What would you do with this?

Zoomdoggies · **Posted:** Thu Jul 05, 2018 8:15 pm **(#1)**

What would you do with this?

The JPEG is all I have, and rescanning the original really isn't an option. (I got the JPEG from a cousin, who got it from a 2nd cousin…). I'm not looking for historical accuracy, or a perfect restoration – just something to share with family.

I've used GIMP for years to clean up photos like this, but I'm a family historian, not a photographer. I was wondering what somebody who really knows how to use GIMP might do with it.

?

— Zoomdoggies

dinasset · **Posted:** Thu Jul 05, 2018 11:36 pm **(#2)**

My try.

Wallace · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2018 12:34 am **(#3)**

I gave it a go.
After running Filters > Enhance > Despeckle on a copy of the image.
I then cloned over some of the blemishes and other stuff.
Once this was done,
I created a line drawing of the image and did a Color to Alpha of the white overlaying it.
Making sure to lower the opacity of the line drawing.
I also created a slight shadow.

Attachment:

maxime_Wallace_example.jpg [ 152.01 KiB | Viewed 8878 times ]

Nidhogg · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2018 1:31 am **(#4)**

I wouldn't do too much with it.
If you go too far with softening old images, they turn unrealistic and awful in my opinion.
You just end up cleaning the last details it had.
Removed the blemishes beside nose and on forehead, and the white hole/scratch in jacket.
It has some jpeg artifacts, used G'mic filter "Unquantize" [JPEG Smooth].
Cropped the white stripes off the edges. Jpg export 100%.

sallyanne · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2018 2:41 am **(#5)**

Sometimes cleaning up an old photo and giving it a sepia tone (which doesn't take away the old look) does wonders.
Sepia can bring out details Also contrast.

iarga · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2018 6:59 am **(#6)**

my try:

steven8 · **Joined:** Jul 04, 2015 **Posts:** 256

I love halftone effects.

david · **Joined:** Nov 15, 2014 **Posts:** 875

Difficult to achieve a good restoration - the best I can do.

david.

Zoomdoggies · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2018 4:05 pm **(#9)**

I like them all! Actually, I like different things about each of them. It's all about trade-offs, isn't it?

Thanks to everybody who took a swing at this, especially those who outlined their methods. I'm really learning a lot from this forum.

– Zoomdoggies