Critiques - - "UNrestored" photo: is it convincing?

mellyrose · #1 04-13-2007, 01:50 PM

One of my passions is aviation photography, though I don't usually dabble in old warbirds. Last summer though, I was at the Teterboro Airshow and saw this B17 and got a stunning shot of it. I didn't think that the bizjets and modern pickup truck in the background did it justice, so I wanted to date it.

How did I do? I tried to make it look like it had been folded up in a box for 50 years.

Now what I really need to do is figure out how to reverse this technique to perfection!!!

palms1 · #2 04-13-2007, 02:59 PM

Well i like both, but if it had been folded up in a box wouldnt there be a crease mark ?

now for the cheeky part if possible could you post a plane photo in the photo-based art forum for us to artify ? dont think i have seen a aeroplane there

Palms

mellyrose · #3 04-13-2007, 03:10 PM

I guess I was mistaking my "water mark" with a crease...or just didn't do it well enough.

How would you suggest I make a crease? See attached for where I tried to do it....

swkmom · #4 04-13-2007, 03:29 PM

I think you did a good job. The "crease" just needs some highlights, if it was folded, the paper would have cracked and revealed some white.

mellyrose · #5 04-13-2007, 03:33 PM

Thanks! Makes a huge difference with the white. Good call.

(palms1, I posted a thread for you in the Photo Art forum)

NancyJ · #6 04-14-2007, 03:28 AM

I tihnk you need to lose some focus - old pics just werent that sharp, even the clearest pictures were much softer than todays photos. And you need to rethink that crease - just logically think about it - how would that picture have to have been folded, to create a crease like that
Its an ok job but clearly faked.

kyo · #7 04-18-2007, 11:44 AM

I like the 'crease' but I see it more as a crack.. another typical artifact of old images.

The problem I have with it is the top corners, there is no damage there. The bottom corners are worn, but the sky is still pristine. Perhaps a bent corner would help or some more creasing or cracking. Other than that though, very cool.. I've never tried to take a photo backwards like that.

Kyle

WishfulPixel · #8 04-19-2007, 09:28 PM

Awesome job, I relly like it, and the color is almost spot on for the look you going for.

Im sure its been mentioned... but...

When you look carefully at the line, it isnt perfect, the paper actually cracks a little bit. the older picture would be significantly more brittle and the emulsion may have started to flake off a little in some areas on the crease as well.

Just some thoughts from a fellow who hunted old pics at garage sales for a few weeks.

Keep up the good work

lamedos · #9 05-30-2007, 05:55 AM

Might seem a bit simple, but why try to do this with software? Why not do it "physically"? By that I mean get the photo to a stage that you believe it would have looked if it was pristine at the time i.e. loose the jets and the pick up etc, de-focus, adjust colour. Then, desaturate just a touch more to make it look a bit faded, print the image and actually fold it a few times, tear off a corner or two, make the print wet, drop a few particles of nescafe over it to give a few splodges. hey, even put a hot cup of coffee on it to give a nice ring. A bit ofwire wool on the edges and across the creases you made to roughen them up. Make whole thing wet again and dry with hair drier. Once done, scan the image as you would if it was really that old.

Just a thought

Roy