Restore Project needs Help

[twtracy]

I have 15 unique 35mm slides taken of a Hawaiian volcano in 1959. They were dropped in a box and stored away all this time. Just got them out of storage, and there is lots of mildew, stain, and crud. Took them to Walgreen's Drug photo dept and had then put on CD. (they did not clean)
Makes no sense to try retouch that which can be cleaned off first.

I want now to send them out to someone professional, who can clean them properly and give me HD copies on disk.

Suggestions please. Who is the best, will send anywhere in US.

The background story of them is more unique them pics, perhaps. But will share when I get them back,

Aloha, Tom

[twtracy]

Attached, hopefully, is sample of problem. Photo taken as morning twilight was just reaching the mountain top. I had two volconologists at the open cargo door observing and taking these pics. Foolishly, I was was flying across the volcano crater to give the observer a better look back into the the crater, at the erupting plume. But I was also flying over the very large pond of red hot molten lava. At this moment I'm fighting god awful heat thermals, and trying to save my life.

[Kraellin]

hi tom,

i'd suggest, since you were the photographer on these and since you have digital copies, to make another copy and mark some of the key points on the picture so that folks can get a good reference for what is what.

also, i got your emails. i sent you a return.

[twtracy]

The 1959 eruption of Kilauea Iki was a short-lived event, but it produced some of Kilauea's most spectacular lava fountains of the 20th century. This account summarizes key aspects of the remarkable summit eruption.
Nov 16, a solitary vent was located on the crater wall about 66 ft above the smaller W crater of Kilauea Iki. The fountain was consistently reaching heights of 148–197 ft. Lava poured through a breach in the spatter rampart below the lava fountain and cascaded down the crater wall to join a narrow channel that led to the larger E crater 279 ft lower than the W crater. After about 984 ft, the lava channel spilled down the wall of the E crater to form a series of lava rapids. The lava rapids were described as "a bright orange, incandescent, just before it widened into a sluggish river and disappeared beneath the cooler crust of the Lava Lake."
After the last photo was taken, the photographer had to beat a hasty retreat when the lava plume at the vent increased suddenly and sent a "flood of lava" down the rapids. The surge carried automobile-sized blocks of semi-solid incandescent lava down the overflowing channel and into the rising lake! (usgs.gov/kilauea/history/1959Nov14)

[twtracy]

I penned the description using Office Word 2007. It gives me a character count so that I can keep within the 1000 allowable characters. I can then cut and past to thread. There was a lot of cutting and revision but hopefully you get the idea of what was happening down below.

Photo was taken in very low natural light, before full sunrise. Crater would not yet be getting any sunlight. All light was from the bright orange incandescent fountain and the river of molten lava.

Will be removing the cardboard and cleaning the negative with PEC-12, then HD scan again. Mold will remain. Will then make them available if you request, extensive narrative also available.

Restoration on the pic in thread #2 has me completely buffaloed.

Aloha, Tom

[twtracy]

My first attempt at a Restore. Only used Levels here. Liked what I had and stopped. Will play again later. Display is Orig slide, and Restore#001.

Aloha, Tom

[Kraellin]

hi tom,

if you mean that second post of yours in this thread, yes, that one looks to be a stinker. i think i'd take it back to a black and white, clean up the splotches and any other mars with some clone, smudge and airbrushing and then use that other picture you posted that is similar and re-colorize the now b&w to something of color. it's trick, but trying to restore color to that first one by just using color balancing filters i think would be a task in frustration.

and i love these pics, by the way!

[Kraellin]

i took a few liberties with the last one two, the first one. i used 'color balance' to start then added blank layers and did some cloning, airbrushing and a tiny bit of smudging to fill in the black areas.

[twtracy]

Craig, that is a great restoration, A+. I greatly appreciate it, as now I have a model for which I can judge my own restores. That is really important, otherwise I would be satisfied with my own mediocrocy. You are hereby Authorized to take all the Liberties you have the time for, with my sincere appreciation.

Have been working on a slide taken closeup as I flew directly over the crater beside the plume. Tis frightening thinking of it, as I work with it because the red splotches are not mold, but red hot lave blobs flying past & at the plane. The bright red Lave plume is overexposed and I needed to know what colors it might contain. So I pulled up a movie film taken that morning by the USGS, as I was flying the vulcanologist photographers over the crater area. By the film run time 3:42 I was already at the crater. At 5:30-5:50 I was crossing the crater when this shot was taken. Only one they were able to take, as the remainder of time they were holding on for dear life http://media.wr.usgs.gov/movies/inde...a_1959_to_1960
I have a 12 page narrative of the event if your interested.
Thanks for the help, Tom

[Kraellin]

thanks, tom i'm not sure i got it all correct and i'm just as sure that someone else doing it would come up with something different, but hopefully i was close.

i'm not sure i'd want to flirt with an active volcano like you did, even for a good photo

[Kraellin]

that last one is in pretty bad shape, tom. i couldnt really find a lot of detail. either the resolution was too low on the scanner or the original picture was exposed too much or the picture was damaged too much over time. did the best i could with channel mixer, a brightness/contrast adjustment layer, a curves adjustment layer and a color balance adjustment layer. i also did a little bit of cloning on the black specks. these seemed to be more dust than part of the picture.

[twtracy]

Craig, believe me when I say that when you look that monster in the eye, it does look and feel, just like that. It was not courage, but ignorance.
Well done, A+, Tom

Sent a copy of Narrative to your Email.

[Kraellin]

thanks, tom. i watched that movie you posted. that's quite a show! what in the world were you doing flying over that thing? i hope they paid you a ton of money!

[twtracy]

Craig, I sent 2 Emails: 1st is the film you mentioned, followed up with the 12 pg Narrative, which explains the how and why. Only thing I received, were the slides (their throw outs) and some great memories. Will resend if need.
This was but just one, of my many harrowing flight tales. 60 yrs ago when I started flying, the planes and helicopter did not have the power to do the ordinary things that today's small/light aircraft are capable of.

Glade you enjoyed it, thought you would, and it will make the slides more interesting as you see them.
Tom

[Kraellin]

tom,

i havent been down to the other house where that email is for over a week now. maybe i can run down there tomorrow.

actually, i was teasing you a bit about flying over an active volcano. i could see doing that for a great shot. i'm just not sure how much courage i'd have with lava flying up at my face

and thanks