Old Photo Restoration: The photo I’ve posted is of my father. As can be seen, material has flaked off in several places. Restoration may be difficult because of the location of the...

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Old Photo Restoration

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Aug 16, 2023 10:56:25 #

MikeJ Loc: North Georgia USA

The photo I’ve posted is of my father. As can be seen, material has flaked off in several places. Restoration may be difficult because of the location of the white spots around the right eye. I don’t have the talent or tools to even attempt to restore the photo myself, but what with the wealth of expertise among those regularly posting on the UHH site there may be some who might be willing to give it a try. If so, I would be truly grateful even if efforts are unsuccessful.

The photo was taken, I believe, in 1916. Dad, born in 1899, joined the Mississippi National Guard likely seeking an opportunity to get off the farm. That opportunity arose when his Guard unit was activated and sent to France. He made it through the war unscathed. I have a snapshot of him sitting at a table on a sidewalk in Paris drinking a glass of wine. He never made it back to the farm, but took up the carpentry trade and eventually retired from his job as head of the Carpenter Shop at Brookley Air Force Base at Mobile, Alabama. He died in 1982.

(Download)

Aug 16, 2023 11:05:55 #

GLSmith Loc: Tampa, Fl

MikeJ wrote:

The photo I’ve posted is of my father. As can be ... (show quote)

I'll take a stab at it...

Aug 16, 2023 11:10:10 #

MikeJ Loc: North Georgia USA

Thanks, GL

Aug 16, 2023 12:19:11 #

David Martin Loc: Cary, NC

MikeJ wrote:

The photo I’ve posted is of my father. As can be ... (show quote)

Here's my attempt.

(Download)

Aug 16, 2023 12:29:40 #

GLSmith Loc: Tampa, Fl

Looks like Dave Martin was able to get it completed before me, looks good..GLS

Aug 16, 2023 12:32:31 #

R.G. Loc: Scotland

David Martin wrote:

Here's my attempt.

Excellent. About all there's room for now is minor tweaking.

Aug 16, 2023 13:23:48 #

PlymouthWoodworker Loc: Plymouth, MA

Hi MikeJ,
I took a quick stab at editing (see attached). I first ran it through Topaz Gigapixel to improve the clarity and then opened it in Photoshop Elements 2022 and used mostly the clone tool. I also adjusted the levels for better clarity in the shadows, but did not change the color or anything else. I used the entire picture including the surrounding mat, so the file got quite large. The attached file is medium quality jpeg. I also have the .tif file with all the layers, but it's too large to send. If you'd like me to go any further with this, I would be glad to. The NIK Collection Silver Efex Pro 3 would probably do a good job of evening out the color tones and improving shadow detail even more.
Glad to help.

(Download)

Aug 16, 2023 13:48:41 #

MikeJ Loc: North Georgia USA

Thanks so much David and PlymouthWoodworker! It looks perfect to me. It will be sent to a cousin who is into genealogy and is building a compendium of family pics going back as far as she can find pictures of our kin.

Again, thanks so very much.

Aug 16, 2023 13:49:43 #

MJPerini

Nice Job by all

Aug 16, 2023 14:14:14 #

Beowulf Loc: Aquidneck Island, RI

Fine job by all!

Aug 16, 2023 14:29:57 #

Stash Loc: South Central Massachusetts

My attempt

(Download)

Aug 16, 2023 14:32:29 #

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

MikeJ wrote:

The photo I’ve posted is of my father. As can be ... (show quote)

Whew! The right eye was easy compared to removing all of the black and white specs everywhere in the photo. Just as I thought I was finished, I noticed he did not have a right nostril. Fixed that as best I could. I removed some blue/purple stains on the uniform and subtracted all of the color in the picture but left it in the border. Enjoy!