Photo Retouching - - How to Enhance Enlarged Family Photos?

raspic · #1 04-20-2007, 12:40 PM

I want to enhance family photos from newspaper-type images so it looks better. The scanned image has real good resolution but the pixels are obvious when you zoom in and enlarge. I’d like to get better resolution to some degree for enlarging photos. I have Paint Shop Pro 8 and none of the enhance photo editing features do a good job; it helps some but not to what I’d like without blurring and other artifacts. Does any one know of a better software or technique and where to get it? I like to think of the space between pixels in a newspaper-type photo as like a screen on your screen porch. I want to remove the screen with some kind of software and keep a sharp image. I have packages Paint Shop Pro, OmniPage Professional and Microsoft Paint.

Thanks for any help,

jannetie · #2 04-20-2007, 02:56 PM

Can you set your scanning software to descreen? Some work better than others, but at the very least it softens the dots. My MiraScan does a good job, but my HP is lousy.

DCobb · #3 04-20-2007, 02:57 PM

CTEIN (pronounced kuh tine') covers this topic in his book for Photoshop, DIGITAL RESTORATION FROM START TO FINISH by Focal Press c. 2007. I am assuming you mean the half-tone dots from the newspaper picture.

dc

raspic · #4 04-20-2007, 04:00 PM

Thanks for the book source. Yes the image I had attached is the one. I had hoped someone could tell me what software tool there is or if I am missing something in my tools (OmniPAge Pro, Paint Shop Pro) that could be used.

chillin · #5 04-20-2007, 11:54 PM

FFT filter gives good results

raspic · #6 05-14-2007, 10:18 AM

Thanks for the reply.

Can you give me the name of a user friendly, easy to use software on the market that I can get?

Thanks

DCobb · #7 05-14-2007, 11:15 AM

Here is the URL for the FFT filter. It is free.

http://4n6site.com

Retouch Pro has an excellent tutorial for using this filter.

http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=185

(If these do not work, go to Google for the FFT and search Retouch Pro for the tutorial.) I tried both URLs after posting and they do work.

Hope this helps.

Also, Focus Magic, a third party plugin can be used. You can Google this and I think they have a 30 day trial period. You can't correct this type of problem with the plugin--only the stand alone version. You have to use despeckle and adjust the dot pitch. I tried it but the dot pitch needed to take out the pattern in your picture left the entire picture too blurry--my opinion.

dc