1923 Photo Work in Progress - Need Advice

[wvcs]

Need some advice on my work in progress here. I've been using a technique to Texture and Median Blur to remove the crinkles in the photo, which appears to be doing a fairly good job. I have a couple of questions concerning this. First in the picture you'll notice that I have completed the top row of faces (two boys, girl and father). However, I've notice that the results are a little spotchy (maybe its the staining that makes it look worse). Anything I should do here to even out the skin with the bluring effects? I'm I going to far with the texture and blur? Secondly, if I use this technique beyond they faces, specifically their clothes, a lot of detail is lost. See the middle of the girls dress. Should I switch to a more pain staking method of healing and cloning? I just don't want to continue too fair and have to begin anew with this. Thanks for the advise in advance.

Thanks Bill

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?pi...OP6mRyavznTKg0

[0lBaldy]

Bill, welcome to RetouchPRO! Hope you enjoy your stay here and make lots of friends. Poke around, ask questions, have fun!

When you say you are using a technique to texture to remove the crinkles on your WIP, what do you mean?

Also it would be nice if you also posted a less than 100k version of the picture into the thread so if the link gets broken the thread will not become useless.

If you use Photoshop you can post fairly large pictures which are under 100k using the 'save for web' function in Photoshop as described here:
Size, Quality and/or Format your Attached Images.. (Click here)

How to attach Files/Images to your Posts or Threads:
(Click here)

It looks like you are off to a good start..

In Photoshop there are many methods to achieve the same end and I am sure you will get some good advise here

[Southbay]

Two techniques you could consider. One can be found here as a tutorial:

http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=58

Another I've attached as a screenshot, with thanks to the original poster.

Both may help with your overall texture issue. As well, there is a "decrack" action available somewhere on this site. I've used it in similar situations and it works quite well.

[0lBaldy]

I use Photoshop Version 7 instead of your Elements 7 but with this picture You can replicate everything mentioned

The "Decrack" action modified.. and contains 2 actions ..one for darks and one for lights:
Zip file here

Cropped
copied background
I used the Polaroid Dust and Scratch filter several times on selected areas using a copied masked layer and the light setting then combining the masked filter layer, making another couple copies of the layer and doing it again with the dark setting.... did this several times on different areas of the image.. (THE LINK TO THE POLAROID DOWNLOAD IS DEAD NOW!)

Used KentC_Skin Fix action... (Paint soft skin) for the skin in the picture and the white cracked dress

Then did some minor healing on some large spots that the Dust N Scratch didn't get

Left quite a few muted scratches because I didn't want to soften the picture much

larger version here

BTW.. Pixentral removes any image that has not been viewed in over 30 days. So these picture links to the large versions will expire!

[wvcs]

Thanks for the advice. What I have been using is advice from Daviskw over at Photoshopelements. His advice was to make a texture layer to somewhat match the grain of your existing picture. Then use the median filter to blur away most of the crazing damage. Then combine the texture and median layer. Add a clipping mask to hide this combined layer and by painting on the clipping mask it will replace the cracks as you paint over them with the textured median blurred layer.

As I said this has been pretty effective, but it seems to create spotches as you blur the facial areas. I did try the decrack action, but it seems a little to drastic. The photo seems to have some good detail, so I wanted to maintain as much as that as possible. I just want to clean up the cracks and restore as much as I can. I'll try your recommendations for the Skin Fix.

Southbay, I'm not sure how you shift a layer up a pixel, care to describe that technique?

Thanks very much, I'll remember about the 100K upload next time around. Appreciate everyone's advice. This is a labor of love for my mom who's mother is in the picture (she recently passed). Great site and helpful folks.

Thanks Bill

[NYBOB]

Polaroid Dust & Scratch Removal Utility.Download here.

Bob

[danyo]

Excuse me for jumping in, I have a question for OlBaldy. I have Elements 7 running under Vista. After downloading the "decrack" file where and how do I load that into Elements 7.

Thanks

[0lBaldy]

Originally Posted by danyo

Excuse me for jumping in, I have a question for OlBaldy. I have Elements 7 running under Vista. After downloading the "decrack" file where and how do I load that into Elements 7.

Thanks

Welcome to RetouchPRO
I don't use Elements but will try to answer the question..

To install actions into Elements 7 Action Player, put the .atn file into this folder:

Windows XP
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Locale\en_US\Workflow Panels\actions

Vista 32 or 64 bit
C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Locale\en_US\Workflow Panels\actions

Restart Elements. Click the Guided Edit tab and under Automated Actions choose Action Player. You should see the installed action name as one of the options in the Action Player under "Select the action set you wish to use".

(From graphicssoft.about.com)

[aartist]

I like OlBaldy's restoration a lot.

This would be a great photo to add sepia.
If it were mine, it would definitely be colorized.
Good luck!

[wvcs]

I would like to eventually learn how to colorize photos. How do you deal with patterns like stripes, checks, etc.?

Bill

[danyo]

OlBaldy...when I open C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Locale\en_US..I don't have the "\Workflow Panels" folder. When I get to "\en_US", I have 3 folders.."applications_swfs", "Plug Ins" and "Support files".

I have the system showing "Hidden Files", but I don't see the folder for "Workflow Panels" folder.

[0lBaldy]

Originally Posted by danyo

OlBaldy...when I open C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Locale\en_US..I don't have the "\Workflow Panels" folder. When I get to "\en_US", I have 3 folders.."applications_swfs", "Plug Ins" and "Support files".

I have the system showing "Hidden Files", but I don't see the folder for "Workflow Panels" folder.

Like I said I know nothing about Elements... but after a search on the web... I found this concerning the location of the file/folder:
Thanks to Trish @ Scrapper's Guide Forums > Scrapper's Guide Community Square > Photoshop Elements Forum > Installing Actions
This is the Path:

C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Locale\en_US

Notice ProgramData is squished together. Make sure you are NOT in Program Files. You need to Show Hidden Files and Folders in order to see the ProgramData folder.

I think I have totally exhausted and overstepped my bounds.. you might get better answers in the Photoshop Elements Help Forum where more qualified people could answer your questions concerning Elements

hope this helps

[danyo]

Thanks for your effort in trying to help me.

That link to Trish's directions helped. I was able to add to the "Action" file.

[wvcs]

Aartist,

I like your colorization. How did you go about the process?

Thanks Bill

[aartist]

Bill, if you decide to colorize your photo, its important to remember to keep the colors subdued, desaturated and close to real. Too bright or off in color and you end up with a cartoon and not a photo. My litmus test is in the mind's eye, "can you actually still see these people move and breath in the real world, after adding color." If not, stick with sepia. I think sepia would be a good choice for this wonderful photo.