Photo Retouching - - Double Exposure

AdamZx3 · #1 01-25-2006, 09:39 PM

Hello, first time poster here!

I have recently got into photo retouching after receiving some damaged pictures from my grandparents, I am a 2d/3d graphics design student and have used photoshop a little but not for a long time so I picked up some books on retouching in photoshop; but I ran into something it did'nt cover ....double exposures. The 2nd picture I pretty much had to rebuild it from scratch as very little color information was left in the damaged spots, mostly I used the clone tool and also the gradiant then use burn/dodge to build detail (slowly:0 ).

Is there a better way to go about this? I havent started on the 1st pic yet but I looked in the chanels and none of the RGB channels have any good information in the damaged ares (that I can see)

Anyway I was wondering if someone would be kind enough to point me into the direction I should go?

**edit, PS the 2nd pictures there I already fixed/chopped the top left part where the double exposure was, but I dont have my scanner handy to scan the original.

Flora · #2 01-26-2006, 05:02 AM

Hi adamzx3,

Welcome to RP!

Since you have already worked on the 2° picture I tackled the one you haven't started yet ... For what I can see of your pictures, at the size and resolution posted, double exposure is but one of the many problems .... Colour, exposure, contrast etc. are the others .....

I have good news and bad news ... The good news is that it can be done ... the bad news is that there is no fast or easy way to do it ....

You are on the right track with your restoration and, for reconstructing the missing parts, beside what you have been doing there is only the 'copy-paste-flip(if necessary)' technique ....

I've been using:

Colour Correction
Apply Image
Levels
Hue/Saturation
Selective Colors
Blank Layers set to color

Contrast
Levels
Curves
Brightness/Contrast

Reconstruction
Heal Brush set to Replace first and Normal later
Patch Tool
Copy-paste-flip(if necessary)

Refining
Several Blank Layers set to Lighten, darken, Overlay and soft light

You could have a look at this Tutorial if you are unfamiliar with the 'Blank Layers set to...' Technique.

Hope this helps ...

Cameraken · #3 01-26-2006, 01:59 PM

Hi Adam

Welcome to RetouchPro.

As Flora mentioned, there is no easy way to do these.
I am not sure if there is a tree in the field but I removed it and I assumed the area at the top left is a pond.

Ken

AdamZx3 · #4 01-26-2006, 07:33 PM

thanks guys! that was quick.

i have a few questions so i guess it'll be easier to number them

1. What is the copy past flip technique? i assume it involves fliping parts to help reduce patterns?

2. with the heal brush set to replace, is that the same as clone brush?

3. How long did this take you? (i'm sure mine will multiply by 3-4

)

4. could you go over in more detail in how you removed the double exposed part...did you clone the good area's onto the bad area's, or did you select it and color correct just that part? (perhaps this was part of fixing double exposures "Several Blank Layers set to Lighten, darken, Overlay and soft light" )

I can not THANK YOU enough for what you guys are doing, it means allot that you guys are willing to fix that and then input your feedback as to how you went about doing it, thank you again

Adam

AdamZx3 · #5 01-27-2006, 09:19 PM

Just relized I posted this in the wrong section

Sorry for any inconvenience!

Cameraken · #6 01-28-2006, 03:21 PM

Hi Adam

Thank you for your kind comments.

To answer your Questions

Question 1.
Copy Flip and Paste.
This is a way of using one bit of the photo to repair another.
Select the right side of the mouth
Copy and Paste it to a new layer
Image > Transform > Flip Horizontal
Move into Position.
(You can Rotate and Size as Required)
See Attachment. (Sorry. Quick Job. Teeth need more work)

Question 2.
I think Katrin Eismann can answer this better than I. There is a downloadable pdf file here. (1.5mb)
http://www.digitalretouch.org/Photoshop7.html

Question 3.
It took just over two hours. But see below.

Question 4.
The reason it took this long was because I was playing with a new method.
I have been experimenting with separating Hue Sat and Lightness onto layers. (aka Stroker)
It worked very well here but has not worked well on other pictures. I am not sure why yet. If I get it sorted I will do a tutorial. However in the meantime if you want to learn more then here are links.

http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=151

http://tech-slop.serveit.org/wiki/in...act_luminosity

http://tech-slop.serveit.org/wiki/in...Extracting_Hue

You can find more by searching.

Hope this helps.

Ken

AdamZx3 · #7 01-28-2006, 06:06 PM

Thank you so much

1 copy flip paste..... Now why didnt i think of that!!!! DUH the face being symetrical it makes perfect sense...theres a good copy waiting there...I was trying to rebuild it to much...sheesh

2. I will have to look at that, I also have her 2nd ed book which I love, now that I am getting more into retouching I am reading it from cover to cover instead of skimming!

3. 2 hours, wow I cant thank you enough, thats allot of time to devote to one persons problems!

4. Thanks for the links, I am trying to soak up as much info as possible so anything is appriciated, thats one of the ways I taught myself Maya and 3DS, mucking around on the net for tutorials.

One thing I tried after reading about lab colorspace was converting into lab and then played with the level with each chanel (i think a and b) and it restored it pretty good, although my feathered selection still left a little halo on the edge....cant wait to read up on those links and give it another try!

again thank you all...I am trying to get the hang of this, so in later months I can start doing some retouching to bring in extra income to help pay for collage (majoring in graphics design with a minor in 3d animation)