Ramblings of a Grouch

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And so we finally get to see what DigitalMemoriesonline is all about. I have cropped the original scan to 5 inches by 7 inches (the proposed final print size) and converted to greyscale. As I mentioned in the previous article in this series, I used the Channel Mixer in Photoshop for the conversion. The final image contains most of the Red channel, some of the Blue channel and a small amount of Green.

I then set about repairing the background. The two main areas needing attention were a patch of dark blemishes to the left and the crease in the top right corner. These were both restored using the Clone Stamp tool.

As the name implies, the Clone tool allows the user to set a point to copy from (the Source) and then the tool is moved across the area to be repaired, cloning the source image over the blemish as it goes. As such, it is an invaluable tool for restoration work. However, there are several pitfalls to be aware of - any blemishes or marks from the Source are faithfully copied to the restored area, lines may be seen at the edges of the restored area and differences in the lightness, tone or pattern of the Source will stick out like a sore thumb. Adjusting the opacity and brush settings of the Clone tool and choosing the Source area carefully will minimise these unwanted effects and result in an invisible repair:

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Blemishes gone and ...

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... crease gone.

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When Photoshop 7.0 gave way to Photoshop CS, two new tools became available - the Healing Brush and the Patch Tool. These work in a similar way to the Clone Stamp tool in that they clone a designated area to a new location. Where they differ is that they use intelligent algorithms (clever calculations, if you prefer) to blend the Source image into the existing area to be repaired. This makes life a little easier but care should still be taken to ensure the repair is invisible.

And so the background has been repaired ready to show off the main subject. Under magnification there were many darker blemishes which I repaired using a combination of the three tools mentioned above. This has resulted in a rather flat-looking background. This will probably produce a pleasing effect on the finished photograph, though I will bear in mind that a slightly more textured background may be needed - something to be decided when the restoration is nearing completion.

Until next time ...

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