Fixing an old photo

Sher · **Posted:** Tue Dec 06, 2011 4:17 pm **(#1)**

GIMP Version: 2.6.11
Operating System: Windows
OS Version: XP - SP3
GIMP Experience: Beginner Level

I am wondering if there is anything I can do to make this photo look better using gimp. I don't have the original photo.
Any suggestions?

Rod · **Joined:** May 16, 2010 **Posts:** 16251

About as good as i can get it.

You can use sharpen tools on it i suppose for further enhancements.

Sher · **Posted:** Tue Dec 06, 2011 4:54 pm **(#3)**

Much better, thank you Rod.

Rod · **Joined:** May 16, 2010 **Posts:** 16251

You are welcome.

Wish i could have done a better job on the detail though.Too many small lines in there that will get enhanced also.
Your friend here is the Filters>Blur>Gaussian Blur filter.

Sher · **Posted:** Tue Dec 06, 2011 5:27 pm **(#5)**

It would be nice to be able to see the detail. I think whoever copied it tried doing some editing on it and made it worse. Or maybe stretched it to much? I have another photo of my Grandparents that someone put color to, it looks pretty bad.
I get a better idea of what she looked like after your edit. There aren't too many pictures of my Grandmother, she passed away when my Mom was 15.
I was hoping to make them look better and put a nice frame on them for my Mother for Christmas.
Anyways, thanks again for your help.

partha · **Joined:** Mar 14, 2011 **Posts:** 998

Thought I would try my hand as well.

Attachment:

restore-sher.png [ 225.19 KiB | Viewed 2403 times ]

You can lighten or brighten as you prefer.

Sher · **Posted:** Tue Dec 06, 2011 8:06 pm **(#7)**

Thank you!

Rod · **Joined:** May 16, 2010 **Posts:** 16251

Nicely done Partha.

rich2005 · **Joined:** Mar 04, 2011 **Posts:** 2629

Maybe a candidate for a fast fourier transform. That gets rid of most of the noise. Then it is tweaking the result.

Draconian · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:56 am **(#10)**

My turn. I duped it and used the move tool 1 pixel in both directions to get rid of most of the dots, then used multiply and set the opacity about 30 and merged the layers. I zoomed in and used the blur, smudge and mostly the airbrush to touch it up and remove all the lines and blotches. Still a little blurry but this is the best I could get.

Rod · **Joined:** May 16, 2010 **Posts:** 16251

Quote:

My turn. I duped it and used the move tool 1 pixel in both directions to get rid of most of the dots

Excellent technique i will have to remember that one. Thanks Draconian.

Draconian · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2011 11:04 am **(#12)**

Thanks Rod. It was your dup adn grain merge in the other thread that made me think of it. In fact that was the first thing I did and then I figured what the heck, move the grain.