Suggest some photo enhancing tips please.

[basmic]

Basically I've scanned in a family photo. The scanner isn't the best, but it's all I have. The picture scans in with any lack of colour - more as if it's behind a smoke screen.

I have use of Photoshop and Jasc Paintshop Pro - when I use Enhance Photo (PSP) or Auto Levels (PS), the picture tends to be darkened.

I'd like to be able to add/restore some to this particular photo. I have only one copy, and I'm scared of losing it. So scanning it in is the best way of storing it, for me.

I could even make post the picture here, and let people tweak it. If so, I'd prefer that they told me exactly what they did with it, so I could repeat the same steps.

Or even recommend some photo enhancing software, specifically for enhancing scanned in photographs would be good.

 

[JBuk]

if you can upload the full sized scan and link to it i`ll have a go for ya, i`ll try and explain what ive done in a round about sorta way heh

 

[basmic]

Here is a copy.

As it was scanned, but I've reduced the size by 25%.

 

[xolotl]

Here's my quick attempt. I'm sure someone will be able to do better.

Levels done first, loads of the left of the histogram could be cut out.

Bumped up the shadows using the Shadow/Highlight tool.

Increased saturation and contrast buy about 5.

Some noise reduction.

Finally some sharpening.

All done in CS2.

Original for comparison

 

[JBuk]

heres my attempt

and basically the exact same method xolotl used, but all done in a duplicate layer and tweak the opacity to what i thought looked best

i`ve gave it a little more contrast i think, i was going to try and remove the vignetting but i think it ats character to old photos (thats my excuse)

 

[matty]

the scratches on the photo come out with a bit of cloning and healing brush, and a slight crop tidies the edges too, cant get the colours as good as those posted above, so i wont post a quick edit, nowhere near as good as the 2 above!

 

[King_Boru]

 

[basmic]

What I've got so far, and I'm quite happy with it.

 

[AdWright]

Here's my attempt at cleaning up your photo:

Did some careful cloning to remove the scratches, and then levels tweak, saturation +10, then to sharpen, created a new layer, set mode to overlay, 30% transparency and applied a high pass filter at 23 pixels

 

[SDK^]

Basmic - if you want to print the photo then you'll have to post the full size version to get a high DPI

 

[basmic]

I'm happy with my own photo at the moment.

What is the best way to go about removing the scratches? Clone or smudge tool?

 

[JBuk]

the clone tool is best, just watch you dont leave patterns

 

[sproutpunx]

My two cents, couldn't be arsed with cloning out as it seems you're going to stick with yours anyway

 

[Nick Diablo]

Some tips here.

 

[Alex53]

My edit.