I wish I had kept the complete original 4x3 scan, but I had already cropped the bottom half (above), which was just a table loaded with drinks.
I do not consider myself to be a accomplished restorer, but I am willing to try when the occasion warrants. So the various spots had to go as well as the bottle. A slight colour adjustment was required, and I felt that I had to darken the background somewhat as the people back there were too faint and fuzzy to add anything positive to the photo. They were more of a distraction the way they were and had to be diminished IMHO.
This ↓ is the result after much fiddling and faddling. You can't make an old photo look like a modern well-lit studio image, or at least I can't, but they were pleased with the result. I also presented them with a 5x7 where this was originally about half of a 4x3.
I also made a bw version, which I think they are beginning to prefer although they have gone back and forth a bit, as have I.
To re-emphasize: I don't claim to be all that good at this (or anything photographically for that matter), but the end result is much better than the original, and they like it, so that is good.
Photo restoration is nit something I have ever done except in a college course, but it was a challenging project as was yours. That said, this end result is much improved and glad the neighbors were pleased too. The b&w would be my choice as well.
ReplyDeleteWell done. I'm not usually a fan of b&w but in this case, I prefer it. The faces really come through.
ReplyDeleteYes! The improvement is huge.
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job! My husband does black and white photography. Usually, he prefers film, but he has also gotten some nice effects changing digital color shots to B&W.
ReplyDeleteI think you did well with the photo!
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of when an African teacher friend of my son from Mali came to visit us in Illinois many years ago. Our son had met him when he was in the Peace Corps. Sadio brought a rare photo to show us of his father wearing a knitted hat that was cut off at the top. His father had died several years before and it was the only photo he had. Art worked on it. Fixed the lighting, took away creases, added the top to the hat and gave it back to Sadio who was totally shocked. Sadio brought the photo back to the village and apparently shocked everyone who thought his father had come back from the dead.
ReplyDeleteLater, Sadio sent us a photo of his grandmother and yes, we were able to do a little computer magic with that one too.
You did a wonderful job with that photo of your neighbors! I know they were thrilled!
I like the result!
ReplyDeleteYes, the restorations are far superior to the original, and no need to apologize.
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing AC. I am in the process of writing a book that will be including many old photos of poor quality but necessary to go along with the prose. I have someone doing exactly what you show here and it is wonderful to see it revived. Wonderful work and keep it up …
ReplyDeleteIt's good to have projects, isn't it?!
ReplyDeleteGreat job. My Corel PhotoPAINT has a feature that sharpens pixels, many different settings inside the app, and can clear a fuzzy photo quite a bit if you play enough. I forget what you use, but it has done a pretty good job.
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