ANM 328 Project 1 Critique

Project one is a great introduction to the basic skills in Photoshop that you will typically use on most images you work with.  Whether you’re repairing a damaged photo or simply resizing a great digital image, Photoshop’s tools will help you understand its characteristics and offer you a smorgasbord of options to enhance or modify. 

Regarding project grades:  I gave each project a level of difficulty rating from 1-10.  10 would be impossible to repair. If no repair work is required it would have a value of 1. My assessment of your final image and the level of difficulty are combined to make-up the project grade.

Late projects -10

No Critique -5 I check the critiques the day after they are due. No late critiques accepted.

95-100 Very successfully repaired major flaws and tonal deficiencies in a very challenging image

90-94 Image not as challenging but skillfully repaired flaws and exposure problems

85-89 Less challenging photo with minor flaws and tonal repairs. Mostly successful with repairs and adjustments

80-84 Photo is not very challenging. Repairs are minor and adjustments to tone and exposure are incomplete.

70-79 Photo not challenging. Flaws repaired but very minor. Does not demonstrate skill with the restore tools

Note: My assessment of difficulty level is at the start of your critique: As a group you all did a very good job with your image restorations. Many were outstanding, As you compare my comments with your grade, please realize that although the results may look perfect I take into consideration what skill it took to get there and how challenging I thought your image was to work with. The first number is the level of difficulty.

Adams Group

Julie Hargraves-(7)The portrait of the girl had a moderate level of difficulty. While there were lots of creases, the majority fell across the background, which made them somewhat easier to repair. I can see some areas where the retouching tools are evident. The fold in the backdrop makes this more visible due to the long linear line with contrasting shadow. It looks like you might have used the healing brush, which can be tricky where there is a change in contrast. Following a good area of that crease with the clone tool might be more consistent. You’ve done an excellent job on the long crease across her hair. Fortunately there were no significant flaws on her face, which is always the most challenging area to retouch. I am especially impressed with your color adjustments. Color is very subjective…each of us have a different concept of skin-tone but you’ve added a warm tone to her face that looks very natural. The hair is also well done. Overall you’ve done a very good restoration of the photo.

Joe Lee-(8)This is one of my favorite old photos. It’s definitely challenging with all the winkles and creases. You’ve done an excellent job repairing those flaws over and on the car. It looks flawless. As you found out, the sky in the background is quite difficult to work with because it’s a gradient (goes from dark to light). This is especially challenging with the repair tools. It’s very easy to overwork an area like this just trying to make it perfect. I can still see some irregular tool marks in that background. Someone who didn’t have the original to compare it to wouldn’t take a second glance at the sky…it could be clouds. Other than some very minor irregularities in the sky, your photo looks great!

Natallia Ramaniuk-(7)Your photo didn’t have a great deal of flaws to repair. The worst of the scratches and that tear were away from his face, which makes them much easier to restore. I can still see a rough area above his shoulder (left side of image). Rather than use the clone tool you might try making a selection above the tear, copy/paste and then move the slice over the flaw. This might help retain the subtle tones in that drape. The major problem with the original mage was the lack of tonal range. You adjusted it to enhance the lighting on his face, which looks very good. Some detail is, however, lost in his P coat. One technique that can help in this situation is to select just the coat with one of the selection tools and make sure it’s precise. Then you can make a tonal adjustment on just the selected area. This would allow you to bring out more detail in the coat collar area while not changing the face or background. This portrait looks very serious…maybe passport or military?

Christopher Talbott-(9)I gave your photo a 9, which means it’s “almost” impossible to restore to perfection. It’s always more challenging to repair flaws on faces and especially challenging to replace missing parts. The technique you’ve used, copying and eye from the good side and putting in the missing part is by far the best way to approach this challenge. The new eye needs to be a little softer or slightly curved (distort tool) to better fit the face. The lips and chin show signs of repair. The only thing I would suggest is smoothing out the chin base, which looks a little rough. It’s easy to critique an image that’s this difficult to restore. The broken glass, and spots (challenging stuff for most of the class images) are restored flawlessly. I would suggest a levels adjustment to give the overall image more tonal range. Considering the challenge, you’ve really done a good job. I think it would be interesting to try this again now that you’ve had a couple more weeks of restoration techniques in our lessons.

Brian Zelle-(8)This “baby-face” is very challenging not only due to the creases but more importantly, due to the change in lighting adjacent to the creases. I think this resulted when the image was originally scanned. You’ve really done a good job of removing those creases and have effectively removed the shadows and highlights around them. I can still see some mottling of color in the restoration. It looks like you desaturated the original but there’s still some remaining color. I’d try desaturating one more time and then use the levels adjustment (midtones) to try to add a bit more contrast to the image. Use the eyes as your dark point…this should add more tonal range to the images. Overall you’ve done a good job and obviously put a lot of effort into the repairs. No group critique.

Mutter Group

Lea Aletti-(7)This is a proof image with those marks applied to provide some copy protection. The image itself is extremely high quality with exceptional resolution and detail. You’ve done a great job removing the letters, especially across her face where it’s most obvious if repair work is accomplished. I like your decision to fill the background and keep her image with a slight sepia tone against the grayscale background. It’s very artistic. My only comment is that the detail in the ear has been lost and it looks like it has a highlight tone. I would suggest copying the original ear over to the restoration and then try using the dodge tool to darken it to match the tone of the face. I use the burn/dodge tools a lot for this type of tonal adjustment. Overall, your restoration is very well done and very dramatic!

Katherine Case-(7)Your original had every possible flaw. There were proof marks, creases, spots and missing bits. Fortunately, the missing part was not over a face which would have been much more difficult to work with. You’ve done an excellent job of removing the flaws. I also like the desaturation and tonal range adjustment. The only artifacts I can still see are in the wall, especially on the right where the clone tool or healing brush has left a “mottled” look. There’s also a repair pattern in the dark areas adjacent to the candelabras. One way to deal with this effect is to apply a slight blur to the selected area…I like to use the Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur because it’s very precise and adjustable. I know you learned a lot working with this image. Perhaps the family can now appreciate this restored photo.

Joshua Hird-(7)This reminds me of a photo booth image….it’s fun and spontaneous. The biggest issues with the original are the discoloration on the left and lack of tonal range. You’ve done a good job removing the crease across the middle although I can still see a hint of it on the cheek of the woman on the right. The most challenging discoloration has been very effectively removed. There is still a darker tone around and below the eye (girl on left). To brighten or match the rest of the skin tone, I would use the dodge tool with a feathered edge brush. Just a few clicks with brighten that area right up. Finally, I would recommend a slight midtone adjustment with the levels to add more contrast to the overall image.

Shelley Leide-Lynch-(7)What a great family photo to restore! There were obviously lots of creased to fix and some were across heads making them more challenging. You’ve really done a nice job with those repairs…I especially like the improved tonal range, which has resulted in good deep shadows and highlights. The only area that stands-out as being overworked is the background wall and woodwork. I’d recommend first trying to slightly blur that area with the Gaussian blur took. Be careful…too much blur and it looks unnatural but just a touch will help blend the tool marks. Overall a very good job and big improvement!

Jason Zofcin-(7)I love this old photo which reminds me of a European aristocrat….maybe a family member? The main issues are the flecks covering the entire image area and lack of tonal range. You’ve definitely fixed the flaws…looks very good. You did not address the tonal range which could be enhanced with the Image>Adjustments>Levels. The idea is to set a dark point like the shadow in his jacket or eyes and then set a white point, perhaps his white shirt collar. This will expand the tonal range..may require some adjustment in midtone but will definitely improve the overall image. It looks like you’ve stretched the restored image..his head is wider. I don’t image he will care at this point in time. Late/no critique.

Monroy Group

Courtney Allred-(6)Your original portrait of the soldier was very high quality in terms of resolution. The detail is excellent, just muted due to age and lack of tonal range. There are plenty of nicks and smudges to deal with but they are not over the face, which makes them easier to repair. The resulting image is very strong with much improved tonal range and excellent repairs. The only residual indication of restoration is on his lower sleeve where there’s a patch of lighter fabric. Try a couple clicks with the burn tool (very feathered brush) to make this disappear. Very nice job and great family record restored.

Lori DeLappe-(7)This one of the most striking images I’ve seen! The girl is very attractive with incredible eyes…definitely a great family memento to restore. It’s a sepia tone image that’s been hand tinted, a common practice in portraiture up until the 1950s when color film became more popular. We can see some of the uneven color strokes, which, to me, add to the “vintage look”. From a restoration point of view, the most challenging part of the image was the repair of those missing corners and removal of the gold album tabs. The additional creases were relatively modest and, fortunately, did not cross her face. The final image is wonderful….the improved tonal range brings out detail and shadows to give the image depth. The repairs are flawless. Outstanding work!

Amanda Jones-(9)I gave your image a level of difficulty of 9. It was extremely challenging with damage throughout and discoloration due to age and storage conditions. This had to have taken you a long time to repair…I’m most impressed with the background, which looks great. Both the background and shirt are very challenging because repair work tends to be very obvious over large areas like these. The shirt still has some mottling but the clarity of the gray background is more important. I can still see a rather rough edge across the left shoulder..it looks fuzzy. The restoration on his face is very good…while there are still some uneven highlights (above his right eyebrow and left of his lip), trying to fix these could even make them more obvious. Considering what you had to work with, one of the most difficult restorations in class, you’ve done an amazing job!

Alisa Maeder-(8)Wow, this group really had some difficult image to work on….that’s great. Your photo was one of the best/worst images. Those creases and scratches were everywhere. Most challenging were the ones across the face and neck….where repair work is typically most obvious. You’ve done a good job removing the scratches on her clothing and hair. The facial scratches were more difficult and remnants of the repair work are still obvious. The dark area above her lip and the retouching above her eyebrow tend to stand out. I also noticed the blurred spots around the edge. What I believe is happening is that you’ve depended too much on the healing brush for repairs. It works like magic on textures and solid backgrounds like you have in this photo, but it does not work well at edges of contrast. The clone tool is more effective in these areas because it makes a copy of the pick-up point, where as the healing brush tries to replace an area based of color and texture. This was an extremely difficult repair challenge.

Veronica Deltoro-(6)What a beautiful baby picture! The baby’s color is fantastic and doesn’t really need any adjustment. Not sure what’s going on with that background…is it discolored or part of the backdrop. You chose to make it an even color/texture, which came out great. The additional challenges were to fix the minor scratches and remove the big flaw at the bottom left. On the bright side, the flaws were not significant on his face. Clearly your restoration is very successful. If I didn’t have the original, I couldn’t tell if any repairs had been done. The only suggestion I have is with the soft surface the baby is resting on. It looks a little discolored, even a bit more after repairs. One technique that works for this is to select just the blanket with the quick selection tool and then do the image>adjustment>desaturate to remove all color. Excellent work!

Becom Group

Kristina Fahey-(8)Your original posed several problems and was a very challenging restoration project. In addition to the obvious flaws, the photo had a significant grain, which was most evident in the top background. Nice job improving the tonal range…hi’s eye’s are bright and the whites are stronger. I especially see improvement in the lower right where there was significant damage and in the background. It looks like you have good skill with the repair tools…but you did not remove the smudge going horizontally across his forehead. The area on the right side of his forehead has a visible pattern of being overworked. I would like to have seen these area fixed a little more precisely. Overall, a very challenging image that you did a good job restoring. No group critique.

Katrina Maratita-(6)The primary problem with your photo was the discoloration, probably due to age. In addition there were some flaws at the bottom of the image that needed repair. The color looks great….color is very subjective, we all have a slightly different vision of skin tones but having the flag in the background helps establish an accurate color correction. I think you could improve the tonal range with a midtone levels adjustment to make the shadows a touch darker. You’ve make repairs to the bottom of the image but I can still see a residual pattern of those repairs. It looks like you may have depended on the healing brush? Did you try the clone tool with a feathered brush? You might try the blur tool to smooth the more obvious brush marks. This image is a great record of this person’s (family member’s) service.

Sarah Trattner-(6)What a cute image of this little girl and her doll. There were some very minor repairs needed in the background…the fixes look good. The primary issues are tonal range and color. You’ve done a good job with the tonal range, which gives the image more depth and detail. The color has been adjusted but there’s still a purple hue in the girl’s hair. The best way to fix this is to go to the image>adjustments>color balance and check highlights and move the magenta /green slider to add more green (remove magenta). It won’t take much but the hair will look more natural. Late critique.

Cathryn Rivera-(8)As I mentioned when you selected this image, there is no way to successfully remove this degree of blur which was likely caused by camera movement at the time the picture was taken. The image has a lot of flaws to deal with…scratches, discoloration and missing corners. You’ve done a good job with the major creases..it looks especially good in the foreground grass. I was trying to figure out what the diagonal line was in the background and can now see that it is part of a cover for the cable that’s supporting the telephone pole. In doing your repairs you removed the shadow of that cover and part of the pole…that’s OK, but if you’re going to do this then you might as well remove the cover, or leave the other parts in view so it makes sense in the scene. I see a lighter area in the top third of the tree and a pattern of repeated repairs. I recommend you use the burn tool to make this area a touch darker. This was a very challenging image…I know you learned a lot restoring it. No group critique.

Lyubob Kaznacheyeva-(8)The primary issues with your image are the obvious creases and scratches, discoloration and tonal range. You’ve done a very good job of removing the flaws. They are especially well done on the man’s face where repairs are typically most visible. I still see some light areas at the top of the curtains and midway down on the left edge. These could be easily corrected with a few clicks of a feathered burn tool. The image has excellent detail but still needs a slightly stronger tonal range. Use Image>adjustments>levels and move the midtone slider to darken the blacks. This is a great record of your family history.

Renee Arlt-(7)This is a challenging photo to work with…besides the creases across the image, there’s an overall colorcast. The image doesn’t have a great deal resolution…it’s a bit grainy. You’ve done a good job fixing the major flaws but it would have been more effective if you had removed the colorcast first. Use the Image>adjustments>desaturate to remove the color. This will make repairs more consistent and, if you wish, you can put back in a slight sepia tone with the hue/saturation adjustment. Good job removing the blue writing but I can still see some areas of repair on the left side of his uniform and the hat bill. They are lighter and likely picked-up during the healing brush process. It would be more accurate to use the clone tool so you could more accurately duplicate the detail of the uniform. Cropping looks good and finishes-off the portrait. No group critique.

Taylor Group

Sabrina Guidi-(8)This was a very challenging image with all the discoloration. There was a crease across the middle but the color is the real defect you had to deal with. I’m very impressed with your removal of that color….really amazing! You’ve done an especially good job of restoring the sidewalk without giving it an excessive texture..this took some time, I know. I also like the fact that you reintroduced the sepia ton to make this 40’s 50’s image look very authentic. Wow….what can I say, nothing to critique, outstanding job! Late critique.

Philip Nuccio-(8)This is one of my favorite “really bad” images. The biggest problem,, besides the flaws, is the highlights and shadows that were introduced by the scanning process. They are very difficult to fix. You’ve done a good job with the flaws themselves be we can still see the highlighted areas adjacent to the creases. There a a couple ways to deal with these…fist try the burn/dodge tool as needed to make those areas less obvious. Sometimes just breaking up the visible line it will become less noticeable. For larger areas of brightness you can use a selection tool to isolate an area and then apply a levels adjustment just to that area carefully watching for an even tone between the adjacent areas. No group critique.

Corinne Seilahan-(8)This is a wonderful civil war vintage photo that deserves precise restoration. It had lots of flaws to work with as well as some missing eyes. The eyes are there, but because of the long-exposures, any blinking results in a blur. You’ve done an outstanding job removing the spots and stains. It also looks like the eyes have been “shared” to make sure all the soldiers look alert. It also looks like a slight tonal range adjustment has brightened the overall image. Finally, your crop adds a great finishing touch. I’ve loaned this image to several students for this project and your restoration is one of the very best. Nice work!

Lea Winnen-(8)It looks like you might have done some added damage to make your photo more challenging…it definitely is! On the bright side, the color balance is excellent as is the tonal range. You’ve done an amazing job of removing all those tears and creases. I don’t see any remnants of the repair process. Well, there is a white line of pixels at the top left edge…what happened there? Overall you’ve done an outstanding job on the restoration…looks absolutely professional!

Sara Laverty(8)This classroom photo really challenged you with first, finding all the flaws and second, fixing them.I can see that the major creases and scratches have been worked on. They look pretty good but some areas have become burred with what I suspect is the healing brush. The areas across the adult in the background, above the door and to the far left adjacent to the boy in blue, all show signs of being over-worked. Did you use the clone tool? Zooming-in and using the clone tool is the best way to copy good image area into missing or flawed areas. With so much going on in the scene, this is a difficult image to find and fix flaws. No group critique.