Photo Restoration - - how do you fix a light leak?

cducasse · #1 12-03-2006, 11:47 PM

I am wondering how this can be fixed. I have gotten into the channel mixer and found that the green channel holds most of the data, but it goes basically grayscale. I would rather not have to color the image. This is a photo of my cousin and I (who was my hockey influence through my 23 years of life). I want to give this image to him for christmas but not this way...

can anyone figure out how to restore the color?

I am using Photoshop CS2. Please feel free to post steps and photos on the blog.

http://web.mac.com/chris.ducasse/

CJ Swartz · #2 12-04-2006, 02:24 AM

You do have some doozies! I tried a variety of things, but working in LAB to brighten the two sides separately (using a rough selection) in the Lightness channel and then using curves on the a and b channels - again using a selection, gave me some idea of what the image looked like.

I'm going to look forward to seeing how this should be done! But my eyes are sleepy and right now I just want to go to sleep...

jeangab · #3 12-04-2006, 04:38 AM

hi,
I kept only the blue channel with the channel mixer,
and i 've recolored.

CJ Swartz · #4 12-04-2006, 10:59 PM

cducasse, you may need to just work on the blue channel and colorize it. I think someone could improve the color, but the damage to most channels is so great that the color will need to be adjusted or invented. The Cyan and Magenta channels (in CMYK mode) showed an inverted image on the underexposed side (the father) -- when I inverted those areas, it still didn't improve the color much. I worked with Calculations, Apply Image, Selective Color, curves, levels, etc. etc. and all I came up with is this -- I think you can create a good grayscale image and colorize it better than this.

Hope someone comes along to try the challenge (Hey, Ro!) -- since the two sides of the image are opposites, there is probably a simple technique to improve it...

Cameraken · #5 12-05-2006, 10:07 AM

Hi Chris

Where are you finding these?

CJ and Jeangab are correct

The blue channel is the only usable one here.

There is some salvageable colour in the right side but none in the left so the only option is to colour it

Drag the Blue channel out to a layer
Adjust the levels to balance the two halves

Drag a background copy to the top and set its mode to colour

From there its all colouring I am afraid

Hope this helps

Ken.

cducasse · #6 12-05-2006, 11:53 PM

I found this one in my mom's photo album. I've been digging through them to find some photos to take care of. The little boy is me, and the guy with the muscache is my much older cousin. I am trying to restore this so I can print it and give it to him.

I like to have a challenge where I don't just use the clone or patch tool everywhere. I've gotten bored of rips & tears (though I still do many for clients).

I didn't realize I was finding photos that difficult, but everyone seems intrigued by them...

imann08 · #7 12-06-2006, 01:11 AM

The only case of this I have ever seen was in Katrin Eismann's book. Those here handled it in the same way by grabbing the best channel and coloring it. It seems like that is the only good way around it. I could see giving LAB a try but haven't done it myself.

Kraellin · #8 12-06-2006, 09:33 AM

jeangab, bonjour and welcome to RP.

very nice job.

you too, ken.

jeangab · #9 12-06-2006, 02:23 PM

bonjour et merci Kraellin

(and sorry in advance for my very bad english

)

Kraellin · #10 12-06-2006, 10:14 PM

votre anglais est already 10 times better than mon francais

jeangab · #11 12-07-2006, 04:28 PM

french is very difficult to learn.