Difficult Touchup Recommendations

[graphicdesigngu]

I would like some input from the experts...I have a photo that I have attempted to touchup but it is proving to be very difficult. I'm wondering if it can even be done...I need to remove the tassel from the attached photo. Any thoughts? There are no additional photos available...
Thanks in advance...
Tammy

[Damo77]

I'm usually up for anything, but that's beyond me. I will worship at the feet of the person who can fix that.

[DCobb]

The attached picture was done to just give an idea as to what might be done with a larger image. The image was so small it was very difficult to do the work. The person may be a little hard to recognize with the changes.

1. Selected the tassel and copied it to its own layer and using the transform tool moved it. I don't feel in a graduation picture it should be eliminated.

2. I went online and tried to find a female whose head was at about the same angle. You mentioned there were no other pictures. It the subject were available she could be photographed without cap and gown and body parts used.

3. Used the available parts--they will be on separate layers--lower opacity to place. The warp tool will help. Remember CTRL H will hide the gride giving you a better view of what you are doing. When done placing the part CTRL H to restore the warp gride and restore the opacity to 100% Accept the change. Using a layer mask you can blend the part(s) in. If the person has a lighter skin tone your can correct this while the part is on its own layer.

I am not a retoucher and hopefully those that are will be able to give you better ideas.

dc

[Syd]

With the amount of photographic imformation given here,I am afraid, it is not possible. Removing the tassle means revealing what is behind it. What is behind it is anybodys' guess. That leaves two options. Cutting and pasting from another photograph or drawing it in. The first option is possible if you have another photograph of the same person (preferably taken on the same day with the same lighting). The second...well, unless you are exceptionally skilled and you have another photograph of the same person to work off...

If you could provide us with another photo of the same person (tassle free, similar angle, lighting, etc) I am sure that someone here could give you some pointers as how to go about fixing it.

Syd

[Daviskw]

Hi there

Not very close but the picture is so small... with a full size I think you could get close with the clone tool... Maybe use a nose from a similar picture

Butch

[DCobb]

Butch,

You really got good results!

dc

[chillin]

I had to borrow nose & mouth, but I think it could be done.
It requires a lot of research.

[Gary Richardson]

This looks like someone's Graduation day, and as such the face of the girl receiving her Diploma is critical and will be closely scrutinised by those who know her.

Face recognition is one of the more fundamental instincts we all have built into us, we automatically register even the smallest difference in facial appearance or expression. So any restoration would have to be nearly perfect.

Because of this it just isn't going to be possible to restore this without another picture of the girl's face taken from a similar angle, anything else just won't work.

There just isn't enough information on the picture to interpolate into the area covered by the tassel.

[KR1156]

if the pic's that important, maybe she's shaking the hand of someone worth while.....you can't find someone else's face and swap features, and dont even attempt to clone. you really need to get another pic of that girl at a relevant angle, and if the pic is that important, they should shoot a pic of her face and have a pro do their work.

[chillin]

Originally Posted by graphicdesigngu

There are no additional photos available...
Tammy

...if there is any then probably won't be scrutinized.

[Daviskw]

I agree with all the statements above except..... There may be enough information to get very close with just a small amount of replacement. With a high-resolution version you may be able to clone enough of her basic features to make her acceptable. Then just replacing small areas with outside material may be all that is needed.

Butch

[graphicdesigngu]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback. I was thinking that it was impossible...thanks.