Nice to be here!

[Pete Donegan]

Hi, everybody! This is my first post. Really like the site, and have found help here before. What triggered me to post was I saw yesterday somebody posted a picture of Tay Bridge and I've just finished restoring an old photo of the same bridge! I'm attaching the before and after to see what you folks think!
By the way, it might be just me ... but it took me quite a while to get to find this Post New Thread section. Hope I can find it again!

All the best, keep up the good work

Pete

[Britsdad]

Hi Pete, and welcome to RetouchPRO,
I think, overall, you've done a good job on a pic with a load of problems. You could think about making the clouds a little more decernable maybe, and add a little sepia tone, and what is that just above the left hand arch on the building to the left?
You might get more replies if you'd posted this in the critiques area of the site.
Regards.....John

[Pete Donegan]

Thanks for your comments, Britsdad! I've done some more like this for a client, and did some really nice 'replacement' skies, but he preferred a blander look because that's how the originals were, and wanted to go for authenticity rather than a great picture, but looked too modern! The marks you can see over the arch on the left is damage to the brickwork I think, so I left it.

Pete

PS Yes I will put it in Critique Forum, after what you said!

[Kraellin]

hi pete, and welcome to RP.

i agree with britsdad, the sky needs a bit of contrast. otherwise, excellent restore. consider adding a mask to the sky area and then running just a touch of contrast and a slight lowering of brightness on that area. wouldnt need much, especially since the client wanted blander. i wouldnt use replacements here. from the original there seems to be enough contrast already. just bring it out a touch more.

[Britsdad]

Hiya Pete,
As Craig said, I wouldn't go for a replacement sky, just slightly improve the contrast of the original, it only needs a very small amount otherwise it looks false. The one I've done here was done with a small adjustment with "shadow/highlight" hope it's something you feel you're client will approve of.
Regards.......John

[Pete Donegan]

Thanks for your helpful comments! Yeah, see what you mean about a bit of subtle contrast. Looks about right.

Pete

[Britsdad]

Hope it helps
John