Need direction, please!

[dwolfe]

I am definitely a hobbyist and it has been a while since I attempted a restoration. So, I have poured over tutorials and Youtubes until I was overwhelmed. This was given to me by my niece-in-law, her mother. It is warped but I hated to cut it out of the tin frame and I don't think it actually affected the picture. All the problems exist for other reasons. The blurriness, the hat, the vest, oh my! I am going to be brave and post what I came up with. It looks like a painted portrait to me but maybe not a bad thing? idk. Then on my computer the face is not so white but when I had it printed it was blown out. You can be brutally honest - I can take it.
Thank you for your consideration.

[John Wheeler]

Re: Need direction, please!

H dwolfe

I would agree that the image looks a bit painterly.

I always ask if one is starting with the best possible starting image. Offhand it appears from the edge f the frame of the original that we don't have optimum focus on the original image. If scanning a better image is not possible using a copy stand should be considered.

Not positive there is an initial focus issue yet it appears that way to me. That is going backwards a ways yet it is near impossible to make up for either a bad image or a bad scan of a hard copy.

Just my opinion that it would be worth double checking

[Tony W]

Re: Need direction, please!

I agree with John about the focus issue. The sharpest part of the image is the outer part of the frame and as the image appears to be inset it is outside the field of focus.

Getting this image plane in sharp focus is really key to success or failure as is adjusting density and contrast to reveal detail that may be hidden at the moment.

How you achieve better focus is the question. If scanning again it is unlikely that the scanner will have a focus adjustment that could compensate for the inset image.

So your choices would appear to be removing image from frame prior to scanning, which carries the risk of damaging the print. Or as John suggested shoot the image with a good quality DSLR ideally on a copy stand with decent illumination either side, or pinned to a wall with camera on a tripod.

[dwolfe]

Re: Need direction, please!

Thank you both. I never thought about the fact of it being a scanning issue. After looking at the back of the frame, I might be able to take the picture out that way. Or i will use my camera. Thank you again for your help.

[StoryInPictures]

Re: Need direction, please!

The original appears more three dimensional. The restored version appears more flat because the illumination on the face has been completely flattened. Notice how the edges of the face are darker and how it transitions lighter as the rise of the cheek comes up?

You can try to keep that from the original, recreate it or, if you want, create light from scratch (although at that point you are reinterpreting the image).

[mariah1902]

The scanned one looks nothing like the original. To be honest if you wanted a photo like this you could have ask an artist to make an art out of it. This picture is quite old and I do not think that you can restore it like this way.