Suddenly, it is October 29th, which was my father's birth day way back in 1912. I remembered a photo of him playing a banjo, but I couldn't find a scanned version, so I decided on a simple closeup that I had scanned at some point in the past, actually 2010 as it turns out.
It is quite possible that I had edited it somewhat in 2010, but I thought that modern technology could do a better job so I put it through Photoshop's new photo restoration algorithm. I don't know if you will see much of a difference at this Blogger resolution, but the revised version is much clearer. The things is that if there had been tears and scratches, they would have been repaired too.
I have a book on photo restoration, so I was able to accomplish some decent results in the distant past, but it wasn't a task for the faint of heart. However, this algorithm just required a click, and poof it was done.
I am guessing that he was ~30 in the photo, for he is balding, but his skin also looks pretty youthful. If so, the year was 1942, and I came along 5 years later in 1947 when dad was just a month and a bit shy of 35. However, I think that he could be anytime from his late 20s to mid 30s.
I also asked Photoshop to colourize it, but the result was awful in this case, so I discarded that version. It was not nearly as good as the restoration that it did on this photo that I posted last October 29th. While I had touched up Photoshop's result a bit last year, the program had done the lion's share of the work. This year, it was beyond both Photoshop et moi.
My FIL’s birthday is today. He would have been 95, born on the day of the bank crash. He always concerned his big day to be epic!
ReplyDeleteOh, the great crash. Dad would have been 17.
DeleteI like his expression in that photo. He seems to be pondering the fate of the world and finding it curious.
ReplyDeletePhoto editing has certainly come a long way. The difference in the first two photos is quite noticeable even on my phone.
ReplyDeleteI should have done a Dad post too; Oct 24 he would have been 102. Ah well, next year!
112 for my dad
DeleteI have maybe one picture of my parents! Taking pictures was an unheard of luxury, maybe one roll of six a year on my brother's Brownie box. Which he won in an essay contest. So it's interesting to see other people's folks. Do you think you resemble him or your mother more?
ReplyDeleteHe looks a dapper man. Does anyone use that word anymore? My father's birthday is easy to remember. Valentine's Day. I had no idea photoshop can do this. I's been a long time since I've used it.
ReplyDeleteIt is in a section called neural filter where they will do automatic procedures for you. Satisfaction is not guaranteed. :)
DeleteGood to know what you photoshop folks do these days...all beyond me! I've been thinking about celebrating my dad's birthday Nov. 9 in a blog this year, and now you've posted yours, so I am inspired to do so also. Without photoshop! Beware!
ReplyDeleteIt was good to mix a memory with something photographic.
DeleteAhhh, you are not a bad son. I remember my father every day when I pick up a camera which was one of his loves also.
ReplyDeleteHe looks so handsome!
I rarely recall my parents' birthdays. They are in April and they were only a few days apart on the calendar but years apart in years. I got in trouble for calling my mom on the wrong date.
Anyway, it is nice to see your dad!
I keep i on my Google calendar — Dad’s Birthday 1912. Of course it doesn’t come up until the actual day, so I am lucky if I remember to get something ready to post ahead of time.
DeleteWhat a nice-looking man. The things we would ask our parents now, if only we could.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, I think of things to ask, but there is no one left.
DeleteI've thought the same thing!
DeleteI do see the difference in the two photos. Your dad was so handsome. Oh, don'tyou wish we could just talk with them again -- have one more day or even afternoon.
ReplyDeleteYes. I do not remember him looking like this. I think I aged him. 😊
DeleteThe photo looks much cleaner to me! You're not a bad son, it sounds like you remember him often.
ReplyDeleteIt's been years since I used Photoshop when taking some college courses and it was free back then. Looks like you had good results, AC and wonder what your dad would have made of the changes. BTW thanks for the suggestion of a title for my post today, I had one that originally was similar, but decided on the current one as it seemed a bit more intriguing at the time.
ReplyDeleteI don't really use Photoshop all that often. Most of my general editing is done in Lightroom. But I came across these neural filters in a video, so I thought that I would try them out.
DeleteYou made me think about what I do. I'm the same as you and sometimes I miss the birthday by a few days. But we think of them often throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteIt's almost like the longer I go, the more that I miss him.
DeleteI think of my parents' birthdays often as the days come closer. I miss them.
ReplyDeleteEver since my computer upgrade and the loss of Lightroom, I've been missing my ability to fix up old photos. Perhaps one day I will pay for a subscription to Photoshop and do a bunch at once before cancelling again.
ReplyDeleteDid you use LR Classic (with the catalog) or LR?
DeleteI used the just Lightroom. While I liked it, I disliked how it interfaced with how I organized the photos. But then despite having a paid licensed copy, when I went to install it, they would no longer allow it to work with their website to get whatever information was needed and told me I would have to buy a subscription to access it from now on.
DeleteWhat did you father do for a living? For whatever reason, he struck me as a lawyer. Perhaps it was the suit.
ReplyDeleteHe was a grower (as in greenhouses and flowers) for most of his life, but I expect that he was a lay preacher in this photo. He was a lay preacher when I was born, but not for much longer, I don’t think.
DeleteHe is a very nice-looking guy! My dad would scoff at me remembering him on his birthday. He wasn't big into them. I think of dad most days and miss him; I'm sure it's the same with you. A birthday is just a day on the calendar.
ReplyDeleteYes, my folks are often in my thoughts.
DeleteMy dad's birthday was in August, 1907. Another tie day, he'd say.
ReplyDeleteIt is a good thing to remember. But not such a good thing to find out that a skill painfully acquired is now not needed as an algorithm has taken it over. Grr. I, like you I think, worked hard to learn how to restore old photos. My best and most cherished is one of my mother, age 16, with her beloved collie dog.
ReplyDeleteAnd, for goodness sake, my dad was also an October birth. Hmm. If there is a ghost tapping my shoulder tomorrow, I guess I deserve it.
It's so sad to think of all the loved ones who have left us but I'm grateful for the love and joy they gave me while they were here. I'm always impressed with all you do with Photoshop. I have a hard time remembering how to do things. I have to keep asking my brother.
ReplyDelete