mvetrano2 Loc: Commack, NY

This is a photo of my wife and I on our honeymoon 52 years ago. She would like me to blow it up and put it in a frame. The problem is the people in the background and the scratches on the oringinal paper photo. How can I clean it up so that only us two are in the photo and the scratches are eliminated?

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ghbowser Loc: Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

How is this

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mvetrano2 Loc: Commack, NY

This is great! What did you use to do the fixing?

ghbowser Loc: Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

photoshop elements 21 and topaz photo AI

mvetrano2 Loc: Commack, NY

Thank you!

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The scratches are easy with a 'heal' brush in LR. The background is easy with a mask selection and any form of 'blur' in PS / PSE. Then, resize the image to just the minimum increase in pixel resolution to the desired print size. Do it all in PS / PSE, if desired.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Nice & quick work!

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

Thanks for the tips. I’m not really into post processing. This is nice. Oh, By The Way you and your wife are a cute couple.

mvetrano2 Loc: Commack, NY

Thanks Paul, I use Lightroom exclusively as a cataloggong tool and very minor photo corrections. I have Photoshop, but have never used it. Maybe I should learn.

ghbowser Loc: Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

I've had plenty of practice working on old family pics I have scanned over the years. Had a couple 3"x4" b&w prints taken in the 1950's that were turned into 12" x 16" wall hangers. Rather fun and rewarding once you get the hang of doing it.

Bill_de Loc: US

Very nice work

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mvetrano2 Loc: Commack, NY

Thank you, I wish we still looked like that!

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

To make it just the two of you, you need to replace the background. There are numerous programs available for free and for sale to do this kind of thing using AI. If you have an editor that has layers, you can then overlay this on a stock photo or create a background from scratch.

Here, using Photoshop v. 25.1 (Beta) I selected the couple, inverted the selection, and used Generative Fill to create a new background. I used mainly the AI Remove Tool for the scratches and spots, and I ran Photoshop's AI Restore filter just for shits and giggles, since it's still in beta and doesn't work very well. Used sparsely and judiciously, it can give you a start.

This your file without any enlargement. It should make a 4x6 or 5x7 print without any problems. If you need more, you will have to up-res the file. There are any number of online or downloadable programs to do that.

EDIT: I see that you have numerous replies since I took this on. Lightroom is not equipped to handle this kind of thing. You need layers. If you're going to do this kind of stuff, yes, you need to learn Photoshop.

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cahale Loc: San Angelo, TX

He did do a good job. If you are really attached to this photo, and still have the original, find a good scanner and scan to at least 300 dpi. The 72 dpi leaves not a lot to work with. And I also would have used Elements 21, but in tandem with the DXO Nic software.

Flyerace Loc: Mt Pleasant, WI

This is such a nice group of people who are willing to help someone out with a personal challenge. It really makes my day that so many would try to help. Quite successfully, I might add.

Thanks Hoggers! (I have nothing to do with this photo, it is just an observation of the kindness of Ugly Hedgehog members)