Might I ask a favour?

[Canadian Cousin]

I'd be most grateful if someone could clean this up a bit. Normally, I try to do my own restores, but I don't have my computer at the moment and won't have for another three weeks or so. As well, this is for my cousin, and I know some people on here are more skilled at this than I am.



The photograph actually looks better 'in the flesh' than in this scan - most of the discoloration, marks, etc... are on the top surface, and can be mentally filtered out when looking at the original. But my cousin wants a digital version that she can e-mail to some of the other girls in the picture (who were 12 or 13 when this was taken, and are now 'around' 60).

I should mention that all of the spots - light and dark - are not supposed to be there, nor do any of the girls have birthmarks or other facial blemishes.

I'm mainly looking for a B&W restore, but if anyone wants to try colourizing this, that'd be fun as well. Thanks for whatever anyone is able to do -

Tim

[Niksmum]

I had a go

Niksmum

[Canadian Cousin]

Thank you!

Hi Niksmom,

Thanks so much - great job! I'm sure it was a lot of work and it's very much appreciated. ;)

Tim

[Rachel Scand]

One from me
Hard work sorting out the blobs !!!

The girl standing 2nd from right ~ think she's wearing a hat with a bobble

[Rachel Scand]

Revised version

[Canadian Cousin]

Thank You Too!!!

Hi Rachel,

I haven't logged on to FTF for a few days (it's a long weekend here), so I've only just found these pictures. THANK YOU! I'm sure it was a long tedious job, but I know my cousin will really appreciate it (as do I). Incidentally, she's the second girl from the right - I'll have to ask her about the bobble hat. :D

Thanks again -

Tim

[Rachel Scand]

Hi Tim
Your cousin's extremely attractive

If you can ask about the colours a well as the hat then do let us know.

Still find the background confusing

Are those 3 dark blobs on the left supposed to be there ?

[Canadian Cousin]

Hi Rachel,

Your cousin's extremely attractive

Thanks - I'll be sure to pass that on to her. ;)

If you can ask about the colours as well as the hat then do let us know.

I'll check into the colours, but I'm 95% that she's not wearing a hat (just another d*mned spot, as Lady Macbeth would say).:D

Still find the background confusing

It is confusing, isn't it? I think there are two painted panels with a Christmas tree between them. The tree is in front of the left panel, making it hard to see the edge. Behind the tree (to the left of the right panel) is a curtain - I don't know if it's dark in colour or (I suspect) it's just not well lit.

The round object in the middle of the tree (above the girls' heads) looks like a balloon - it's only surface stain that makes it look like the planet Jupiter :D. Personally, I'd probably remove it altogether and just clone in some more tree branches.

Are those 3 dark blobs on the left supposed to be there ?

Yes - I believe they're supposed to be holly berries, with the leaves outlined in light strokes just above. My guess is that the left panel is supposed to look something like a wrapped gift, with ribbons etc..., while the right panel is supposed to be an outdoor scene with snow covered trees and a little cabin on stilts. While each panel may have had a different coloured background, the brightness variations on each panel are, I think, just surface stains.

Once again, thanks very much - I hope this explanation helped.

Tim

[Rachel Scand]

Here's a close-up

Does look like a hat

[Canadian Cousin]

Does look like a hat

Yes, I see what you mean. I'm going out for dinner with my cousin and her husband tomorrow night, and will ask her then (or take another look at the photo).

Thanks -

Tim

P.S. Did my description of the background help at all?

[Rachel Scand]

P.S. Did my description of the background help at all?

Yes thank you