Need help repairing damaged photo

L
Posted By
longlostname
Sep 29, 2008
Views
259
Replies
7
Status
Closed
First of all, I am using PS v7.

I have a Very old B/W photo that is torn/creased/stained/yellowed/etc. Just as a challenge, I thought I would try to do some repair on this photo.

Some parts of the image are incomplete/Gone. One example would be a person’s face. The picture was torn in half across this person’s face. The tear goes horizontally across the nose. At the tear, some of the image is gone and it is just white paper. I have had a great deal of success rebuilding this face but I have several others that are of the same condition.

My issue is getting a more effective tool to do this.
I have tried the Healing Brush, Patch, and Clone Stamp tools. For a crease the patch tool is Great. But when I am trying to extend a person’s cheek into an area that either does not exist or is torn white paper, I am getting a ineffective blend effect or it doesn’t work at all. I have read the docs on each of these tools and the docs do specifically use the word ‘blend’ so it appears that they are working as they should. I am trying to have the same functionality of the Patch tool, WITHOUT the limitation of a blend requirement, but then again, not exactly. I am trying to avoid a cut/lift/paste also because that does not have the blend of the Patch tool.

Yes, I know I am trying to have my cake and eat it too.

I have looked at many web sites for insight on image repair and have gained a lot from that.

Can I get some suggestions on how I can accomplish this using the tools in v7 of PS.

Thanks

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F
Freeagent
Sep 29, 2008
does not exist or is torn white paper

Forget the "magic tools" for a second and think about what you’re trying to do: you’re reinventing pieces which no longer exist.

It’s not a question of "which tool" – it’s a question of "what do I put in there".
JJ
John Joslin
Sep 29, 2008
If you want to learn retouching well, invest in:

Photoshop Restoration and Retouching by Katrin Eismann & Wayne Palmer.
J
johntolliday
Sep 29, 2008
Have a look at

<http://www.retouchpro.com/>

regards

John
DM
Don_McCahill
Sep 29, 2008
In terms of retouching the face, I agree with Freeagent in the difficulty in creating what doesn’t exist. Had the tear been top to bottom you might have tried to copy one side to the other. That doesn’t work so well, top to bottom, on most people’s heads.

Can you get another picture of the person, ideally with the head the same size or larger? You will still have to worry about things like lighting and shadows, but you will be a lot further along.
RK
Rob_Keijzer
Sep 29, 2008
I’d search for other photo’s of the same person. Check for simularities in position and lighting angle etc,

Rob
L
longlostname
Oct 1, 2008
Thank you all very much for all of the input and the URL.
PE
Philip_Esposito
Oct 3, 2008
Another really great book it "Photoshop CS3 Restoration and Retouching Bible" by Mark Fitzgerald.

I spent a couple of weeks reading/using/learning with this book and it was time very well spent.

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