Colorizing photos

[Ron C.]

Hi photo guru's ! I have recently purchased this Gold party badge document...http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...35#post4838935

Unfortunatly the photographs are badly water damaged Its recent damage and I'm concerned it may have not finished deteriating. Currently I have them stored in a tub with silica in to make sure they are 100% dried out. Would anyone on here be willing and able to have a go at restoring the image on a couple of these for me please? The one with the dagger and wearing his GPB is my favourite!

As per Jon's email to do so, I am sharing one of my attempts with you. I know it isn't really good, but I was working with the photo you saw and a lot was missing. I didn't even know what the building was supposed to look like......never heard of the Justizpalast in Munich.....I was stationed in Bad Kreuznach, and I have never had any training on Photoshop CS5......I learned what I have learned "by ear".....trial and error.

I have to take my son to the dentist now.

Ron

[Larrister]

Nicely done Ron.

Here's my restoration.

Larry

[Ron C.]

I forgot to replace the button above the GPB.

Ron

[Ron C.]

I also took a shot at this one, but went a little bit different.......maybe some day i will get some training if I have the time, and can do a better job.

Ron

[12thPanzer]

MAN! Larry and Ron, VERY nice work! To be honest, I had my doubts that anyone would be able to do a decent restoration on any of these! You both have done a great job. Congrats on restoring History!
Do I sense a new part-time job in your futures? haha

[Jon Fish]

Oh wow thanks to Ron and Larry !
Due to your time and efforts a slice of history can now be preserved no matter if the photos degenerate further. I have them in a container with silica to dry out 100% so hopefully nothing further will happen but the damage might continue I just don't know.
I'll save these pics to memory stick and get some prints made, thank you gentlemen it is very much appreciated.

[Ron C.]

MAN! Larry and Ron, VERY nice work! To be honest, I had my doubts that anyone would be able to do a decent restoration on any of these! You both have done a great job. Congrats on restoring History!
Do I sense a new part-time job in your futures? haha

For my part, thanks.......you are too kind to me. As for me.......no part-time job doing this in my future..........maybe for Larry. He is much more talented than me, and obviously knows much more about it. I just learned what little I know by trial and error, or, as I often tell people, I learned "by ear" (for those who don't understand that term in my area that is someone who learned to play a musical instrument by just hearing the sound and finding a sound on the instrument that sounded the same not being able to read music.......my grandfather learned to play many instuments that way......anything with strings). Although I have colorized a few photos, and made a few minor repairs, this was the first time I ever tried to do what I would consider a major repair to one, and it took me about 4-5 hours.....couldn't make much money at that. Nobody had answered Jon......I thought, so I took a shot at it.

Thanks Jon. It feels good when one appreciates your efforts......even if the result isn't all that good.

Ron

[Larrister]

Hi Jon,

My pleasure to repair your photo.

Ron is too modest, he has done a fine job of repairing the photo.
I too taught myself to color and repair photos. My initial attempts were
quite bad but over time I experimented and gradually got better.

I would like to make a living from this but the time it takes to color and repair photos
just wouldn't make it feasible.

I still color photos for a small fee if anyone's interested.

Larry

[Ron C.]

Now you guys have done it........you praised me. I think I have posted a couple of these before, but I don't remember which ones. I was always sure they were not very good, but now I have been encouraged by the praise and am willing to risk ridicule and correction.

I looked through the approximately 200 I have tried to colorize, and found a few I will show you.....some of the rest maybe, and some .

I don't like bad news........but hit me with the cold hard truth. I may not do it, but what suggestions do you have for improvement?

Some are mine, and others that I just found on line and downloaded to practice colorizing. There is no particular progression to these, nor do I remember the time period I did them.......strokes work wonders for forgetting some things!! If any of them are yours and you would like a color copy feel free to copy it.

Ron

[Larrister]

Hi Ron,

I remember a couple of those photos. It's really hard to criticise someone else's colorizations, especially when they are as good as yours.

One suggestion would to mute the insignia colors a little more. The uniform, insignia, face etc. colors should all blend in and one color should not stand out too much.

I also have found that a colorization will come to life with a little more
contrast added, especially if the photo has a milky look to it.

Here's your Gebirgsjager officer portrait (yours on the left) with a couple of minor alterations to the one at right. I added a little more contrast and
toned down the collar and shoulder tabs colors.

You have pretty well mastered skin tones which are the hardest to do.
I add cheek colors and make the lips more prominent with a little more color.

Cheers,
Larry

[DevilsGuard]

Excellent Work !

[Raphael1]

SUPERB craftmanship, Larrister!!

[Raphael1]

whose the general and kc holder?

[Matteus]

whose the general and kc holder?

thats Badinski

regards,
Matteus

[Jeremy]

Nice

Yeah, great work guys Enjoying seeing these pics.