confederate soldier

[clevet]

Hello all, I'm new to the RetouchPRO forum and would like to fine more information and help on restoring images such as the confederate soldier here. I'm pretty good with photoshop and small challanges, but images like this are beyond my skill level......Any suggestions, scanning options, books/workshops on restoring images like this......thanks Claude Hammond LA

[0lBaldy]

clevet, Welcome to RetouchPRO

It looks as if there is a lot of detail left in the picture.. the sample you provided is very pixelated though..

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 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 if you do not have your own site are: ImageVenue.com (3Meg max, free) or pixentral.com (2Meg max, free) or photobucket.com (1 Meg max free,... 5 Meg PRO)-- then post a link here in the thread to the site that is hosting your larger image.

A high quality scan should help immensely

This is just using levels on the pixelated sample

[learninlady]

Heres an attempt. I ran the photo through neat image. curves,levels. cleaned it up a bit with scratch removal.

[klassylady25]

I lived in Hammond, Rt 2 Box 16 J, between Hammond and Ponchatoula. How's that for a small world. Was attending Southeastern when I met a New Orleans boy who's been in my life 35 years.

[Kraellin]

tough image. i mostly used contrasting techniques to start. ye olde 'find the image' being the motto on this one. so, brightness/contrast, clarify, fade correction, shadows/midtones/highlights... whatever you've got.

after that, we want to define the image further. so, out comes the airbrush, clone and push to paint in what's missing. so, find the image that's there and then fill in the rest that isnt. simple. long, but simple.

and somewhere in there, after the 'find the image' steps, i also did a 'clean the image' step with psp's digital camera noise removal, set mostly to fine noise removal.

and that's pretty much it.

edit: yes, there's more that can be done on this, but it's late and i'm tired... maybe tomorrow

[Nan]

That's pretty amazing Craig. I didn't even attempt this one. Looked too frustrating but you've brought out a lot of detail that was hiding.
Nan

[Kraellin]

thanks, nan

i'm not real pleased with it. i probably shld have finished it. it's grainy and i think i got his right arm wrong in looking at what the others did and how his uniform is. and i think i see some detail others got that i didnt. lol. that's about par for the course, i guess

[Cupcake]

Just a lot of guessing on this one.