Uneven fading causing problems

[MaryLynn]

I call this photo my "Aha" photo because every new trick I learn in PSE2 I try to apply to this photo. It was used for my first ventures into Brightness/Contrast, Levels, Clone, Dodge & Burn and, most recently, Layers and Masks.

So far I have spent hours of tedious experimenting and not been able to get a completely satisfactory image. So, here it is; teach me, please!

BTW, several other genealogists are waiting for the answer to the problems in this photo. Thanks for your help.

MaryLynn

[chrishoggy]

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[Gary Richardson]

Hi Mary Lynn, have had a quick go with your image as follows. Copy background to new layer. Desaturate both layers. On top layer, apply layer mask and mask faded part roughly. Now apply levels adjustment to alter contrast and darken faded area to that of good parts. Now using soft black brush adjust mask. Create new layer, and clone to hide join.
Create new layer set blend mode to Soft Light and fill with 50% grey. Now using soft black & white brushes set to 10% paint in Darkness and Lightness into areas that still need adjustment.
Lastly created new layer set to Colour Blend, and applied Sepia tone to match original.

[MaryLynn]

Thanks Chris and Gary, you have both given me good techniques.

Chris, I tried your method and got good results but still had the cloning to do on the joints of the two images. Not a problem, I've become very familiar with the clone tool.

Gary, after trying Chris's method I tried using the adjustments layer method you describe and was getting good results with it as well. But I reached a point of not knowing where to go next. Now I can pick it up at the Soft Light/50% Gray fill layer and go on from there. Thanks so much for your help.

I'm just getting into using layers, masks and blending modes. So I have to practice, practice, practice!

MaryLynn

[Flora]

Hi everybody

chrishoggy,

great, simple but very, very effective techique!!!

Gary,

great job!!

MaryLynn,

... yet another way to try ....

Working with PS CS:

• Used 'Method 3: CHANNEL MASK', as described in this Tutorial, to darken the faded areas. I desaturated and duplicated the newly created Layer (Multiply) a couple of times changing the blending to Color Burn first and Soft Light later. I 'played' with the Layers' Opacity until I got an accetable result.
• I used a Curves Adjustment Layer to even out lights, shadows and midtones .... (if the contrast is too high, you tend to lose details).
• Used Patch Tool to minimize/remove the edges created by the correction.

[MaryLynn]

Thanks Flora, for your input. That looks really great!

I have looked through that tutorial and will try using it myself. I am working in PS Elements 2 so I have to figure out how to achieve the Channels and Curves functions in another way. It takes a few extra steps and probably is not as smooth as in the PS programs. Still, it is a learning experience!

I really appreciate this forum and the opportunity to learn so many approaches to solving problems.

MaryLynn

[chrishoggy]

Deleted and leaving this forum due to the actions of member rondon

[Duv]

Chrishoggy, you're comments are bang on for me. Also you did a great job eliminating the shadow on the woman's face.

Cheers
Dave

[Gary Richardson]

Flora, thank you for your kind comments. Your own rendition is of course up to its usual high standard. Mary Lynn, good luck with your restore, I used PSE2 for quite some time, and got excellent results with it. I never really found an equivalent tool to curves, but found you could do quite a lot with levels if used creatively. Not sure what's available with Hidden Elements, but it is highly thought of, and seems to have solutions to a great many of the shortcomings of PSE2, it could be worth trying.

[chrishoggy]

Deleted and leaving this forum due to the actions of member rondon