Very old photo Restoration help

[Wookie]

Hi you all,

I'm Wookie and I'm somewhere between a noob and a intermediate user of Photoshop, but learning all the time.

I posted a challenge on Photoshop Techniques.com and I was advised to bring the challenge here, so here it is.

How do I fix up this photo? I want to colorize it, so that it looks as new as possible. Please if you have the time could you take me through the steps required to do this..

http://mypics.no-ip.org/pics/1Great-...-Henrietta.jpg ... Is the original picture

And here is a reduced size picture to view..

http://www.angelfire.com/weird/aaaaaa/Henrietta.jpg


Thanks in advance for any help offered..

Wookie

[Vikki]

Hi Wookie, and welcome to RetouchPro.
You've really got your work cut out for you with this photo!

I'm sure some of our members will have some great tips on how to go about fixing this, but I'd like to offer some suggestions to get you started on your own:

Check out "Photoshop Restoration and Retouching' by Katrin
Eismann, it's the best book out there on this subject.
Katrin's website

Look through the "Challanges" here. Most, if not all, have detailed instructions on how each was accomplished.

Look through the "Tutorial" sections here, there are some great time savers and tips.

Although my suggestions aren't step-by-step instructions, they should help you get started, and we can take it from there.
Vikki

[Xaran]

I'm confused

This picture is the current challenge. What gives?

Christine

[Vikki]

I just looked at the challenge entries for this, and I'd like to suggest some ideas for the background. The restorations look good, but the backgrounds are undermining the whole.
Check out some old photos to see what sort of backdrops were used back then. Many times, a large patterned carpet was hung as a backdrop, or a faint painted mural was on the wall.
Also, to keep it looking consistant, if the grain/noise can't be completely removed from the person, keep it in the background as well.

[Wookie]

Hi Vikki and thanks for the welcome to this great place, I just know I'm going to learn heaps here.

I have had a good look around here and seen that there is an enormous ammount of information applicable to this subject, but unfortunately I cant seem to find a step-by-step breakdown of how to do the task I enquired about.

If someone has a bit of time, could they write a a lest for me, it might go something like this.

1. Desaturate.
2. Repair cracks.
3. Adjust tone.
4. Colorize

I hope what I am asking for makes sense, its merely to know in what order I need to do things, then I can chase up the necessary tuts and start learning how to achieve the different results.

As I have said I have looked around a fair bit and cannot seem to find a checklist such as above. Can you give me the kick to get me moving?

Thanks in advance..

Wookie

[rondon]

Hi wookie... have to like a name like that... I'm only here to answer your question of why no checklists... all photo's are different and many ways to attack each..

by now I hope you understand what was written earlier... your photo has been posted as a challenge here ... which means you'll have the work of many members notes to use for guides ... as well as some swell pix...

click below if you're unaware of what I speak.... looks like a good challenge
RonDon

http://www.retouchpro.com/gallery/sh...=583&password=

[Rawessence]

Hi Wookie and welcome aboard! Interestingly, I noticed that you indicated that you posted this picture as a challenge in the techniques forum. However, I too submitted it as a challenge originally. The subject in the picture is my great-grandmother Henrietta - are we related? I am a genealogist researching my family lines and would be interested to know how you came by your copy of the picture? Look forward to hearing from you.

RawEssence

[rondon]

now what are the odds ?

[Wookie]

Hi RawEssence,

This picture was given to me by a friend, his name his Tuborg, I posted this on Photoshop Techniques.com because I wanted to know how to fix your great-grandmother up. I was advised to post it on this forum, so I did.

I have now found out that Tuborg is a member here, and here is where he got the picture from.

So I'm afraid we are not related, but I'm sure a cyber friendship through this board will develop.....with all of the members here, given time..

Wookie

[Rawessence]

Oh, I see. That clears that mystery up! I'll look forward to sharing ideas with you and seeing some of your work! My photoshop skills fall somewhere in line with yours, so I am sure we'll be able to give each other a few pointers here and there. Take care!

[rondon]

Oh Gosh ... what a fool I was... I suspected a con job... I tried to cut my hand off so I'd never write another line ... with the paper shredder but merely ended up with a poor nail job...
forgive me
RonDon