Eliminating Silvering

[Schweizer]

Hi,

I am trying to develop a scheme to null out silvering without losing the detail and tone of the original. I'm trying to avoid using noise filters and doing lots of cloning.

My idea is to generate a mask that somehow can be used with the original to null out the silvering. I did generate an initial mask by spliting out a channel and doing contrast enhancement, but I'm not sure what to do next!!

Here is the original (note the silvering):
http://i43.tinypic.com/1z7yvm.jpg

Here is the initial mask that clearly shows the problem area(s):
http://i42.tinypic.com/5534w5.jpg

Any help would be appreciated on the next steps. Thanks!

[Juergen D]

I played some with the Channel Mixer and then did some painting on the lower part of the jacket of the boy on the left. Also despeckled that area. I added a little texture and put the sepia tone back.

Juergen

[lurch]

Has anyone else noticed that the gentlemen's heads seem too big for their bodies?

[Nan]

I can see that but also the heads both seem to sitting rather strangely on their necks.
Nan

[TommyO]

Schweizer,
I like your approach. In fact, I've done this before. It's not difficult to isolate the silvering in most images. The hard part is trying to determine what to do with those pixels. They must take on some of the attributes of their adjacent, but good pixels. It's that part that may exceed Photoshop's built in capabilities.

If they could be treated as noise and allow a noise algorithm to fill them with good data, that could be useful.

Nan and Lurch, I think those issues are probably natural. They don't seem odd for the era of the image and the medical issues of the day.

[learninlady]

Heres my effort. What a wonderful photograph if I may say. I do see the silvery tones. Its a bit dark but it can be lightened if needed.
FULL PRINT

[0lBaldy]

Originally Posted by Schweizer

Hi,

I am trying to develop a scheme to null out silvering without losing the detail and tone of the original. I'm trying to avoid using noise filters and doing lots of cloning.

My idea is to generate a mask that somehow can be used with the original to null out the silvering. I did generate an initial mask by spliting out a channel and doing contrast enhancement, but I'm not sure what to do next!!

Here is the original (note the silvering):
http://i43.tinypic.com/1z7yvm.jpg

Here is the initial mask that clearly shows the problem area(s):
http://i42.tinypic.com/5534w5.jpg

Any help would be appreciated on the next steps. Thanks!

May I offer you my warm Welcome to RetouchPRO Hope you enjoy your stay here and make lots of friends.

I feel I am just repeating a lot that has been said in your other thread at: Old Photo - not having great success but the information still holds true!

Lots of information entering "Silvering" (without quotes) after pressing the "Search" button above!

It is much better to reduce the effect of the Silvering by copying the photo with a camera by Polarizing both lights, which are at a 45 degree angle, with polarized film and with Polarized film on the lens also.. (lights vertical and the lens horizontal).. use a f-stop for best depth of field.. do not shoot at an angle.. make sure things are lined up and the center of the lens is at the same level as the center of the photos and parallel to the pictures..
as shown in this sample and discussed here: HELP!!! Massive silvering problem on client photo. Post #1 and explained in Post #12

For scanning info this thread may be helpful: Scanners, textures, scratches, cracks, silvering

If you do not have access to the original prior to copying and must do it in post then Lurch has a good tutorial/explanation located here: Restoring copy of photo with silvering Post #2

Another bit of non-related info: You can post a fairly large pictures which is under 100k using the save for web function in Photoshop as described here:
Size, Quality and/or Format your Attached Images.. (Click here)
This may also help some... How to attach Files/Images to your Posts or Threads?(Click here)

If you want to post a larger resolution that is over 100K then you can host your image on your own site or elsewhere (As you did) and attach a link, but also please attach an under 100K version here (so the thread remains useful in the future, regardless of external links).
Alternative Image Hosts other than what you used are: ImageVenue.com (3Meg max, free) or pixentral.com (2Meg max, free) or photobucket.com (1 Meg max free,... 5 Meg PRO)-- Make sure to post a link here in the thread to the site that is hosting your larger image along with the 100K version.

[jaxx]

One thing I do often as a quick fix to silvering issues is:

1) Hue/Saturation adjustment layer - boost saturation by about +75 (this brings out the silvering)
2) Add channel mixer adjustment - select mono, set red to +200%, green at - 51%, and blue at -149% (this should get a decent mask for you to use)
3) Copied image to alpha channel
4) Turned off hue and channel mixer, created new layer, and loaded alpha channel mask
5) Used alpha mask in a new curves adjustment layer
6) Tweaked the Red, Green, and Blue channels in the curve adjustment until the silvering disappeared
7) New curve adjustment - expanded the tonal range, then added some contrast
8) Black&White adjustment layer - brought back some of the sepia tone from the original
9) Did some basic cleanup of dust
10) Sharpened the image

[Mosha]

Originally Posted by jaxx

One thing I do often as a quick fix to silvering issues is:

1) Hue/Saturation adjustment layer - boost saturation by about +75 (this brings out the silvering)
2) Add channel mixer adjustment - select mono, set red to +200%, green at - 51%, and blue at -149% (this should get a decent mask for you to use)
3) Copied image to alpha channel
4) Turned off hue and channel mixer, created new layer, and loaded alpha channel mask
5) Used alpha mask in a new curves adjustment layer
6) Tweaked the Red, Green, and Blue channels in the curve adjustment until the silvering disappeared
7) New curve adjustment - expanded the tonal range, then added some contrast
8) Black&White adjustment layer - brought back some of the sepia tone from the original
9) Did some basic cleanup of dust
10) Sharpened the image

Jaxx,
Hi, I liked what you did with the photo but didn´t understand most of your instructions. Could you be a bit more specific? There are some of us that are not as good at this and can be a bit confusing.
For instance, in step 2) Add channel mixer adjustment, you are reffering to a channel mixer adjustment layer I guess.
How do you:
3) Copied image to alpha channel.
4) loaded alpha channel mask
5) Use alpha mask in new curves adjustment layer
and so on.
Please help and sorry for the trouble
Marie

[Cupcake]

Here is my try.

[Mosha]

Cupcake, wonderful, can you teach me? I have tons of old photos, and need to restore them.
Mosha