Photo Retouching Final

I was unsure how far I would go with this assignment, but I knew that I wanted it to be something that was a bit of a challenge. I had many photos to choose from but they all seemed to have very minor blemishes that could be easily removed. In the end, I decided to work on a photo that not only required me to learn more about Photoshop’s tools, but it also had a lot of meaning behind it. It is a picture of my maternal grandfather. I never met him because he died when my mother was very young, so in essence we both never got to know him. And this picture is one of the only photos that we have of him. The other is a portrait that is in pretty good condition. 

This photo has streaks where the photo curled from what I believe was excess heat. Because of these streaks, the image was in pieces so the first step I did was to use the quick select tool to highlight the photo in sections. I separated each selection into its own layer and then I used the move tool to straighten it out and bring the separated pieces closer together to get rid of the streaks, as best I could. Next, I used the spot heal brush tool to completely get rid of the streaks and to blend any spots that needed it. Then, I used the clone stamp to completely get rid of any blemishes or stains. I then merged all the layers into one layer and used curves, levels, and color balance to try to make up for the blueish hue that the photo had.

In the end, I think the photo turned out well, but if I had more time and more practice I would definitely try to add color. But as my first project working with an old photo I think this is a good start. Please let me know if there is anything that I could’ve done better or that is missing.