Photo Edit - Face Recovery...

[PKM-UK]

I'm just editing some shots from a recent visit to Snowshill Manor, Gloucestershire, England, and thought I'd have a play with a shot I took of an old photo - so, this is an R System image of a non-R System image (if that makes sense... ).

The subject is Charles Paget Wade, an eccentric who owned and lived at Snowshill Manor (and other places) and amassed an enormous collection of objects that interested him. Read more about Snowshill and Charles Paget Wade Here.

[I don't own the Copy-write of the original image, but I was given full permission to 'photograph anything' - as that was the wish of Charles Paget Wade, who gifted Snowshill and his collection to the National Trust before his death in 1956].

Anyway, a very quick edit using: DxO PhotoLab Elite/ Lightroom Classic (basic processing), Photoshop (blemish correction) and Topaz Photo AI (face recovery). I tried to retain an 'old photo' look and texture, but bring out a little more detail.

Phil

Before - After...

• Canon EOS R5
• RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM
• 24.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/320 sec
• ISO 640

 

[Dean Wilson]

First off....this is far beyond my skill level to accomplish, that being said and out of the way, I am a great critic.

Looks a bit too soft in the face. Is there anyway to improve, read that as fix, the left eye? It, the left eye, is a tad rough in the original.

Great job.

 

[PKM-UK]

Hi Dean,

Cheers! I do like playing around with old photos - the results can sometimes be pretty spooky. With the tools available I can add/ remove noise/ grain, or blur/ sharpen sharpen the image as a whole, or selectively. In fact, I can do an awful lot and I often have to remind myself - an edit is never finished, you just stop messing around with it. However, although I enjoy fiddling about, compared to many people I know my editing skills are barely one step above using wax crayons...

Having said all that, I may have another bash at this one - that left eye is really bugging me too and I'm kind-of working on a Plan B that may (or may not) help.

It won't be today though as I'm cooking tea tonight - pan fried salmon with butter, lemon and crushed black pepper, pesto mashed potato and stone bake bread! Sounds rather pleasant eh? However, you haven't seen me cook...

Keep an eye out for the mark II...

Phil

 

[Dean Wilson]

You haven't seen me eat. I like cedar plank salmon (not Atlantic) with my wife homemade Pesto (pine nuts not walnuts).
Stay tuned for another "different" photo of mine.

 

[PKM-UK]

As promised, mark II uploaded.

Not sure it's much better in terms of detail (over smoothing was damaging/ losing the grain of the original paper) and, if Mr Wade were still here today, my pitiful eye replacement may lead to a lawsuit - or a smack in the teeth (or both).

On the plus side yesterday's tea was delicious . (Karen is the team pesto guru - and yes, definitely 'pine nuts'!).

Anyway, break over, I can't put it off any longer - back to editing the rest of the images from our visit...

Phil

• Canon EOS R5
• RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM
• 24.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/320 sec
• ISO 640

 

[Dean Wilson]

Almost.

Zoom in on the eyes. In the right eye observe where the reflection of the light source is. Now observe the left eye.
From "A Scandal in Bohemia" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:

Sherlock Holmes is speaking with Doctor Watson:

“You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room.”

“Frequently.”

“How often?”

“Well, some hundreds of times.”

“Then how many are there?”

“How many? I don’t know.”

“Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, because I have both seen and observed"

I have this failing when seeing my own work.

 

[PKM-UK]

Almost.

Zoom in on the eyes. In the right eye observe where the reflection of the light source is. Now observe the left eye.
From "A Scandal in Bohemia" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:

Sherlock Holmes is speaking with Doctor Watson:

“You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room.”

“Frequently.”

“How often?”

“Well, some hundreds of times.”

“Then how many are there?”

“How many? I don’t know.”

“Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, because I have both seen and observed"

I have this failing when seeing my own work.

Good points, well made - I fear you have me bang to rights. Alright, I admit it - it's the same eye!!

(Moved about a bit).

I feel a mark III may be forthcoming (though before that, it’s time to make some cheese crusted corn beef hash with snap peas and homemade herby bread)...

[Edit: Done]. [Edit 2: I mean‘t the eye mod, not the hash - although that was done too).

Phil

• Canon EOS R5
• RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM
• 24.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/320 sec
• ISO 640

 

[Dean Wilson]

Better. Compare the light in the eyes again. Is there more iris revealed in the top left of the of the left eye than the right eye?
Either way....great job. You deserve a biscuit.

 

[PKM-UK]

Hi Dean,

Cheers - it was a partnership effort! A fun coffee time distraction which helped to vary my editing routine.

(You have a very good eye for detail - I’ll need to be more careful with my crayoning in Photoshop… ).

Phil

 

[Dean Wilson]

Of course you could have kept to your original edit and just claim he has glaucoma.