo and thought I could retouch it... I've tried several of the tutorials and this is all I can get out of it. Some opinions? Advice? Wanna try? Please?

Marge

You have done well with what you had to work with..

You might try this tutorial by Flora "Enhancing Details In Unevenly Faded Pictures" (http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=65)

This tutorial "Restoring an old photograph" by cameraken has become the starting point for most of my projects:
http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=255

Can you re-scan it at a higher resolution with all the automatic and other cleaning utilities turned off?

Scan one in color with no corrections and one in Black and white with no corrections turned on

Here are some other links that may help:

How to Repair a Light Leak or Stain
http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=304

Faded foto
http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/ima...-problems.html

Old Faded Color Damaged Photo
http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/pho...ged-photo.html

Help on technique for restoring photos that have gone pink
http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/pho...gone-pink.html

Here is my feeble effort with this one

Its hard to replace what isn't there.
I first looked at all three channels and found that the green channel seemed to be the best.

I then used a channel mixer adjustment layer and used multiply for the blending mode. I then copied the layer

Of course that was just the beginning. But perhaps this may help you get started.

Thanks for all the suggestions and tutorial links. I guess I may have to give this one the "Artistic" treatment and add the missing detail.

marge

i dont normally do this this way, but i'm going to post a partially done image to show you a technique that may help.

the technique is one of defining the foreground by defining the background first. by doing this this way, you make the foreground stand out by contrast and this can help you restore the foreground. so, fix up the background a bit first, the less important part and then work on the foreground. it can make it easier.

you dont really have to do a lot to the background to begin with. just get some definition in there. find the outlines and fill towards the foreground. i used a blank layer and airbrush to do this. i then do a gaussian blur on that layer to blend the airbrushing a bit.

when i then turn to the foreground, i dont try to do everything at once. i'm still just generally finding the edges and getting a bit of definition to things. so, on a new blank layer i did some light airbrushing to her arms and a bit on the legs to get some shading and texture. i then gaussian blurred this.

then, i made a new blank layer to work on the dress a bit. again, just airbrushing in some lines and shade and texture. nothing all that much, just want to see where things are a bit. guassian blur again.

then, i started working on the head a bit. new blank layer and this time some smudge to clean up some errant marks in the hair, cheek, nose, and chin/neck. no guassian blur this time.

i did a little more touchup to the background, adding some more definition and little bits and pieces of the girl. and that's about as far as i've gotten so far. but, i thought i'd post this for now to show that one technique of defining the foreground by defining the background first.

there's a whole lot more that can be done here and i may do some more later.

Nothing is lost that's worth saving. I love the look on this little girls face. I thought I'd try.

Very nice, Candice. You have made great strides in your retouching since you started on this forum.

Thank you Phil. Most of the credit goes to OPR. We do the worst of the worst. This picture actually wasn't in that bad of shape compared some of the things we see regularly. That other part of the credit goes to the desire to learn and hours in the chair.

Hugs to you!
Candy

ok, i've done some more on this. there is a ton more airbrushing and push. the coloring was done on a blank layer with airbrush and the blend mode set to color.