Need help/suggestions for restoring an old photograph

[drsatyendrapaul]

Hi,

A friend recently came with an only photograph of his late father and asked if restoring it to some extent was possible.
My own knowledge of Photoshop is not quite sufficient, so i am uploading both the original and what-i-could-salvage versions of the photo.
Any help/suggestions would be more than welcome.

Thanking all in advance.

The Original


The Photoshoppe One

[Colin Southern]

Hello,

First up, I'm a little confused - is Satyendra or Paul your first name? (I would have thought Satyendra, but you mentioned in another post that it was OK to call you Paul).

With regards to the photo - if you'd like to send me the highest resolution digital copy that you have, I'll restore it for you (I've been looking for a photo just like this to practice on). Tell me though, the image above doesn't look particulalry sharp - was the original image not particularly sharp, or has the sharpness been lost in the conversion to digital?

Also, how has the image captured digitally? (scanner? photographed?) - I can do the bes possible job only if I have the highest possible quality scan to start with (so it may be worthwhile getting it professionally scanned).

Hope this helps.

[drsatyendrapaul]

Hi Colin,

Sorry for that confusion. I said Paul because it is shorter and easier. Your choice.

This photo was on ordinary old photographic paper and scanned ordinarily. I shall try to send a better scanned version today or tomorrow.

Thank you.

[drsatyendrapaul]

Hi Colin,

Apologies for being late in getting back to you.

It turns out that this is the only copy of this photo now as the original hardcopy too is not traceable.

So, the ball is in your court now.

Cheers.

[Colin Southern]

It turns out that this is the only copy of this photo now as the original hardcopy too is not traceable.

So you don't have a higher resolution copy of this shot either?

[drsatyendrapaul]

Nope. Afraid not. You'd have to work on this one only.

[Colin Southern]

Nope. Afraid not. You'd have to work on this one only.

I've spent about the last hour examining it and trying some things, but I'm afraid there's just not enough information left in it for me to be able to do any quality repairs on it - sorry. Other might be able to do a better job (there are professional retouchers who specialise in this kind of thing) - or failing that, perhaps consider having an artist re-create the image by hand?

[drsatyendrapaul]

No problems, Colin. M trying to work on it a little more myself.

Thanks again.

Cheers