Calling for Help!

[jonk]

Hi Everyone,

I would like to say THANK YOU to Juliana. We sometimes we cannot see the forest for the trees, if you know what I mean. I thought that I did a pretty good job until I read Juliana’s reply. It was the fact that she asked if I was going for a “plastic” look that raised my eyebrows. It was this comment that caused me to take another look at what I thought was completed and reassess the work.

First, I am somewhat of a purest. I have been restoring photos for historical libraries for years, and it was this type of work that always forced me to be that purest and to restore the photo back to their original state if at all possible.

Well, I took another crack at this photo. Please tell me what you think now. I’m going to play a little with the background and the subject as far as lightening and darkening to see which one looks best, and maybe just a little fine sharpening (not much).

The main thing I like about RetouchPro is the people. Everyone has been so helpful and I love it. I know that I am somewhat new to this site, but I am here to stay!

Thanks Again Everyone! Really – Thank You Juliana, you made me look at the photo again in a different way.

Jon

[Juliana Ross]

That looks much better by far, retaining more of the original elements of the photo.
Only other thing I'd do is tone down the black splotchy thing on her face. i had to do that with the pic of the little boy I did (in critiques somewhere)...used a separate layer and turned the airbrush settings way down, sampled from the area closest to the tone I wanted.

I know what you mean, sometimes when I have been looking at something too long, I just have to bring the file to work and cut a print.
Makes all the difference in the world to me...turns out some things I thought looked messy, look great when printed and vice versa.

I have started making test prints mid way on projects just to get a different view of the work. Keeps me from getting all bug eyed from staring at the screen for too long

[Flora]

Hi Jon,

I agree with Juliana .. your last version is much better than the previous one!

Originally Posted by jonk

I have been restoring photos for historical libraries for years, and it was this type of work that always forced me to be that purest and to restore the photo back to their original state if at all possible.

That's what for me is the base of 'restoring' a picture!!!

What I try to keep in mind is also that in the past pictures seldom had the high contrast, high quality and sharpness you see today ....

So, when working on these old 'mementoes', I never try to get it too smooth, too contrasty or too sharp as it would look very unnatural ....
If a non vital part of the picture is beyond help. well then, I rather crop it instead of wasting an enormous amount of time trying to get a result which, I know from the beginning, will never satisfy me ... (Of course you can't do it when working on historical pictures ...)

What I try not to forget is also that in the end, even though I must be satisfied with my work, it is the customer (well, not in my case as I don't do it professionally) who has to be satisfied with the result ... and, most of the times, even a minimal improvement is enough ... as long as the person photographed can be recognized after a restoration and as long as the 'customer gets a photograph and not a painting back ....

In other words ... what I learnt is that in photo restoration most of the time less is much, much more ...

[jonk]

BINGO!!!!! That is exactly my feelings when it comes to restoration work. Sometimes I spend way too much time on a photograph and it comes back to haunt me, that's the perfectionist in me.

Juliana – I’m going to work to reduce the spot on her face and that’s about it. I might try to lighten it a little. The printed version looks really good.

Have a Great Day!
Jon