Restoration Series One

published on Dec 17th, 2005 // 1 Comment

This article is the beginning of our restoration series. We will begin by covering some of the basics, exposure correction, improving tone and contrast and using the Healing and Clone Tool.

The image I’m using is an old family snapshot with all the necessary problems that we will be correcting in this tutorial. There is a lot that I won’t cover here. But you will learn a few techniques that should be helpful.

Importing Image

Before scanning your photo. Give it a quick clean by blowing on it or giving it a brush. Never rub them them very much or you will permanently damage them. Do not use any filters with your scanning software. I scanned in my image at 400dpi to give me a bit more detail to play with. Also scan as a colour image and not a grayscale image. This gives you the benefit of different colour channels with different tonal ranges to adjust.

Tonal Correction

Two methods are described here. These are by no means the only way to go about things. The second method worked best for me here. You can also try the Auto Levels option in Photoshop but that wouldn’t be learning now would it and sometimes the results leave a lot to be desired depending on the quality of your original scan.

Method #1

• Create a a new levels adjustment layer.
• In your adjustment layer options, drag the black slider in from the left until it just dips into the histogram incline.
• Now drag the white slider to the left until it just dips into the histogram incline on the right. You have just chosen the black and white points of your image.
• The middle slider will adjust your mid-tone gamma if you drag it back and forth.

Method #2

• Create a a new threshold adjustment layer.
• In your adjustment layer options drag the slider in from the left and keep an eye on your image. When you start getting patch’s of black then stop dragging. Click OK
• The middle slider will adjust your mid-tone gamma if you drag it back and forth.

• Select your Color Sampler Tool. Click on in the middle of a dark patch you just created, this is your black point.

• Now double-click your adjustment layer again and drag your slider all the way to the right and slowly bring it back to the left again. When patches of white start appearing then stop. (disregard white around the edges of the image).
• Without closing the adjustment window click on the white patch in your image. You will see that the cursor automatically changes to your color selection tool. Click OK.
• Now click your white patch again and you have now selected your white point.
• Close or hide your threshold adjustment layer.
• Create a new levels adjustment layer above your image.
• In the options click your set black point icon and click on the first color sample we chose.
• Then click on your set white point icon and click on the second color sample we chose. then click OK