Please how can I improve on this photo

[sergio2263]

Hello everyone,

I have this old photo which looks pretty dull I've had a go with restoring the face but not happy with it. I would like for the photo to pop. Can anyone tell me what they would do to make this photo better especially his face.

http://www.pbase.com/mstmart/image/136967950

Thanks in advance.


helen

[Vernon]

Hi, sergio2263.
Would you include what you did do in terms of restoring the face?
As to making the photo "pop", do you have examples you can refer to that encompass the end effect you are after for this photo (assuming it is something you have already seen, of course)?

[sergio2263]

Originally Posted by Vernon

Hi, sergio2263.
Would you include what you did do in terms of restoring the face?
As to making the photo "pop", do you have examples you can refer to that encompass the end effect you are after for this photo (assuming it is something you have already seen, of course)?

Thanks for your reply to restore the face I've used sample from a clean black and white photo using layer mask and paint in white to get rid of the marks. What I mean by pop perhaps to use level or curves I have seen a tutorial here restoring faded photo I might have a go at that.

The photo looks pretty dull just would like it sharper.

[lurch]

Sergio, you might try something like this -

Added a multiply-mode layer (100% opacity) with a layer mask revealing only the face and neck. Then added a dodge and burn layer (soft light filled with 50% gray) and painted on it with 5-10% opacity black and white to add some shape to the face.

[sergio2263]

Originally Posted by lurch

Sergio, you might try something like this -

Added a multiply-mode layer (100% opacity) with a layer mask revealing only the face and neck. Then added a dodge and burn layer (soft light filled with 50% gray) and painted on it with 5-10% opacity black and white to add some shape to the face.

Thank you I like your edit a lot and the shape you add to his face it was a bit flat shall try your edit.

helen

[chiragjdoshi]

Hi.. i have just joined this retouch pro.. i guess u need to start working more with dodge and burn tool... make sure u pick any color of the same palette on the top layer and say blending option color to it.. guess it might help.. tc

Regards

[sergio2263]

Originally Posted by chiragjdoshi

Hi.. i have just joined this retouch pro.. i guess u need to start working more with dodge and burn tool... make sure u pick any color of the same palette on the top layer and say blending option color to it.. guess it might help.. tc

Regards

Thanks for your edit and suggestions I agree a little more work need doing I shall play more with the photo.

helen

[Cupcake]

This what I did to make it better.
Large file if wanted.

[sergio2263]

Originally Posted by Cupcake

This what I did to make it better.
Large file if wanted.

It's brilliant thanks ever so much if you don't mind I would like the large file. I've pm you my email address.



helen

[Kraellin]

i started with a usm of 1/100/5 (very light)

then i used psp's 'local tone mapping'. this is a new feature to psp that came with the X3 version. it's basically a specialty contrasting tool. this was set to full, i believe.

next i did a digital camera noise removal, also fairly light... we dont want to smudge his face, just smooth things out a touch.

i also noticed a lot of jpeg artifacting so i applied jpeg artifact removal, fairly strong.

his image was now pretty good, but to add more pop i decided to dull down the background, thus making him stand out even more. i did this with a brightness/contrast adjustment layer, but rather than lighting up or contrasting more strongly, i darkened everything, including the boy. now, here's a trick i learned in psp that helps me a lot. you'll notice i didnt mask the boy to start with. i just darkened everything. because this type of adjustment layer IS a kind of mask, i simply reverse the white, which means apply this tool, to black, which means remove the effect of darkening. i do this to the foreground and background stroke properties located in the upper right of psp's interface. it's essentially black and white as foreground and background. psp uses the white to indicate an opaque application of the effect and black as totally transparent. so, i simply reverse the foreground and background tool colors and use a brush to paint 'black', the transparent one, to the boy. this removes the effect of the brightness/contrasting on that layer, leaving me with what's showing through on the layers below. so, essentially, i'm simply erasing the 'mask' which is the brightness/contrast adjustment layer, but doing it selectively to only part of the image. it's a very easy way to 'mask' and remove a mask.

after that it's just a matter of getting it formatted to post here. hope you like it

[ChrisHutch1]

As far as the face, I did a bit of cloning to smooth out the distorted areas. I set the clone tool in Photoshop to about 45% opacity. Then for the rest I just applied the dust/scratch filter with a radius of 1, threshold 25.

http://www.chrishutchphoto.com/forum...inprogress.jpg

Good luck!