Advice on my project for Operation photo Rescue

[jeremy1986]

I recently got my first project from Operation Photo Rescue, It coming along pretty decent but i am having a problem with the left side of the photo. I've had to basically rebuild the the left side and my problem is creating the light source because as i can tell, it is from that direction. I'm using photo elements 6. Also any tips on the hair, shirt, or anthing else would be greatly appreciated. It is far from finished.

[kreativekraft]

Hi,

First I must say you did fabulous work. As I see there is not much refrence for hair in raw image so you have to google smilir kind of blond hairs and use them. For shirt I guess you can use right side part and if you can use photoshop tool under transform there is on tool called warp which will help you to flip shirt.

u need some more finshing in this image and your done.

[John Wheeler]

Hi Jeremy

That's fantastic that you have joined Operation Photo Rescue and you serve as an inspiration to many (including me).

I am not familiar with all of the tools available in Elements 6 and the online help files only go back to version 7 (so that did not help me)

The best advice I can give is similar to restoration work of old photos. Your final customer (the original owners of the image) have been hit by a tragedy of some sort and no doubt have major losses. Their loss of memorabilia and family visual keepstakes can be quite devastating as well. Any help that preserves/recovers their visual memorabilia is a great aid in remembering past times. Just to note what you have already done will achieve that objective and the original owners would probably be thrilled and greatful.

I am sure you can get some suggestions to tune up your approach yet I would caution about over doing it.. If it comes across as "Photoshopped" that will actually be a distraction compared to leaving it a bit rough where repair is not feasible or eventually beyond your own personal skills.

I would concentrate in priority order on:
1) Face
2) Hair and other parts of head
3) Clothing
4) Background

If the goal is to bring a smile or even a tear to the eyes of the original owners for recovery of something they no doubt thought was lost forever, you are already there. The rest, is only to satisfy your own needs to do a little better.

Based on yours and others posts I am going to find out what it takes to join the same of similar volunteer restoration efforts. So thank you for sharing.

[jeremy1986]

this is the image i am planning on turning in but i would like everybody's opinion before i do. Don't be afraid to be completely honest and blunt, I'm not porcelain, so i won't break.

[Tony W]

I think you have produced an excellent image from a very poor and damaged original. Sometimes it is diffcult to know when to stop and I would think you are at a point that most would find very acceptable.

I have one reservation that is the boys left ear looks IMO too dark and contrasty for the rest of the image. To see what you may agree is an improvement try making a selection of just the ear and apply a curve layer and raise the black point in RGB vertically up until you get a reading in the Output box somewhere between 25 -45. Do you think it looks better?

[jeremy1986]

Thanks Tony, John, and Kreative Kraft. I edit the ear like you suggested and it looks a lot better and doesn't stick out as much as it did before, I also added a slight shadow underneath the hairline, and added noise to places that seemed too airbrushed, anything else you could suggest? I really want to make this the best that i can for the person that owns the photo.

[iDad]

a few areas could use some texture work to match it up a bit better
around cheek, lower neck, some hair areas. I saw with a very quick look .

[LloydM]

Nice job.. I would lighten the left ear (picture right) a bit and submit it to the owner. If they want it tweaked a bit do it, I am in agreement with John Wheeler don't give it the "Photoshopped Look" of over doing it..

[Tony W]

For me the ear still looks too dark and contrasty. I hope you do not mind but I have taken your edit and put a version next to it where I have lightened reduced contrast to the ear - to my taste!. Obviously I prefer this but your mileage may well vary.

I agree the missing texture could be improved. But the question is how far to go and how much time to spend on it.

You have already made a huge difference to the original and I would be surprised if the owners of the image will find fault as it stands now. They after all are not likely to be fussy 'pixel peepers' like us.

Only you can decide at what point to stop as the law of diminishing returns starts to kick in at some point and you will find yourself spending so much time fixing small issues that will not be even noticed if left alone

[Cupcake]

Looks great, the only thing that does not look right is the nose.
The left side looking at it .
like this---I fixed it with the liquify tool