Thank you, All of you. Sorry it has taken so long for me to reply or be a part of this thread, but I had a scooter accident 2 nights ago, (an old man on a bicycle turning right in front of me and I try and stop, not seeing there is sand on the road…then it was all over..) and haven’t felt up to sitting at the computer. Ok, so there is a lot of good information here. Firstly, I have also read, even tho I was interested in seeing what would possibly really work, that most of the cleaning solutions could damage your slide or neg. So, to read what both Ann and RAmon wrote kind of put me back in that groove. Even tho I wish it would be that easy! And to read what Dirk said about some of the most touted stuff not working, has added to my resistance. to use it. Too bad! Secondly, yes, Dirk, my slides have a lot of crud on them, and many many of my negs are scratched via the Indian process of printing and the way they handle film. The scratches I don’t have a problem with, it’s all the dirt crud. I will check out the Polaroid Dust and Scratch software. But, wouldn’t that work like Photoshops? Thirdly, Ann, are you saying to first scan the neg, and then scan it again using ICE and then history back the unsoft parts without the crud? Also, should I look you up on search, as was suggested? I am checking out Katrin ‘s article. I have seen a few of her books before, but had not a lot of time to spend on them. Fourth, Ramon and Ann, please explain how I can paint out the dust and scratches with the history brush? Or shall I just find your article, Ann? Thanks, again
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are you saying to first scan the neg, and then scan it again using ICE and then history back the unsoft parts without the crud?
No. 😀
Once the slide or negative has been scanned, apply your favorite filter(s) for removing scratches (Photoshop’s, Polaroid’s, Kodak, your own, etc) to your image, then make a snapshot of the results, step back in History to the step just before you applied the post processing dust and scratch removal, target the snapshot with the History Brush and start painting only those areas where there is dust or a scratch. The dust and scratches will disappear as if by magic, leaving other areas of the image unaffected.
Software-Cinema puts out the best Photoshop tutorials on CD, bar none.
Eddie Tap is but one of their less known authors. I have several collections by Julianne Kost, Katrin Eismann, Jack Reznicki and Ben Wilmore. There are others.
Click on "View Streaming Media Demos at photoworkshop.com" button on the lower right-hand corner of that page. [The Back-to-the-Future tutorial by Eddie Tap on dust and scratch removal is there for free.]
Thank you! RAMON! OK! I have been searching for Ann’s information on history brush but can’t find it. And here you come with some answers. OK.. SO what I am understanding then is to NOT use ICE (because that is used AS I am scanning in the first place) but to use (in my case) Photoshops’s Dust and Scratches filter AFTER scanning. Then I will have an original history to revert and brush back from.
(Ann actually wrote TO use ICE, which would give me the softer version, to start with ie: >Scan at high resolution (with ICE if you have it); use the History Brush to apply your retouching or heal or clone out any spots that remain in Photoshop; < So, actually, I am not understanding Ann, if she is saying to .use the History Brush to apply your retouching<. Which would mean that I would need something to history from.)
I will check out the links you sent. Thank you, again!
I only have dial up here in S. India, so nothing "streams"… it constantly reloads. I’ll see what I can do. I appreciate your help.
Dirk, I looked at both of your pix>before and after< after using the Polaroid Dust and Scratches filter, and I see about the same amount of softness as I see in ICE or maybe a bit more, actually. but "Thanks" to you and John.
Also Conrad, I tried to download the "FLoat and Move" technique, but ended up getting something else. I’ll try again.
Thank you all. I really DON’T want to use ICE if at all possible.
I would copy the original layer and make a new layer and apply the dust and scratches to that. I realize it will make the file bigger but if you need to stop and close the file you have that layer already made when its time to start up again.
OK. Ramon, I am having trouble understanding your last statement.
CD>SO what I am understanding then is to NOT use ICE< RC>>No one has said any such thing,<<
You said:> Once the slide or negative has been scanned, apply your favorite filter(s) for removing scratches (Photoshop’s, Polaroid’s, Kodak, your own, etc) to your image, then make a snapshot of the results, step back in History to the step just before you applied the post processing dust and scratch removal,< Which, to me, means just that: APPLY FILTER FOR REMOVING SCRATCHES AFTER SCANNING. like you said. If I use ICE, it is DURING scanning and will be a part of the ORIGINAL scan, which I didn’t want. So, what do you mean by: >>No one has said any such thing,< It is implied.
Chandi, Using the Polaroid Dust and Scratches filter. I still can make some fine tune adjustments to get some of the detail back. I can live with a little softness due to the fact I’m only going to use these images for an online portfolio that the images will be no larger than 278px in height at 72dpi. I can hide a lot of the smaller pieces of crud when I reduce the image to the smaller size. If I were to output to a printer, I would have to work a lot harder to get rid of the crud.
Dirk, That’s exactly what this archive is about. These images will be used in the near and far future in a variety of ways, including blowing them up to 20×24′ size and more: books, web sites, magazines, movies and DVD’s, etc… That is why I don’t want to soften the image in the beginning and feel a little ok with softening it after scanning and then being able to use the history brush to get as fine detail as possible. Nikon’s LS5000 ES DIGITAL ICE does a hell of a good job removing dust and scratches in the scanning process itself, without leaving it very soft. Not as soft even as Photoshops does. But my issue is not having the whole image soft. That is why I was entertaining the thought of "cleaning" the negs and slides in the first place. to alleviate the softening process. I can deal with scratches and the clone and healing brushs for small things, but not a slide full of crud.
I am having trouble understanding your last statement.
Yes, that seems to be the old pattern. 😀
You can (in my opinion you should) use the scanner’s ICE during the scanning process. ICE does not affect the whole image.
Then you can apply whatever additional method(s) you find useful, make a snapshot, step back in history, target the snapshot, and use the History Brush to paint out any remaining dust and scratches not removed by ICE.
Or you can use just the latter; or just the former. Whatever suits your images best. There’s hardly a single method that is best for all images, you do have to use a certain amount of judgment.
Once you have watched the Eddie Tapp video, it will become clearer to you.
Hi RAmon, Yes, I was thinking the same thing. You sometimes say things that don’t agree with what you say before, or at least whay my question and understanding of your answer to it is, so i don’t understand. My experiemce of ICE is that it affects the whole image. How can it not?? At least when I compare an image scanned with ICE and then scanned without ICE, them, there is a slight softening to the whole image. Otherwise, I understand I can use an after scanning dust and scratches filter if I don’t want the image softened originally. My original question was what to do to alleviate the filter step, hence how to clean the neg and not destroy it. I have gone to the website, registered and cannot find the Eddie Tapp video. Only 2 color management and one Pro video. Would you please elaborate on the link. Thanks again.
