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Really Old Photos

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Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty RED STICK PARTNERS

About 3 years ago I started exploring my family's history on ancestry.com, and rootsweb.com, and all over the internet, looking for any website with information about my ancestors.  All of my documentation includes as many old photos as I can find.  And there's another project -- scanning old slides and black and white negatives.  My relatives have been very helpful in putting up with me and my requests for scanned images of their old photos.  After the scanning is finished, I might end up with a great photo, but if not, then there is the restoring phase.  That's the fun part.  Here is my most favorite photo of my grandfather (on the left) and his older sister.  Don't they look like little angels?

 The first photo is the original digital image that my cousin sent to me.  The one below is my restored version.

I used JASC Paint Shop Pro to make the enhancements.  The clone tool seems to be the one that I use the most.  I just copy a small portion of the photo background and paste it randomly around the area to cover up scratches and imperfections.  Some photos might take some time to fix, but I think one hour is the most I have spent on any one photo.  When the results turn out the way I like them, and I can turn around and share the photos with family members, it is well worth the time.

 

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Mike Eddy
Coldwell Banker Island Properties - Wailea, HI
Maui Real Estate Broker

Sallie

Great job on bringing that old photo back to life. I am trying to do the same with a bunch of old 35MM slides and find it to be very labor intensive. I would like to know how you removed the vertical lines, it really made an improvement in the overall sharpness of the photo.

Mike

Apr 04, 2009 07:49 AM
Sallie Williams
Keller Williams Realty RED STICK PARTNERS - Baton Rouge, LA
REALTOR - MBA, Baton Rouge

Thanks for ypur comment Mike.  You're right ... I do get the feeling that the photo has come back to life.  Paint Shop Pro has some correction features to "remove noise".  "Texture preserving smooth" works well.  And "edge preserving smooth" works, but ends up with too much soft focus.  A combination of these can work.  Just experiment a lot with each photo and above all, have fun.

Apr 04, 2009 08:09 AM
Mike Eddy
Coldwell Banker Island Properties - Wailea, HI
Maui Real Estate Broker

Sallie

I am trying to get my arms around Photoshop and so far Photoshop is winning :-) I know Paint Shop is similar so I will look in my program for the methods you used. Thanks again!

Mike

Apr 04, 2009 11:44 AM
Michael Cole
CPG Tours - Corona, CA

Hi Sallie,

Nice job. Thank you for sharing. I really enjoy doing image enhancement, but I'm more into the 'glamour' type retouching and makeovers, rather than restoration. But I've used Photoshop for years, so I'm kind of partial to that program. Unfortunately, it's about $700 - which means someone needs to do a lot of work to justify it. But to me, it's well worth it.

Apr 04, 2009 11:51 PM
Sallie Williams
Keller Williams Realty RED STICK PARTNERS - Baton Rouge, LA
REALTOR - MBA, Baton Rouge

Hi Michael, I looked at your blog and learned something already.  I'll go back to read some more and try a few things with Paint Shop to see how it works -- when I finish cleaning my back porch (I'd rather be out with my camera!!).  Thanks for visiting my blog. 

Apr 05, 2009 03:24 AM
Debbie Walsh
SHAHAR Management - Middletown, NY
Hudson Valley NY Real Estate 845.283-3036

Thank you for sharing!  I love old photos and you did a great job!

 

Aug 31, 2009 01:23 PM
Sallie Williams
Keller Williams Realty RED STICK PARTNERS - Baton Rouge, LA
REALTOR - MBA, Baton Rouge

Thank you, Debra.

Sep 01, 2009 01:03 AM