damaged photo

[sandie]

I wanted to post a copy of a photo I'm trying to repair in order to ask all you experts for some advice.  The trouble is, when I reduce the file to less than 500 it goes all 'blocky' so I can't attach - any ideas how I get my picture small enough to send?
As you can probably tell, I'm not very good with computers!
Regards
Sandie

[deadants]

Hi sandie,
     First off, what software  are you using to change the size of your photo's? Second can you scan the photo to a high resolution, 300dpi or greater?

Here's a link to a tutorial for resizing images. http://www.ibdhost.com/help/optimize/

deadants

       

[YukonHall]

When I got my scanner I got a very simple program with it to fix photographs.  I've played with it for a while and I can do a reasonable good job.  If you have a scanner explore the functions on the disk that came with it.  Mine is called Photoimpression 4 - takes a lot of memory - but is sort of idiot proof.  I am not computer literate either (every day is a learning curve for me).  Also sending photographs - my hotmail account gave me a free program for this and it makes it easy to do.

By the way my house is now cluttered with blown up old photos of my family - I need more walls!
Frances

[sandie]

deadant & Frances

Thank you both for your responses.

The software I was using yesterday was paint.net that I had down loaded in order to work on the photograph.  The reason for this is our computer has been very poorly, it got a virus, and we had to strip it back.  Unfortunately my son hasn't yet reinstalled our picture software or scanner yet so I was using the photograph we had saved on a disc.

I think I'll just have to wait for him to come home before I proceed which I'm hoping will be tomorrow - why are our off springs always there when you don't want them, but never when you do?  This is all becoming far too complicated for me.

Regards
Sandie

[YukonHall]

That's a conincidence - I've got a daughter like that - she's the one who encouraged me to get a computer.  Found me a program when my computer was sick, cleans it up when she stays.  She tells me all this stuff and I sit there and think "Good grief whats she saying?" 

Hope you computer gets better soon.

Frances

[sandie]

At last!!

I still haven't got a scanner that feels like playing, but my son has reduced the photos I had saved and I HOPE I have attached them!

As you can see from the second pic. I have 'tried' to repair it, but I'm not very good as you can also see.  Can anyone give me any tips on how to repair the part where the solders are?  I get the shakes just thinking about it.

Regards
Sandie

[deadants]

well sandie, you have done all the easy work first. This is a good start. I think the soldiers being fairly uniform, we may have to copy a fully intact soldiers and paste over the damaged areas. This of course brings up an issue of historical accuracy. Historians don't like people tampering with historical evidence such as photos, but as they are for your own personal use you can always put a note that explains that the photo has been restored and the original photo is still in it's unaltered state in an album etc.

I will have a close look at the damaged areas of your photo today sometime and see how I go.

deadants

[deadants]

Here's my attempt at restoring the lines through the ranks. A fair bit of jiggery pokery was used here. lots of copying and pasting of soldiers. The overall effect isn't too bad, but if you blow it up you can see a few pixels are not quite right. But that's probably being too fastidious.

Was this photo taken in India or Africa? It's a great photo either way.

deadants

[tallted]

Hi Sandie,
As you may have guessed many of the programs that come with computers arent up to the restore capability as those done by deadants.  You did a great job with what you have, but as ants says cutting and pasting etc. does require a program that allows you to create duplicate and blank layers.
Its fun so keep up the good work, remember the higher resolution you scan with the better the printed photo will look.
Rule of thumb, if the picture is as small as a slide positive then scan at about 1000 to 1200, if it is 3 x 5 about 600 to 800  will do any larger then 600 will do nicely.
If you need help when deadants is busy drop me a pm and I would be glad to assist you.
Tallted