September 2011 - Playing with digital photographs.

Ever since I discovered Paint Shop Pro as a free version on a cover-disk in the 80s I have manipulated photographs in order to enhance them. Sometimes it is removing people from backgrounds but can be taken to a high level and be used for removing scratches and marks from treasured photographs of relatives through to completely changing backgrounds in order to place people in a different environment.

Digital images on newer cameras may be altered quite easily and older printed photographs must be scanned before attempts at improvement may be made.

In my Computer Group (part of the Torrevieja U3A) we will be covering photo enhancement and this post is for demonstration purposes to show a few techniques.

1. Removing annoying or eye-catching backgrounds.

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Here the image has been cropped, and the car and pavement rubbish has been removed. The groom has had two blemishes removed from his face.

2. Changing a background


In this photograph, the lovely couple standing by their flash car has been added to a picture from "Wind in the Willows". By no means perfect but an early experiment of mine.


Now the same lovely couple (somewhat older but just as lovely) have moved on to a swimming pool but the thin trees in the background allow a view through to the road and houses. Using "cloning" the trees have been spread to provide a more pleasing background and hide the cars etc.


My Great Niece, Grace, was photographed on holiday being given a bath in the kitchen sink in their caravan. I think removing her to a field of wild flowers makes a much more pleasing picture.

3. Repairing old and treasured photographs

Above is a badly damaged photograph of Sergeant Joseph Christie of the Eighth Army, taken circa 1942. Again not perfect but a vast improvement and a very acceptable enhanced image.

A friend of mine was doing his family tree and asked if I could improve this picture of his Grandfather. Mainly using cloning, the scratches, creases, and spots have been removed and left a very good new image. A photograph like this could take about three hours to improve to the extent shown above. The sepia tone has been kept to maintain the "age" of the photograph.

I hope to demonstrate these techniques in future weeks with my Computer Group.

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