Is it possible to improve this?

[Shropshire Lass]

Is there any way to make my Dad and his beloved Molly - the horse who pulled his milk cart in pre-war London - any clearer?

I've only just been given the photo so I'm not responsible for the fingerprints!

Thanks for any help,
Monica

[PrueM]

Hi Monica,
What a gorgeous photo!  I love snaps with animals in them, brings life to a picture I think. 
I think you will be surprised at how well this picture will come out - I will have a go myself when I get home from work tonight.  I'm sure you'll get plenty of takers because it's a nice big, clear scan which is easy to work with.
Cheers
Prue

[Shropshire Lass]

Thanks Prue,

I wasn't sure whether it was possible because although Dad and his horse are sharp, the whole photo seems all the same shade.

I'm putting an album together for Mum and Dad's 60th wedding anniversary so, although I'm going to do a Photoshop course, I haven't got time to learn before the big day.

Dad had been working with Molly before he met Mum and Molly was very jealous when they started going out - always tried to bite her if she could!

Thanks
Monica

[PrueM]

Hi Monica,
Having tried to work on the picture last  night, I can tell you that unfortunately there is alot of dark areas where the detail has been lost.  It might take a bit more work than I thought, but I'll try!  I hope someone else who's more skilled has a go, though.

Great story - I can totally see Molly putting her ears back and giving your mum the evil eye!!  I have an old horse myself and she is a grumpy soul so I could see Molly's face in my mind's eye! 

Prue

[Keith Bateman]

Hi Monica,

As Sue said - I could not get much detail out of the photo - besides the fingerprint - I have sent that off the Scotland Yard for forensic analysis!!

Just added a bit of colour - so at least you can make everyone out - I presume that is a London Bus in the background - surprising when you look closely at a picture you can see other things - like the 2 boys!!

Cheers

Keith

[Shropshire Lass]

Wow, Keith, what a difference!

The bus behind is a trolleybus.  Bad luck for the photographer that it came by just as the photo was taken.  A picture without it would have shown Willesden High Street and the shops on the other side of the road.

I'd been looking at the picture a lot before I realised there were two little boys - it was when I noticed the three feet that it registered there were two of them!

Having a horse pull the milkcart was an advantage over the later electric milk float because Molly knew the round.  While Dad was putting milk bottles on the door step, she would move on and stop outside the next house.  Progress isn't always better!

Thanks a lot,
Monica

[tomkin]

Hi Monica,
                 Due to other committments ( i.e. transcribing 1844
documents) I have only been able to have a quick try.
Is it possible to locate the negative?
Tomkin

[Shropshire Lass]

Many thanks, Tomkin, that's really brought the figures out clearly.

I did think it would be a difficult one - hence the heading.  Although I haven't got any experience myself apart from very minor alterations, it just looked so much the same  - not much definition.  But it's great to see Dad and Molly standing out from the background.

I think the photo must have been taken by Dad's employer so the negative is probably long gone.

Thanks again,
Monica

[Suttonrog]

I can't do any better with the photo - but does the sign through the bus window say "London Colledge Timber Yard"?