My second restoration!

[CalamityJanet]

Here's the torn up photo of my sis-in-law's parents. She said it's the only photo she has of them together...I don't know the history. (Yet) She said she would be satisfied if I could just put it back together so she would be able to tell who it is. I hope I went a little beyond her expectations! My DH says she's going to cry when she sees it!

I didn't dig very deep into the toolbox for this one because I'm still not sure of what I'm doing. Books help, but I think I need video instruction. I haven't done anything to enhance the contrast, etc. yet because I'm just satisfied now to have it pieced back together! It's still a work in progress...lot's of room to improve on it. I hope I never see another plaid suit or pinstripe jacket! I also didn't crop and straighten because because this photo has a strange aspect ratio. It doesn't fit any of the standard size frames so i'd like for her to come show me how she's like to crop it. I really don't think it was a fininshed photo from the studio. I think it was a proof?

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1Ifbl8huo4kwIPSLFj9BCT1swJvBw0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1Ifbl8huo4kwIPSLFj9BCT1swJvBw0)


http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1epRKYj0Mnm4zgUTunsWjuufS4rvrE0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1epRKYj0Mnm4zgUTunsWjuufS4rvrE0)

[Bayla]

Janet,

You've done a really good job on that. I can't see the joins. Your s-i-l is going to be delighted. Well done.

Bayla

[Wendy]

Janet ...

That is just great !! ... :)

Wendy

[Byron Gale]

Now THAT is a nice job!!!!

[msbrad]

Janet, You are on a roll!
Great job!!!
m

[NMarti]

Janet
Beautiful job! You did a good job of paying attention to detail too!

[TexasRose]

Wow, what a super job you did! She will love it.

[Daviskw]

Hi Janet

Now that is a good job!!!! Seamless… that would be a good before and after for your new website …..” Photo Enhancement and Restoration by Janet “

Butch

[Wendy]

... and so it would :)

Wendy

[CalamityJanet]

Thanks, everyone! I couldn't have done it without you! I haven't shown it to her yet, but I'm really looking forward to it.:)

Butch, you and Wendy are planting some interesting ideas. The big problem is that if I were charging for that restoration she'd have to take out a loan...I'm too embarrassed to say how many hours that took. If I could learn all the "tricks of the trade" and speed up the process I'd absolutely LOVE to spend my retirement doing restorations!

So, how does one go about becoming proficient at this stuff? Are most people "self" taught by reading books, joining forums, on-line training, or the classes and tutorials here? I spent a few hours searching the net for local schools or colleges that have classes but haven't seen anything. I would like to just focus on restortion of old photos. I'd really like some face-to-face instruction with serious feedback and crtitcism. I think I'll start a separate thread about this...

Hey Butch...why did you drop the Calamity part of my name! Bad for business?:eek:;)

[sharlmitch]

Janet,

You have done an absolutely beautiful job!!!!!! :)

If I were you I would'nt crop it at all. I would put it onto a blank background at whatever size she wants then fill it with color of choice. I gave it a try on a 5x7 background then took my eyedropper tool and picked a color from the top right corner of the photo and filled it with the paint bucket. Just a suggestion, but it's far too nice a photo to crop. :)

I too love doing restoration I would really like to see them do a class in the learning section.

Sharon

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1IT1FjHElZZrrkvwkBeluC1QWB1Iy1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1IT1FjHElZZrrkvwkBeluC1QWB1Iy1)

[John L Gray]

Janet,

Now, that is an excellent job of restoration. Butch is right, that would be a wonderful restoration for the Home Page of your new website.

Great work.

John

[CalamityJanet]

Thank you, Sharon! I see in your gallery that you do great restorations! I love the image of Mabel and Ray. And I love what you did for my image. The mat is a good match. I'll show it to my sis-in-law to give her the idea. I don't think she realizes the potential of PSE...yet!

I agree that a class here would be good and I'd sign up as soon as it was offered. All the PET classes are taught by great instructors and are a great value for the money, but I'd like to find something where there's an exchange between instructor and students.

[CalamityJanet]

Thank you, John! I actually started thinking about starting a website yesterday after a very pleasant 30 mins of browsing yours. Such a wonderful collection of old photos you've beautifully restored! I wish I could find more of the really old ones of my family. Your photos of babies are gorgeous, especially the baby with the white ruffled cap and white fur jacket. And your lighthouses and landscapes are beautiful, too. I thought of you last week when I scanned some of my negs of east coast lighthouses...maybe I'l send you a few! Your website is very nice and I can't wait to see it after the changes are finished.

[John L Gray]

Hi Janet, Thanks for the very kind words about my site and photos. I been blessed that my relatives of the past hundred + years have passed photos to new generations.

I wanted to tell you that my my new website was launched today with my new domain address.

http://firstlightimagesphotography.com

The new layout, colors and slides shows are the most exciting for me. The site is about 85 -90 % complete. I will be putting the finishing touches to the site over the next week.

Take a look and let me know what you think.


John:)

[nkeevers]

Janet, great job with your restoration! You are definitely on a roll now!

[sharlmitch]

Janet, let us know when you get a wesite.

I too would like an exchange thread between instructor and student, that would be great!

Wow John! I just looked at your wesite, it's awesome!
I have to agree with Janet I love the baby in the ruffled cap and the one od the baby in the snow. They are all very nice though.

I need to get busy I have so many to do.

Sharon

[uniqcrafts]

What a wonderful job and a lot of work. I think it looks great, the only thing that I find weird is his chin. It almost looks like it's connected directly to his neck. To me he needs more definition for a chin.

[CalamityJanet]

Thanks, Michelle! I will definitey revisit this one later after I have more practice. For now that guy is lucky to have a chin at all! If you go back to the original "before" you can see that he was cruelly decapitated by whoever tore up the photo!:eek: If I tried do do any work in that area he just looked worse and worse, so i quit before I ruined it. Practice, practice.....

[uniqcrafts]

I completely understand. I waited with one of my photos as well. I finally got enough information to keep working at it. The more I learned the better it got. Time... it sure is the answer for most things. :)

[CalamityJanet]

Well, I sent it to her last night and she was thrilled!:D First email...

"Oh my God!...how beautiful it is! I can't believe how it came out. I can't tell you how much this means to me. All the pictures of my Mom and Dad together were destroyed in a flood at my brother Ed's house. It's much better than I could have ever imagined. Thank you so very much! You certainly have a gift for this."

A little while ago she sent me a copy of the email she sent to her brother and sister...

" ...She spent many, many hours trying to reconstruct this picture. I can't believe what she was able to do with it! I never thought it was even salvagable...let alone wonderful. I am so thrilled to have it look so great! Hopefully, you guys will think so too!"

It was worth all the time and effort!:D I didn't tell her it's not really finished yet. Hmmm...maybe it is finished after all!

[uniqcrafts]

If she's happy then it would be done for me. Only you will see the things that you think are not done yet. I'm so glad they appreciated your hard work. Great job!

[Orphanannie]

Hi Janet,

Looks like you do a great job on restoring... I third the motion for a class on this. It's lots of fun....

[CalamityJanet]

Thanks, Andrea! I'm not nearly as far along as you are. This was only my second attempt and I really only used two tools...healing and cloning. I think I forgot to mention that I was a self-employed wallpaper hanger for four years so I had a lot of practice at making seams disappear!:)

[Orphanannie]

Hey Janet,

Thanxs and don't sell yourself short by no means. I have never attempted anything like this in my life... Just started a couple of months ago. You have a great gallery.. Question, How did you do the cardinal, you can almost reach out and touch him, and that mean looking sky with the bridge?

[Wendy]

Hi Janet ...

I am so pleased that she like it :)

Wendy

[CalamityJanet]

Hey Janet,

Question, How did you do the cardinal, you can almost reach out and touch him, and that mean looking sky with the bridge?

Hi Andrea, glad you like them!

The cardinal was done using the buZZ Simplifier filter plug-in. There's a free trial that's good for a limited number of uses. It's a lot of fun and for a few weeks there were a lot of us playing around with it. I'll see if I can find a thread or two. Here's the site where you can get the free trial.
http://www.fo2pix.com/products/semiproproducts_more.php?id=288_0_17_0_C
Another good place to start if you like that effect is in the subscriber area here. There's a great Dave Cross video from Dec 29 called "Painting".

The photos in my gallery of the mean sky were taken a couple of months ago. The altered one was done using a technique of combining filters like in the Dave Cross video.

Give it a try when you need a break from the restorations! And be sure show us what you come up with!

[BillandCat]

I learn SO much from these "just a sugestion" tips. I love em. Billandcat

[hfgerena]

Hi, this is what you can call a "priceless" gift to your SIL. Excelent work.

[julievive]

great job :D