Light distortion? Any help for fix in Photoshop

[tturner]

The attached photo was taken with a digital camera but for some reason looks like a light leak or something. Any ideas or help to fix this would be awesome as this is an important picture of family (particularly a very elderly grandma)!

Thanks!

[mistermonday]

If you have Photoshop you can do a double conversion with Camera RAW. Adjust the Blacks slider to bring back the density in the lower half of the image which will leave the top very dark. Then do a 2nd conversionmaking the adjustment for the top half of the image. Mask and blend those two conversions with the original.
Your image has rainbows right across it so most likely the camera shot the photo through some optical obstruction. You will need to paint all rainbows away on a color correction layer. You might need to even out the luminosity with a little dodging and burning where required.
It will take some work but you should be able to achieve a very good restoration.
Regards, Murray

[chillin]

You could also use levels adjustments with a gradient mask.