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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: rdkmt on Sunday 13 March 16 21:18 GMT (UK)
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Hopefully it's not too faded to do. His uniform is a red coat, white belt, cuffs and collar & piping, gold buttons and flag badge and collar markings (that are so faded as to be near invisible tbf) and black trousers, similar to the pic below. His eyes were hazel and brown hair.
I don't what her colour her dress might be, anyone who knows the fashions of the time care to guess? Maybe something muted like navy and pale blue or black and ivory, but I've no idea.
(btw can't name them as not definitely sure who they are)
Thanks.
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Sorry I can't do colouring . . . but I have made it a little brighter for you and removed the flash glare. (ooops - but not the fingerprints. :-\) Not easy to work on as very low dpi.
If anyone wants to use this to colour, feel welcome. I know most people like to do their own work though.
Wiggy
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Thanks. How did you get rid of that flash glare, like this? http://www.essential-photoshop-elements.com/remove-flash-glare-with-photoshop-elements.html
I have photoshop elements 9, but I've never used it as it looks too complicated (can't even find background layers for example). Can you colorise with that as well? Again, I imagine it would take a long time to learn/do.
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I do use photoshop elements, but I just used the usual tool for correcting scratches etc. I believe you can colour with Photoshop Elements but I just don't!! I didn't use that method.
I only try to repair photos for fun - and because I prefer them in their original shades myself, I haven't bothered to learn how to colour. I like them looking old.
Selfish isn't it. But it is only for fun! ;D Others enjoy colouring so I'll leave it to them!
Wiggy ;)
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Had a crack at the colour for you. Not perfect by any means, but best i could do with the noise and grain left in the image.
Thanks
Martyn
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Thank you very much, I wished I'd checked back before I bothered with my effort. The jacket especially is very striking as I hoped it might be, and the buckle is brilliant, it looks like a real one.
Mine is below. OK, it's bad, but it is my first ever attempt and I had no idea what I was doing. :o
Can I ask what programme you used and how long it took? It took me a few hours..... the magnetic lassoo was really annoying to use, you do a complicated outline and think you've closed the circle but it won't take and you have to do it again. I couldn't paint on the face either for some reason. The biggest difference is the buttons, which are a realistic colour on yours, but on mine look like were drawn on by a 6 year old with a yellow crayon.
A few questions about photoshop, forgive my ignorance but are there lots of different versions?
Would my elements 9 version be able to do a picture like the one above for example?
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/42066/how-to-colorize-black-and-white-vintage-photographs-in-photoshop/
When I tried control, shift, G it didn't work so I didn't get the group tab, I don't know if that makes a big difference. I also couldn't find a pen tool, I just found brushes & default brushes, and then I couldn't find soft round, maybe it depends what version you have? So I could only do the basic first version.
I think I'd have to read up on it a lot more to be able to make a decent pic.
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Learning photo manipulation programs can take a long time. The first thing is learning to work with layers.
You are probably better trying to work at repairing scratches etc first by using the scratch remover and clone tools, and then working at replacing damaged areas. It is always worth getting the picture in the best possible condition before starting to color it.
Once you master that and get the hang of it, you should move on to coloring.
With coloring, it is best to have the highest resolution scan, and then convert the picture to grayscale before converting back to color and starting to color it.
Coloring a picture can often take 3-4 hours, and with practise you will learn the colors to use for faces/skin, gold buttons etc. To start with, it comes with trial and error.
There is no quick fix when learning photo manipulation. It takes a lot of time and practise. Why not try having a go on some of the pictures posted on the board.
There are some good tutorials on You Tube.
By the way - For a first attempt at coloring your picture, you have done really well and should be pleased with yourself.
Steve
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I just realized before posting this that I was working off Wiggy's work instead of the original - thanks Wiggy! Added colour and touched up a few areas.
Cheers,
Kevin
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That's OK Kevin - I did say I didn't mind on this one - the scan is very low dpi, so it is tricky anyhow. But I thought I'd got rid of more glare than you have - so . . . how did you put it back in? ;D
RDKMT - I reckon you've done really well if that is your first effort at colouring. :D
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Learning photo manipulation programs can take a long time. The first thing is learning to work with layers.
You are probably better trying to work at repairing scratches etc first by using the scratch remover and clone tools, and then working at replacing damaged areas. It is always worth getting the picture in the best possible condition before starting to color it.
Once you master that and get the hang of it, you should move on to coloring.
With coloring, it is best to have the highest resolution scan, and then convert the picture to grayscale before converting back to color and starting to color it.
Coloring a picture can often take 3-4 hours, and with practise you will learn the colors to use for faces/skin, gold buttons etc. To start with, it comes with trial and error.
There is no quick fix when learning photo manipulation. It takes a lot of time and practise. Why not try having a go on some of the pictures posted on the board.
There are some good tutorials on You Tube.
By the way - For a first attempt at coloring your picture, you have done really well and should be pleased with yourself.
Steve
Good advice there from Steve and not much to add other than i personally use Photoshop CC or PS6. I also very much do everything manual down to using the selection tool rather than lasso - then i refine the edges (refine selction option). As Steve says layers is key, and dont be afraid to add more layers to one selection - especially as your learning colours. Again echoing Steve, it takes time and practice and playing to get a trained eye for colour sets.
Once you have layers in place and dont forget to group all your layers. So if your working on a few people/figures group everything Person1 / Person 2 / Furniture / Background etc and add your individual layers into those groups. Manipulating each layer will then mean you can easily go back and change/modify set portions of the restore.
With high quality photos the colour process is far easier than old grainy/noise ladden photos, so the results are dramatic with colouring jobs based on the quality of photo.
I also agree your attempt at restore is great for first time, you should be proud - most old photos have a limitation so accept that you can only do so much with remove noise, blur etc once you have cleaned up as best as possible then you can spend hours and days even trying to retouch skins, textures etc.
One final piece of advice is when retouching skin and tones - you can use smudge but only on very low opacity other wise it will take out the texture of skin.materials etc. If you want to lighten an area use "dodge" and to darken "burn" again watch the opacity levels.
Another tip is in Photoshop at least you have a mixer tools, this is good for hairline and skin lines when you want to blend together the shades. On this tool remember to reset the swatch after each use as it can affect the colour your using to blend.
Most of all just try every tool in Elements or Photoshop whatever your using and accept that time and patience is needed. We all have different outcomes on every single picture, you will see on here from all restorers some do great on one and not so great on others...This is the time aspect.
Have fun learning and dont be scared to share and contribute on here - we are all still learning.
Regards
Martyn
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I dont know if this helps but here is a basic screenshot of working in Photoshop. Just showing very basic some of the tools you can use and practice with. and where to add groups using the button at bottom right of layers panel.
My screen is set up for essentials layout.
As i said before using a good quality image especially when practising colouring will help you more than using an old damaged photo - like the public domain image i coloured in the screenshot...
I started using images for practice from Wiki and also here http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/
You are free to use and share most public domain or Creative Commons images !!
Hope it helps.
Martyn
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Some great advice here.
Also - Don't forget EDIT - UNDO
If you make a mistake or if it dosn't look right to you - Use the UNDO button, as all is not lost.
Steve
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Don't forget to flatten the layers on your final piece of work or the file will be huge.
Carol
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Just time for a roughie
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Very nice colouring there, Tomkin! ;) ;)
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I see you had time for a colour as well Tomkin!!!
Carol
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" Very nice colouring there, Tomkin! ;) ;) 2
Very poor effort, buts it's been so long since I did any colouring that
I couldn't remember what to do. ;D all my settings have gone :'(
I was just about to complete Tomb Raider and had an hour to spare,
so I thought I'd have a quick go.
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Thanks to you all for giving helpful info, I'm more sympathetic now I know how hard it is.
Thank you kmccormi, I really liked your curtains & background & face detail.Thank you Tomkin, I know how much effort even the roughest attempt takes.
Martyn, I compared your screenshot to mine and I don't have the pennib or group tab which may stymie things a bit. I think I need to see a pic from a photoshopper using the same prog as me to show what's possible.
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Btw, is there any way of cutting a pic into an oval shape? I've got some pics with scraggy outlines but I can only work out how to do a square/rectangle in ms paint. I know you can draw a freeform outline but I'm not good enough at it and it just looks a mess.
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If you right click on the marque which gives you the redtangle, you should be able to get an oval which you can drag across the photo to make the oval.
Or post the photos you want done (on another thread each) and we will give them a go.
Wiggy ;)
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I'm not sure I have the marquee tab.. I've worked out how to make an oval shape, but is it possible to cut it out? All the rubbish is still outside the oval if you get me, and the cut tab is greyed out. I think I used to have a programme that framed photos for you, but that died with my last PC.
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Yes there is - but it is tricky to explain - go to 'help' in the programme you are using and it might assist.
When I make an oval, I go to select and inverse, then edit - 'stroke (outline) selection - and do it that way to wipe out everything else. Then crop down to what you want.
Sorry - I'm not very good at explaining things. I am definitely not the expert round here - just open my mouth too much. Can't even crop straight sometimes!! ;D ;D
e.g.