How far can restoration be pushed? Mining Photograph

[Gadget]

I also think that the construction on the right is a building/barn. I've only got a few agricultural photos and those are from Canada in the 1890s/1900s so  not sure of the date of this.

Looking at their utensils/tools, I'd say the crop was apples or cherries, etc. OR maybe hops 

Added - milking buckets were usually a different shape

[Prouty99]

Hops eh? Maybe these folks are cereal farmers?

I just found the below information about 'fagging sticks' They look quite similar to the curved pole the chap is holding second from the left, and if so the pouch thing around his waist may be a rubbing stone box used for sharpening

[cliffkinch]

Had a bit of a stab but without taking out each character and apply new layers manipulation of the picture as a whole is tricky given the contrasts

The view below expands out and blurs so best download the attachment

[Trishanne]

Prouty, I have read about the fagging sticks but they are short implements a bit like a sickle, used at arms length, not on a pole as seen in your photo. I would seem these people are fruit or vegetable pickers, something small going by the size of their buckets. The hook could have been used to pull down branches or high growing plants, I can't find anything like them online.
Do you think there could be more frames behind them, the straight lines, or are they just dirt or creases?

[Prouty99]

Had a bit of a stab but without taking out each character and apply new layers manipulation of the picture as a whole is tricky given the contrasts

The view below expands out and blurs so best download the attachment

Thanks for that Cliffkinch. Your photo brings out the fact that even the 'woman' on the back row seems to have a long tool that stretches over her head with it's length. You can just about see the top of this tool

I agree this is a tough photo to approach from a restoration point of view

[Prouty99]

Prouty, I have read about the fagging sticks but they are short implements a bit like a sickle, used at arms length, not on a pole as seen in your photo. I would seem these people are fruit or vegetable pickers, something small going by the size of their buckets. The hook could have been used to pull down branches or high growing plants, I can't find anything like them online.
Do you think there could be more frames behind them, the straight lines, or are they just dirt or creases?

Hi Trishanne, this had also crossed my mind that those are short tools but if you look at the base of the 'fagging stick' it has rope wrapped around the base, and if you then look at the tool that our tall gaunt looking friend has (second from left at the rear) his tool just above his left hand has a similar rope arrangement. It looks like his long pole has a short tool tied to it with rope to make the entire tool longer, and added to his own height suggests he was using this to reach up to cut things way above his head

[Prouty99]

Do you think there could be more frames behind them, the straight lines, or are they just dirt or creases?

I also looked at these frames, and put the photo into negative to check this out. The frames above and to the rear the shed are definitely real frames and not creases. Having said that I'm now seeing what may have been other frames to the rear of the subjects above and to the rear of the 'Woman'

What do you make of those? They may be creases or faded frames

[McGroger]

My try.
Peter

[Prouty99]

My try.
Peter

Thanks for that Peter, they look a little better than mine, especially the second one.

What do you make of the potential long scythe type tool that 'the woman' seems to be holding? You can see this in the negative although quite faint. It looks longer than the tool held by the chap to her right