Photo restoration

[electricmonk]

I make a few dollars on the side restoring old photos and here's one I'm working on now. This is from my Mom's collection so I'm doing it for free partly for the challenge of it and partly for future reference to decide on how much to charge others.

The original. The file I'm working on is about 6500x4200 and up to 171mb now.



And what I've managed to get so far.



Actually I'm a little further along than this. I just haven't saved a smaller version to upload yet. I have all the faces done except the 2 at the left. Once I get that done then I'll start working on their clothes.

All I have to say is that the Healing Brush is one of the greatest inventions ever.

[HamstersFromHell]

1. Nice work!

This was the part of my former job that I loved, just for the sheer challenge of it.

[FloridaPat]

2. Impressive. Great job.

[Redstone]

3. Damn nice work

You must be a very patient individual.

Redstone

[BlackVelvetElvis]

4. Super work.

How did you draw out the contrast?

[electricmonk]

5. Thanks

Wish I had more time to work on it. It's still at the same point.It was about to gve me a bad case of carpal tunnel syndrome anyway.

To boost the contrast and add detail I created a new Levels layer and used Multiply for the Blend mode. Actually had to do that twice on this one.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

6. I don't think you need to work on it anymore.

It is possible to overdo it!
Thanks for sharing on the technicals.

[DS1]

8. I gave it a whack last night, and that's the same approach I took

except I made a Mulitply layer, and then the levels adjustment on top of that. Both ways will work. Of course, I didn't spend a second actually fixing it, but it was really cool to watch Photoshop reach in and drag all that information out :D

[ET Awful]

7. It's amazing how much detail is still there in old damaged photos

if you really take the time to resurrect them :).