Help removing stains

[VaPhoto]

Hi,
I'm new here, and relatively new at retouching, was wondering if someone had some suggestions how I might remove the stains from this image.

Step by step would be very helpful.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[philbach]

Well this is an interesting problem. Usually I take a look at the color and channels and try to correct the global color first. Notice that the blue channel is much worse than the red channel. It looks like this is a sepia tone with some painting of the brooch and the iris of the eyes.

I placed a levels adjustment layer and clicked auto and that created too much luminosity and a blue tint.

I identified a gray point located in the background next to the person's right cheek and used a gray eyedropper on it and the results were similar.

So my initial thought would be to use a channel mixer and convert it to a black and white photo and just use the red channel for the conversion and then start working on the stains.

Finally put the color back in.

[LonK]

Hi VaPhoto. Here's a quick sample of what you can do by D&B on frequency separated layers. If you are not familiar with these techniques there's plenty of info to be found here at RP. Do a search for D&B (Dodge and Burn) and frequency separation. Good luck,

[VaPhoto]

Wow thanks LonK, very nice work! I'm going to have to look around here and see if I can find more info on your techniques.

Thanks again.

[philbach]

Well I took another route. I used the channel mixer to convert to black and white and touched it up using a brush, cloning and healing and then put the sepia back in .

[unimatrix001]

you could try this tutorial by Russell Brown
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=...RsvyVD1aYbFcxg

[Stormy]

Here you go.

[philbach]

Lonk, I would like a little clarification of how you restored the photograph. Good Job.
http://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thread_id=439098

My guess is that you had three layers, the background layer, the GB layer and the High Pass layer and then dodged and burned each layer separately. Is that correct?

[KTG]

Lon,
Did you D&B right on the frequency layers? Which one? Or did you clip a grey layer to one of the frequency layers? A little more explanation would be helpful.

thanks
k

[crfbillmann]

I repaired only the red channel, with painting with a soft brush and tones out of the pic, over the Stains and the replaced the colors of the green an blue channel with the channel mixer.

It took 15 min.

Here is the Result

[LonK]

Originally Posted by philbach

Lonk, I would like a little clarification of how you restored the photograph. Good Job.

My guess is that you had three layers, the background layer, the GB layer and the High Pass layer and then dodged and burned each layer separately. Is that correct?

Actually 4 layers: Background, low freq, high freq, color. I find separating the color aids in working on the other two as I only have to deal with luminosity. Of course, in this case, the color is pretty monotonous and straight toning would work just fine.

Originally Posted by KTG

Lon,
Did you D&B right on the frequency layers? Which one? Or did you clip a grey layer to one of the frequency layers? A little more explanation would be helpful.

On the original separation, I used a very high GB radius. This essentially put most of the damage on the HF layer. Using quickmask, I loosely selected only the stained part and used surface blur to pretty much wipe it out. Then I added weak film grain to get back some texture. On the LF layer I did the macro D&B to correct the luminosity and contouring. For my quickie demo (10 minutes), I just used the dodge/burn tools right on the layer. To go totally non-destructive, a clipped grey layer works just as well.

HTH,

[KTG]

Lon,

Thanks for that explanation and forgive my ignorance, but how do you separate the color to its own layer? I understand how to do the frequency separation. Interesting on the high GB radius.

thanks

K

[LonK]

KTG, make a third copy of the BG on top of the HF and LF -- blend mode > color. Desat the HF and LF using: Fill; 50% grey --> fade fill; mode > hue. HTH,

[KTG]

Many thanks Lon

k

[philbach]

Many thanks too, Lon.

[Cupcake]

Smooth face in Painter & fixed lips. Texture on the background. Frame on picture.
Dodge and burn tools in CS3 on light painting layer.

[byRo]

Hi folks, long time....

Originally Posted by philbach

...It looks like this is a sepia tone with some painting of the brooch and the iris of the eyes...

I've restored a few of these here in Brazil. The story goes that the photographer would come in from the big city and photograph the small-town folk. Then he'd go back to his studio and paint the clothes and background around the faces.

If you look carefully, you'll see that the face doesn't quite look right - I darkened it a bit to fit in better.

1) Made monochrome using only Red channel;
2) D&B to partially fix the stains;
3) Smudge brushing to smooth things out;
4) Repeat 2) and 3) a couple of times (not just one step!);
5) Ran Levels separately with mask for the face;
6) Colourized for fun!

Rô

[mistermonday]

Ro, awesome job, welcome back!
Regards, Murray

[Kraellin]

nice job, Ro, and indeed, welcome back! where the heck ya been?

[byRo]

Originally Posted by Kraellin

nice job, Ro, and indeed, welcome back! where the heck ya been?

Working too much.

These days Photoshop is just a hobby for my free time - just didn't seem to have too much of that.

Nice to be back.

Rô

[Flora]

Working on the coloured version (and mostly on the stained part of the face), I made a selection of the stains.

I used a Selective Colors Adjustment layer and a blank layer set to Lighter Color to minimize the staining. (Attachment 1 my result after these two steps)

I used Frequency separation and D&B to remove the scratch on the cheek-jaw line and to smooth and blend in the harsh edge lines of the stain. (Attachment 2)

[Kraellin]

a shame, Ro. your help is always good and always welcome!

beautiful job, flora!

[drphotohap]

Originally Posted by LonK

Actually 4 layers: Background, low freq, high freq, color. I find separating the color aids in working on the other two as I only have to deal with luminosity. Of course, in this case, the color is pretty monotonous and straight toning would work just fine.



On the original separation, I used a very high GB radius. This essentially put most of the damage on the HF layer. Using quickmask, I loosely selected only the stained part and used surface blur to pretty much wipe it out. Then I added weak film grain to get back some texture. On the LF layer I did the macro D&B to correct the luminosity and contouring. For my quickie demo (10 minutes), I just used the dodge/burn tools right on the layer. To go totally non-destructive, a clipped grey layer works just as well.

HTH,

That's incredible restoration work. I've downloaded this photo & I would like to learn this process. I've done a search for "frequency separation" & "d&b" but am unable to find any specific instructions on the whole process. What is frequency separation, what is the theory of it & what are it's uses. I'm familiar with d&b on a 50% gray layer (white brush/black brush, low opacity) which is how I do most if not all my d&b. I use the HP filter & GB filter when making certain masks & for sharpening. I've just learned that the HP filter & the GB filter when set at the same radius will sort of cancel each other & change nothing. Kind of like Congress.
Would you mind sharing the step by step process. (If so, please be specific). If you've written a book on this, please tell me where I can buy it.

[LonK]

@drphotohap: Thanks for the compliment. The most comprehensive info about frequency separation can be found at the Model Mayhem forum (link in post by Philbach in this thread, post #8 above). It's not a book, but could be, based on the length of that thread. Coming to grips with FS is sort of like learning to "see" stereograms. You practice and experiment until you "get it". Good luck.