Photo Retouching Advice Please

[JulieM]

I'm trying to clean up this WWII era photo and would like any advice the talented folks here can offer. I have used the clone tool to eliminate most of the speckles and damage but beyond that haven't tried anything else. I think I'd be content with it as is now, but wonder if there are any other tricks that would improve it?

Left is the original and right is my work so far:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1gi2U3jE9iZHr1JkCp32UN7lvNnQ_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1gi2U3jE9iZHr1JkCp32UN7lvNnQ)http ://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1KugrjP99lBSJ55byajnUTwjA4LY7_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1KugrjP99lBSJ55byajnUTwjA4LY7)

My dad is the sailor on the left. The photo was taken in Tokyo Bay in 1945 after the Japanese surrender. My dad's escort carrier, the USS Barnes, which was on occupation duty can be seen in the background. I just love the photo and would like to get a nice print to share with my sisters.

[Elemobe]

Julie, It looks pretty good to me, amazing the difference just cleaning up the specks and damage makes.

[NYBOB1]

Hi Julie,looks good,maybe just a little sharpening would help it.The sailor on the right is a little out of focus.

Bob

[Daviskw]

Good job Julie and a good picture… it really seems to represent the moment. My dad also served on an escort carrier… the Sargent Bay. It wasn’t at Tokyo Bay but it fought at Iwo and Okinawa among others …6 battle stars

That generation was magnificent.

Butch

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1E2CqO4lwonP7Dxxclj3kMiVK7X2U_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1E2CqO4lwonP7Dxxclj3kMiVK7X2U)

[JulieM]

Linda & Bob: Thanks for the comments. I will try some sharpening and see how that works.

Butch: Did you put the page together for your dad? Its very well done so I'm sure he appreciated it. I feel lucky to have even a couple pictures from when my dad served in the Pacific but I do wish more had survived. Somewhere we have a sort of "yearbook" from the Barnes for one of the years he served. Much like a high school yearbook, along with pictures of the ship and it's aircraft, it had photos of the crew and some of their various shipboard off-duty activities. It is a really neat memento. And, I agree that they may have been "the greatest generation"....

(Butch, I notice you live in St. Louis. My mom was born and raised there and my parents lived there before and after he enlisted.)

[kimi_boo]

Here is my try...:o

Added a levels adjustment, the high pass filter and a small crop.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1t459Ef9VjuXtTUnksL36kOUp0RXtw_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1t459Ef9VjuXtTUnksL36kOUp0RXtw)

You did a great Job cleaning it up Julie.

[JulieM]

Thanks, Kimi! I don't think I've ever really used the high pass filter so wouldn't have thought of that. I will experiment with your technique so I can learn more about how it works...

[kimi_boo]

Julie there is a video on the high pass filter in the subscriber area. I find using a levels adjustment on a black and white does GREAT things. :D

[Daviskw]

It sure is a small world Julie

I was lucky I found a site with hundreds of pictures of the ship and crew from WWII... some, like Kamikazes just missing the ship, are terrifying.

Dad is long gone but these pictures help me remember his courage and his sacrifice for me, my family, and country.

Butch

[uniqcrafts]

I agree, the two guys on the right are out of focus. I would put the two guys on a seperate layer and then try and sharpen them by themselves. I would think this would give you a classic look of sharp things close and blurry things far away.

[twoaussies]

Just checked the Video section for the High Pass Filter video - does it have another name??? Jean

[JulieM]

Just checked the Video section for the High Pass Filter video - does it have another name??? Jean

I think Kimi is talking about the one called Sharper by Dave Cross, February 16, 2007. And thanks, Kimi, for suggesting it. I'll take a look at it tomorrow!

[JulieM]

Bob & Uniqcrafts: Its funny, I didn't really see the men on the right as being out-of-focus, I just thought they were in shadow. But, now I wonder. I'll try some selective sharpening and see how it goes. Thanks!

[Daviskw]

Maybe just for fun a poster type look.

Oversharpening and playing with contrast. and a plug-in

Butch


http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/10GvpAS2BWJ5u6oBjme4y0o7kHTl_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=10GvpAS2BWJ5u6oBjme4y0o7kHTl)

[Vesta]

Julie,
What a great photo and Butch I love that poster effect would you mind sharing how you did it. By the way Butch I live across the river in Illinois about 30 miles from St. Louis.

Vesta

[JulieM]

Butch: I'm with Vesta. What plug in did you use for the poster effect? It is wonderful!

[Daviskw]

Hi Vesta neighbor... the world is getting smaller. You and Nancy could live next door I think.

For a birthday present this January I recieved a plug-in called LucisArt. It is simple to use if a little expensive. They must really love me...:p There are discounts on the net if you google them. Anyway ... the plug-in increases contrast between pixels in a way I have not been able to duplicate. Fun to play with. I have it installed in CS2 but they say it will work in Elements. I'd love to try it in Elements but my present version 3.0 will not work on my Vista System.. yet. You can download a free demo. All you do is unzip it....copy the files to your plug-in filter directory and restart Elements. See if it works if not just delete.

If it works then you buy and download a serial number otherwise you can only see results but not save them.

Butch

[CarolLHB]

Butch-that effect is amazing! It really dramatizes that photo-