Remove photopaper texture from old photo

Vespeera · #1 10-03-2004, 01:13 PM

Is there a way to remove the texture from an old photo that is part of the texture of the paper, and yet retain sharp details? The texture is a pattern seen in many old photographs. You may not see it in the photo.. and I have made the main photo smaller to upload here (you can see it there). larger version available if needed.

Any advice and assistance is appreciated.

Duv · #2 10-03-2004, 05:34 PM

Hi Vespeera

Welcome to RetouchPro! It's pretty hard not to lose at least a little detail but with your pic, I masked the eyes and mouth and applied small increments of Neat Image. With the mask still in place I applied a Gaussian Blur, just enough so I could still see just a bit of texture. Very carefully with a blur brush, I worked the eyes and mouth. Flora's better at this kind of stuff but I hope this helps.

Cheers
Dave

Vespeera · #3 10-03-2004, 07:35 PM

Hi Dave, thank you for the welcome! I did a search for Neat Image and found it. From your description, there doesn't seem to be an easy way to remove this texture (I am not too experienced with with graphics). If Neat Image is the way to go, what part, or filter of the Neat Image program did you use, and can something similar be done in Photoshop (besides the masking)?

Mark Adams · #4 10-03-2004, 10:17 PM

I have a smilar issue. My cousin passed away last month and the best photo they could find for her memorial site was a farily recent photo of her which was originally a two-shot of her with her ex-husband. They had removed his image and then printed her photo against a (*caugh* chessy) background on textured paper.

I cleaned it up as best I could, but it's low res and I'm not terribly good at it. Anybody want to try their hand at it?

Ken Fournelle · #5 10-04-2004, 07:26 AM

Vespeera,

If you don't have Neat Image as Duv suggests try the Blur tool set at about 75% strength. Use a smaller brushe for the eye area. I used an empty layer with an overlay blending mode to paint over the features ala Flora and finished with USM

K

Flora · #6 10-04-2004, 07:50 AM

Hi Vespeera

Welcome to RetouchPRO!

Great help from Dave and Ken!!

(if you haven't done it already, you can download the free version od Neat Image here

I had a go at your picture and used a combination of Photoshop Gaussian Blur and Neat Image trying to minimize the texture without smoothing too much and losing too many details.

I duplicated the Background Layer twice.
On the first duplicate I run Neat Image (defaul settings).
On the second duplicate (on top) I run Gaussian Blur, added some noise and adjusted its Opacity. I, then, added a Layer Mask and, with a soft black brush, I painted over eyes, nose and mouth to uncover those sharper features from the underlying 'Neat Image' Layer.
Merged Visible.
Created a Levels Adjustment Layer to improve contrast.
Created a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer (colorize option checked) to give a light tint to the picture.
Added a little Noise + Soft Gaussian Blur (radius = 0.3-5).
Created a New empty Layer > Blending Overlay and with a soft black/white Brush (Opacity 10-20%) I painted over areas I wanted to emphisize/highlight.
I further enhanced the contrast using Unsharp Mask (Amount>20%, Radius>50, Threshold>0).
I finally sharpened the image using USM.

Hope this helps...

Vespeera · #7 10-04-2004, 09:51 AM

Wow! I am very impressed with those results Flora, thank you. And thanks to Dave and Ken too. I will try these methods. Thank you all for your excellent help. This site is a treasure!

suchyy · #8 10-04-2004, 10:21 AM

WOW, I am really impressed. I tried to do something similiar with Floras instructions but I was only able to achieve something like in attachment.

It would be nice if you could show us some step-by-step pictures

I do not know what i did wrong.

Flora · #9 10-07-2004, 03:32 AM

Hi everybody,

thanks for the great feedback!

suchyy,

Great result! ... I'm sure you didn't do anything 'wrong' ... you might have remained a bit too 'soft' in the blurring/Neat image settings .... You could try to use the 'Blur Tool' (adjusting Tool and Layer Opacity) on the areas which still show some of the original texture.

Mark,

...resolution and size wern't the best to work on... but I had a try at your picture as well, using more or less the same technique for minimizing the texture ...

Mark Adams · #10 10-08-2004, 10:14 PM

Thanks Flora. Your version looks very good. I'm going to have to go back to that image and see if I can't get radical on it. The size and resolution were not good. I wrote my other cousin (the decedent's sister) about getting me a copy of the original but I never got any reply. Even if she had been able to get me an original, I don't think it was much bigger or better.

I just wonder if somebody didn't hack the retouch and print it on textured paper to help hide the shortcomings.

Again thanks, you did a terrific job.

Manjumena · #11 10-09-2004, 12:41 AM

Made a dup copy
selected each channel> Gauss.blur>Noice>median>USM

Flora · #12 10-10-2004, 05:23 AM

Mark,

thanks for your great feedback and so glad you liked my version of your picture!

Quote:

I just wonder if somebody didn't hack the retouch and print it on textured paper to help hide the shortcomings.

.... If somebody did that .... they'll never admit it ....

Manjumena,

Great job in removing the texture

.... a bit too soft in the details .... maybe...

Duv · #13 10-10-2004, 08:45 AM

Since we're all here to learn, I decided to have another go using much of Flora's superb technique although I did have to mask out the eyes and mouth and work a little more on careful blurring and sharpening. In any case, I think you'll agree that it is far superior to my first effort thanks to Flora.
Flora, luv to see a tut from you on this detailing more precisely what you did.

Cheers
Dave

Vespeera · #14 10-10-2004, 10:26 AM

Good job Dave! I agree, a precise tutorial on removing photo-texture paper with details and pictures would be great, but I am grateful for the instructions already given. It would be nice to be able to do it without Neatimage though. There is little I can find on the web about this, hence my question here. You guys/gals are wonderful!

Flora · #15 10-12-2004, 02:51 AM

Dave,

Great job!!!!!

....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duv

Since we're all here to learn...

I learn from everyone and every picture I work on .... That's the magic of RetouchPRO!!!

Vespeera,

..... I was trying to sneak out of writing a tutorial

....
Could I use your picture (it's just perfect for it) to write one?
Thanks in advance ....