How far can restoration be pushed? Mining Photograph

[Prouty99]

If that is a similar tool than the chap to 'her' right then the overall photo would look something like the photo below

[Trishanne]

Here's one from me. Is that another lady in the middle on the front row?
Pat

[Prouty99]

Here's one from me. Is that another lady in the middle on the front row?
Pat

Now that shines a whole different light on things Pat. I see you have included another lattice structure from the faint outline in the negative. Interesting

I was also thinking about the person in the middle front row also being a woman.

I don't know much about agriculture so have no idea what would be grown on these lattice frames, but whatever it is these are some pretty large constructions that are higher than the shed

[McGroger]

I think the tool is a soil scarifier/weeder or perhaps a dutch hoe.
 
Not sure there are any women; I think they are men with protective clothing against insects/scratches, with belts to hold their buckets while they pick berries.

Or maybe they're for doing something else altogether.

And, sorry, but I see the "lattice" as damage in the photo - but with a picture like this it is very hard to distinguish between detail and damage.


Cheers,
Peter

[Prouty99]

I think the tool is a soil scarifier/weeder or perhaps a dutch hoe.
 
Not sure there are any women; I think they are men with protective clothing against insects/scratches, with belts to hold their buckets while they pick berries.

Or maybe they're for doing something else altogether.

And, sorry, but I see the "lattice" as damage in the photo - but with a picture like this it is very hard to distinguish between detail and damage.


Cheers,
Peter

Hi Peter

I have uploaded the 121 meg TIF version to dropbox if anyone is interested

https://www.dropbox.com/s/48n4ag4q2l0288y/Image%201.tif?dl=0

It looks like the photo for some reason may have had a plastic film wrapped around it to protect it presumably, cling film maybe? Very odd, but I have emailed my friend to see if we can get a better image minus any plastic and in landscape mode if possible as I think any plastic wrapping may have reflected a flash possibly limiting some aspects of the image, and without it may bring out more detail.

I'm also waiting for what he knows about the image, If I can get a family name or a location of the photo then I could narrow down a lot of questions, or god forbid a name of one of the people in the photo that would really help

I'm also curious about the chap on the far right. Why would a fruit picker (Orchard or otherwise) need a spade?  An orchard worker would have cut things down rather than dig them up surely?

Have you any theories on dates here Peter. I think the tools will be the best clue as scarifiers, fagging sticks etc would have been in popular use in a certain time frame?

[tonepad]

Looking at the original photo, the tool with the curved top looks like a hoe:

https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-image-old-garden-hoe-white-background-image33463911

Two of the other men have tools with long handles but can't see what is at the working end. One man has a spade. With the buckets  - an activity down on the ground not up in the air in an orchard. No fruit trees in view.

Most of the men are wearing broad brimmed hats suitable for working outdoors in the summer months not in the confines of a mine. So agricultural workers.


Tony

[Prouty99]

Mmmm...Maybe that is a hoe

Good grief this is like trying to spot a man behind the grassy knoll in the JFK assassination

Kinda stands out in negative format doesn't it?  I'm also having doubts about the man next to the guy with the spade as he is also holding a pole with some tool on the end but the end merges with the distant wooden frame behind the shed

If that is a hoe then it doesn't look like a very wide hoe (Not that I'm a hoe expert)

[Prouty99]

Oh well for what it's worth

At least they have sky and grass now

[Handypandy]

I had a look at the tif but on the face of it, for me at least, couldn't see that there was any more information to glean than has already been shown. Nevertheless it has been an interesting thread to follow.