Photo Grafix

Quick Course - Get Close For Good Selections

2012-01-25T12:31:00.001-06:00

Do you like the Photo Restoration Basics Quick Course? Please share it or click one of the buttons to show your approval. It's all I ask for in return!

In episode 10 of my Photo Restoration Quick Course, I offer advice for an important function in photo editing: Selections. Zoom in close on the area you want to select. It makes a much more accurate selection than with a small area in which you can zoom in closer.

If you are close in by 100% or 200%, you should be able to quickly create an accurate selection with just a little bit of editing.

Try it out and post a comment with your results.

Thanks to Creatista.com for permission to use the picture. Buy it, or other images created by Creatista.com, online at Dreamstime.com.

Photo Restoration Quick Courses are for the non-professional and folks with no or very little experience. Save the hassle of figuring it all out on your own: Get a solid foundation in Photoshop and photo restoration with the Photo Retouching and Restoration Foundations video and workbook. Available at PhotoRestorationBasics.com

Join the Photo Grafix email newsletter on the home page! Watch streaming videos from Photo Grafix at no charge!

Quick Course - Close All Windows in Photoshop

2012-01-18T14:24:00.004-06:00

If you benefit from the Photo Restoration Basics Quick Course, please share it or click one of the buttons to show your approval. It's all I ask for in return!

In this ninth episode of the Photo Restoration Basics Quick Course, I show you how easy it is to close multiple windows in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Even if you choose a keyboard shortcut to close one window at a time, it's still one-window-at-a-time. With 20 images open, you can save almost 10 seconds just closing one window while holding down the alt/option key on your keyboard.

Try it out and post a comment with your results.

Thanks to Creatista.com for permission to use the picture. Buy it, or other images created by Creatista.com, online at Dreamstime.com.

Photo Restoration Quick Courses are for the non-professional and folks with no or very little experience. Save the hassle of figuring it all out on your own: Get a solid foundation in Photoshop and photo restoration with the Photo Retouching and Restoration Foundations video and workbook. Available at PhotoRestorationBasics.com

Join the Photo Grafix email newsletter on the home page! Watch streaming videos from Photo Grafix at no charge!

Quick Course - Brush-sized Cursor in Photoshop

2012-01-10T11:52:00.002-06:00

If you benefit from the Photo Restoration Basics Quick Course, please share it or click one of the buttons to show your approval. It's all I ask for in return!

In this eighth episode of the Photo Restoration Basics Quick Course, I continue from the Precision Cursor in episode seven to demonstrate how to change that same standard or precise cursor into something that represents the actual brush size for tools such as the Clone Stamp, Healing and other tools such as the Paintbrush or Eraser.

Thanks to Creatista.com for permission to use the picture. Buy it, or other images created by Creatista.com, online at Dreamstime.com.

Photo Restoration Quick Courses are for the non-professional and folks with no or very little experience. Save the hassle of figuring it all out on your own: Get a solid foundation in Photoshop and photo restoration with the Photo Retouching and Restoration Foundations video and workbook. Available at PhotoRestorationBasics.com

Join the Photo Grafix email newsletter on the home page! Watch streaming videos from Photo Grafix at no charge!

Tracking Your Ancestors' Footprints at the DuPage County Genealogical Society

2012-01-05T10:18:00.002-06:00

Every DuPage County Genealogical Society Conference is full of great classes to help you research and document your family history. It also has a very affordable registration.

This year's conference has 12 classes by many excellent teachers that include topics such as Advanced Ancestry.com Search Tips by Juliana Smith and Creating Order Out of Chaos by Tony Burroughs.

That's why we haven't missed one conference since we first started exhibiting—and teaching—at the DCGS annual conference. This year, it is on Saturday, February 25 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the graceful Hilton Garden Inn in St. Charles, IL. Online registration ends Feb. 21.

Along with our photo restoration books and videos, I always make sure to have a scanner and computer on-site if you want to hire us to restore your own photos. You can take the originals home the same day.

We'll have a nice special for my easy-to-use Photo Restoration Course.

I hope to see the regular group, along with some new faces. Bring your shopping list too. Many great exhibitors such as Fun Stuff For Genealogists and Maia's Books are scheduled to be there as well.

Quick Course - Precision Cursor

2012-01-03T12:43:00.000-06:00

Standard, Precise and Brush Size

In this seventh episode of my Photo Restoration Quick Course, I demonstrate how to change the appearance of your mouse pointer/cursor from the standard icon to a precise cross-hair.

Thanks to Creatista.com for permission to use the picture. Buy it, or other images created by Creatista.com, online at Dreamstime.com.

These tips are for the non-professional and folks with no or very little experience. Save the hassle of figuring it all out on your own: Get a solid foundation in Photoshop and photo restoration with the Photo Retouching and Restoration Foundations video and workbook. Available at PhotoRestorationBasics.com

Join the Photo Grafix email newsletter on the home page! Watch streaming videos from Photo Grafix at no charge!

Snapshots from the old Photoshop Basics Class

2011-12-28T11:46:00.002-06:00

From 2002 to 2006, I had the privilege of teaching for the Adult Continuing Education (ACE) program for my alma mater, Evanston Township High School. I was inspired to do this from a customer who is a public school teacher.

I never thought to make class photos until the last years before the ETHS board outsourced the program to Oakton Community College. There was a lot of protest about this, by the way. Attended the meeting in support of keeping the program in-house. I was in the majority. It was a sad day. To many, education is a profit-making venture. Even if it's a not-for-profit organization, money and prestige are intoxicating substances.

I never could get my head around that plan. There were some great people who led the program such as Anna Nakashima, Liz Aragon and others. They really cared about the teachers and the students. We were always able to work things out. Ever since Oakton Community College was put in charge, I never had another class. This wasn't so bad as it gave me inspiration and time to create a video version of the Photoshop Basics Course.

Anyway, here are some of the class photos. Typical with all classes and conflicts students have with schedules, daily life, or not liking the teacher, folks usually dropped out after the first few weeks. So these are the ones that made it. They all did very well.

Finally, I'd like to mention a student who passed away suddenly from lung cancer on September 11, 2006, Mr. Samir Id Deen.

If you know of anyone in the class that passed away, please post it in the comments sections. Life is short. Also, if you were a student, post a comment. I'd love to hear about what you're up to! To all past students: Please stay in touch by joining the Photo Grafix email newsletter.

Image Dimensions - Photo Restoration Quick Course

2011-12-27T13:40:00.001-06:00

In this sixth Photo Restoration Quick Course, we look at ways to know at what size your picture will be printed. Judging dimensions is tricky when you are using an image that is viewed on a monitor, phone or other digital viewer. The answer is in the Document Size section of the Image Size dialog box found under the "Image" menu in Photoshop.

Some other ways is to show the Rulers and to use the file information box located at the bottom-left hand corner of the image window. See the video above for the step-by-step.

Thanks to Creatista.com for permission to use the picture. Buy it, or other images created by Creatista.com, online at Dreamstime.com.

These tips are for the non-professional and folks with no or very little experience. Save the hassle of figuring it all out on your own: Get a solid foundation in Photoshop and photo restoration with the Photo Retouching and Restoration Foundations video and workbook. Available at PhotoRestorationBasics.com

Join the email newsletter on the home page! Watch streaming videos from Photo Grafix at no charge!

Grid and Guides - Photo Restoration Quick Course

2011-12-21T12:23:00.000-06:00

In this fifth episode of my Photo Restoration Quick Course, I want to supplement the episode 4 Quick Course. In addition to using the Grid function, you can add in the Guides function. These are also non-destructive and do not show up in print or online.

You can drag them out of the Rulers as shown in the video and mark where you left off if you need to stop working on a photo. That will save time wasted trying to figure out in which part of the photo you were working.

Just like the Grid, it's located in the menu under "View." Click the video above to learn and try it out for yourself.

Thanks to Creatista.com for permission to use the picture. Buy it, or other images created by Creatista.com, online at Dreamstime.com.

These tips are for the non-professional and folks with no or very little experience. Save the hassle of figuring it all out on your own: Get a solid foundation in Photoshop and photo restoration with the Photo Retouching and Restoration Foundations video and workbook. Available at PhotoRestorationBasics.com

Join the email newsletter on the home page! Watch streaming videos from Photo Grafix at no charge!

Healthy (Global) Competition, Slavery or Something In Between: Should We Fear It?

2011-12-19T13:35:00.000-06:00

In 1999, I never imagined that photo retouching would be a service U.S.-based (domestic) companies would outsource to other countries for dirt-cheap prices. Walking the streets of downtown Manhattan, interviewing for the plentiful jobs in the field, I believed we had our niche locked-in.

At the height of the stock market’s “bull” run, most retouchers were billing between $200 and $500 an hour. No joke! Some still can bill around $200 an hour. However, it’s simply not sustainable in the growing global pool of photo retouchers and graphic designers.

Photo retouching and graphic design is one of the new fronts in the battle for clients in the domestic market. Says Doug Thoms in this article from the BBC: “…I work for many different companies, including some of the biggest and most successful advertising and financial companies in the world.
Outsourcing makes life very difficult for people like me. I have been personally hit by graphic design jobs being outsourced to low-wage workers in India…”

Now, the domestic retouchers are dealing with incredibly cheap work. The quality of such retouching—frankly speaking—is generally amateurish. It’s more appropriate for large resellers who need a couple thousand outlined products, or flash-in-pan companies trying to make a quick buck by utilizing cheap overseas labor. I’m not saying overseas labor provides inferior retouching. However, I do believe that clients who require one-on-one attention for specialized projects are simply wasting time dealing with overseas firms. In other words, they’ll save more money working with a domestic retoucher—language and culture differences notwithstanding.

Historically speaking, what goes around, comes around. And the chicken of “free” and “slave” labor has come home to roost: America has benefitted from cheap labor during the industrial revolution and slave labor from its founding up to that revolution. Every nation has its rise and fall. The ebb and flow of loss and progress—change—is the natural process of all existence. How we handle it is a greater test than the one of total domination.

However, what actions do we take to stay afloat as our countries’ leaders say and do things beyond our control which may increase or decrease the speed of the ebb and flow? What do we do as technology carries the world down the rocky rapids of technological evolution? My answer: Prayer, diversification of assets and a comprehensive understanding of what it means to be flexible!

No matter what happens, the bigger picture always leads toward a greater benefit for all of humanity. Sure, some of us will get berated, burned or betrayed in the process. However, if we hold the Golden Rule foremost in our motivations, we’ll never be overcome by the fear of passions from competition, slavery or something in between.

—Eric C. M. Basir
Originally written February 18, 2007

Photo Retouching and Photo Restoration: What's the Difference?

2011-12-19T13:06:00.003-06:00

Throughout my career as a photo retoucher, I see and hear these terms used interchangeably.

Retouching is a general term describing any changes made to a photo, including color-correction and manipulation. The term is generally understood as something an artist does to make a photograph look better.

Restoration is a specific state of retouching—which includes color correction—to make a damaged photograph look like it did when it was originally printed. So restoration is a sub-category of retouching.

What's your opinion?

Photoshop's Grid - Photo Restoration Quick Course

2011-12-13T11:09:00.006-06:00

In episode 4, I want to help you make photo retouching less tedious. To make it easier—and more efficient—use the Grid function in Adobe Photoshop. I mentioned the Grid function in an earlier video quite a few years ago. However, it's an important tool I use that I don't want you to miss using if you never saw the older video.

This function will place a non-destructive overlay of custom-sized grids that can help you keep track of what you are doing as you move the image along, cleaning up spots, cracks and stray objects.

It's located in the menu under "View." Click the video above to learn and try it out for yourself.

Thanks to Creatista for permission to use the picture. Buy it, or other images created by Creatista, online at Dreamstime.

These tips are for the non-professional and folks with no or very little experience. Save the hassle of figuring it all out on your own: Get a solid foundation in Photoshop and photo restoration with the Photo Retouching and Restoration Foundations video and workbook. Available at PhotoRestorationBasics.com

Join the email newsletter on the home page! Watch streaming videos from Photo Grafix University at no charge!

Temporary Zoom Function - Photo Restoration Quick Course

2011-12-06T10:37:00.001-06:00

In episode 3 of the Photo Restoration Quick Course, I demonstrate how to temporarily zoom in on an image. It simply requires using the H key on your keyboard, along with the Zoom Tool. You will notice the Zoom Tool will temporarily change to the Hand Tool when using this function. It goes back to the Zoom Tool.

Zoom in with the Zoom Tool. Then use the temporary zoom function to pop out and change the view using the bounding box. Try it out. It takes a little getting used to, but it's worth it.

Thanks to Creatista for permission to use the picture. Buy it, or other images created by Creatista, online at Dreamstime.

These tips are for the non-professional and folks with no or very little experience. Save the hassle of figuring it all out on your own: Get a solid foundation in Photoshop and photo restoration with the Photo Retouching and Restoration Foundations video and workbook. Available at PhotoRestorationBasics.com

Join the email newsletter on the home page! Watch streaming videos from Photo Grafix University at no charge!

Full Screen Mode - Photo Restoration Quick Course

2011-11-29T10:33:00.004-06:00

In episode 2 of the Photo Restoration Quick Course, I demonstrate a useful function in Photoshop called "Full Screen Mode." You can cycle through 3 "screen modes." The first is the default "window" in which you see all images as separate windows. The second gives you a solid gray background that lets you work only on the image. The third is like the second, but it is black and there are no palettes or panels. These are available only in the full Adobe Photoshop versions, not Adobe Photoshop Elements.

Hand Tool

The Hand Tool—which can be confused with the Move Tool—is important to use when in full screen mode. This is especially useful when have zoomed in close.

Move Tool

Thanks to Creatista for permission to use the picture. Buy it, or other images created by Creatista, online at Dreamstime.

These tips are for the non-professional and folks with no or very little experience. Get a solid foundation in Photoshop and photo restoration with the Photo Retouching and Restoration Foundations video and workbook. Available at PhotoRestorationBasics.com

Join the email newsletter on the home page! Watch streaming videos from Photo Grafix University at no charge!

Photo Restoration Quick Course Series

2011-11-28T10:56:00.005-06:00

To help my students—and soon to be students—with the various functions and tools available to them in Photoshop and other photo restoration programs, I started a new series of very short videos. This series is called the Photo Restoration Quick Course.

Fig. 1

Our first one is about some Zoom Tool functions in Photoshop. The Zoom Tool is found in the lower section of the Tool Box (fig. 1). You can zoom in or zoom out on different pictures simultaneously (fig. 2) by turning on the Resize All Windows checkbox in the Options Bar (fig. 3). You can also control other aspects of the Zoom Tool. Experiment with them and tell me what you think.


Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Digital Photo Restoration Books Bulk Sale

2011-11-19T08:45:00.000-06:00

What use is this blog without some shameless promotion? So I couldn't pass up sharing these offers from my publisher for huge savings of the Digital Photo Restoration Book I and II. Mind you, these are bulk offers. These are typically meant for me to stock up on my own titles to resell.

So if you're looking for some useful gifts for organization members, employees, co-workers, friends, students or relatives, this is the perfect opportunity. Don't wait too long, however. It ends November 30, 2011.

The link takes you to my books. The code is what you enter in the check-out page.

$25 off 25 books
Enter code: TURKEY305

$50 off 50 books
Enter code: STUFFING305

$100 off 100 books
Enter code GRAVY305

$200 off 200 books
Enter code: TURDUCKEN305

Fine print I thought I should pass along:

Enter coupon code TURKEY305 at checkout and receive $25 off your order of 25 or more books of the same title. The maximum savings for this offer is $25. Enter coupon code STUFFING305 at checkout and receive $50 off your order of 50 or more books of the same title. The maximum savings for this offer is $50. Enter coupon code GRAVY305 at checkout and receive $100 off your order of 100 or more books of the same title. The maximum savings for this offer is $100. Enter coupon code TURDUCKEN305 at checkout and receive $200 off your order of 200 or more books of the same title. The maximum savings for this offer is $200. Sorry, but these offers are only valid in US dollars and cannot be applied to previous orders. You can only use these codes once per account, and unfortunately you can't use these coupon in combination with other coupon codes. These great offers expire on November 30, 2011 at 11:59 PM, so don't miss out! While very unlikely, we do reserve the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime, and of course we cannot offer this coupon where it is against the law to do so.

Flip-Pal Portable Scanner Review for Genealogists and Other Interested Folk

2011-10-25T10:40:00.009-05:00

During my visit with the Federation of Genealogical Societies annual conference this year, I met people at the Flip-Pal booth. They have created a hand-held reflective type scanner to help people make quick scans of images and documents that they might not have been able to make with a normal flat-bed scanner. I was impressed to say the least.

If you have large originals or originals you cannot take home (something genealogists deal with all the time), the Flip-Pal is an absolutely necessary tool. The quality of the scan will be acceptable for many purposes.

However, as a full-time photo retoucher with 12 years of experience, I have developed an eye for detail. When I compared the company's original example to their printed copy from the scans, I was not satisfied. I noticed a visible loss in detail in the 3-quarter and shadow ranges.

My questions about the optics of the device satisfied my opinion of what a scanner needs to capture good detail. But why did the scanned copy look so poor compared to the original? I was told it can scan at 300 or 600ppi. Naturally, I would recommend 600ppi over 300ppi with such a small scanning area for big images. 300ppi is fine for scans when you have your own flatbed with easy to customize settings. However, the Flip-Pal's controls are clearly limited and it's better to choose the 600ppi option just to be safe.

The answer to my question was found in a test with a customer who purchased the Flip-Pal. I discovered that the problem was not the Flip-Pal's optics or hardware. Rather, it was the stitching software (called EasyStitch). The Flip-Pal scans your originals and saves them to a removable SD card. The original scans—which I will call "source" files—are put in a folder on the card. The built-in stitching software—which is independent of the scanner driver—will put the source files into one complete file. This is a crucial aspect of the product—especially if you are scanning oversized originals or a document page that require a scan of more than one section.

When we ran EasyStitch, it downsampled her 600ppi source files into a complete 300ppi image. Ouch! Both the Macintosh and IBM/PC versions contain this problem. To compare EasyStitch more scientifically, I put the Flip-Pal source files on my computer and ran the Photomerge function of Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Photoshop Elements. The difference in detail was clear: Photoshop left the resolution intact and the detail was excellent. However the EasyStitch Flip-Pal software compromised it by forcing the image down to 300ppi.

My recommendation: If you really want it, buy the Flip-Pal (especially if you're a genealogist). But do not trash the source files! Until the stitching software is fixed, you will have this problem. Meanwhile you can stitch the files with Photoshop's Photomerge function. If you are a technophobe or you find my work-around overwhelming, then just hold off until they fix it. Or get someone to help you stitch those files in a program like Photoshop and archive them. Then you can trash the files to make room on the SD card.

The $29.99 carrying case is essentially an expensive dust-cover. It will not do much to protect it from a drop or substantial thump into a wall or door. You need to wrap it in a towel and then stuff it in the case to get real protection. Purchase or kit-bash your own case with the padding similar to a professional camera case. Otherwise, you will eventually break it through normal use. Think of the Flip-Pal as a very useful, but fragile, expensive tool. Treat it as such so it will last a long time.

Flip-Pal also offers an affiliate program for those who want to earn commissions promoting their products. Be aware that the sign-up page is not an https secure page. You will be required to enter your social security or tax identification number. Be very careful submitting that information through a non-secure page.
Once Flip-Pal fixes their software and their affiliate page, I will most certainly join the chorus of praise. For now, I'll watch from the sidelines.

Eric Basir runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA). He's taught hundreds of genealogists through the methods of his Photo Restoration Basics course. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Advanced Color Correction (#62)

2011-10-04T18:10:00.001-05:00

By the way, I delivered three very popular workshops at this year’s Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) meeting held in Springfield, Illinois in September. You can watch a video of all three of these seminars here on at the Photo Grafix Blog.

Photo with uneven exposure

This one has areas that are over exposed in the front of the picture. We must darken the lightest middle section to match the normal looking background sections. In the video, I go through the following steps in detail:

Duplicate the background layer.
Choose the Burn Tool, underneath the Dodge Tool.
Burn Shadows. Keep exposure around 30%.
Use soft edge brush. 0% hardness.
Swipe with the brush.
Undo and redo to check progress.

Someone upchucked on my photo!

Typically, when their are stains of any kind on a photo, it may only show up in one or more channels of color. Sometimes if you can isolate the color in a channel, you'll have an easier time...cleaning it up. Here's what I cover in this edition's video portion:

Check all channels to see where most of the stain is.
Layer = New Adjustment Layer = Black and white
Click on the stain and hold
Layer = New Adjustment Layer = Levels
Adjust edges of the sliders on the histogram.
Brighten up the middle.
Click on Background Layer, hold down.
Clean up with Clone Tool, Healing Brush, etc.

Advanced color correction for a terrible camera-phone picture

From time-to-time, folks ask me about working Adobe Photoshop's Channels Panel/Palette. This is a very powerful—and oft-times confusing—function. It takes lots of practice through experimentation and research. However, the results can be very rewarding if you are diligent. The major steps I cover in the video portion:

Open Channels Palette.
Open Curves, go to midtones
Color correction is a subjective endeavor.
Create Hue and Saturation Layer.
Check out each channel.
Image = Duplicate Image (check Merged), name it "Source."
Flatten the Layers.
Image = Mode = CMYK color.
Check out the channels of C, M, Y and K
Image = Apply Image and set your source.
Bring opacity down.
Choose the Green channel and use Apply Image and make Black in the CMYK version your source. Set 100% Multiply.
Duplicate the Background Layer.
Change blending mode from normal to multiply and drop opacity down.

That's all for this edition! If you find this article useful, please return the favor! Share it or Like it using any of the share buttons below. Send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA). He's taught hundreds through the methods of his Photo Restoration Basics course. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

—Edited by Judy Bond. Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Photo Restoration Quotes and How-To Videos at the Polish Genealogical Society of America's Annual Conference

2011-09-27T12:00:00.004-05:00

33rd Annual PGSA Conference in Des Plaines, IL

In our 10th year of exhibiting—and doing a few workshops—we look forward to exhibiting at the 33rd Annual Polish Genealogical Society conference. This year it is held at the Des Plaines Hilton Garden Inn on 2930 S. River Road, September 30th through October 1st.

If you have never attended this conference—and if you have any Polish heritage—this is the time to do it. They have lined up a great crew of speakers to help you navigate in your genealogical research.

Photo Grafix and many other exhibitors will be there to help you navigate how you might want to spend your money on cool family history-related materials!

Whenever we're at a genealogy conference you can count on Photo Grafix having a scanner and computer on-site if you need your photos restored. That means I scan them there, give you a quote and hand the originals back to you the same day.

I'll also have a slew of photo restoration books and videos. In fact, I'll have my awesome Photo Restoration Basics course at a very, very nice sale price!

So if you haven't made plans to attend this great conference, get your old pictures and questions together now.

Please support the great work of the Polish Genealogical Society and get yourself a membership.

FGS 2011 Conference Videos by Eric Basir of Photo Grafix University

2011-09-20T12:38:00.005-05:00

My first national conference as a speaker was fantastic. I was able to share critical information about photo restoration to a very eager audience. All three workshops were jammed. We took many questions at my booth.

Unfortunately, I caught a mild cold after the first day and almost lost my voice. No one would've known, but I had a real hard time getting through it all. However, thanks to my awesome wife, we covered all the bases. In 10+ years of being at genealogy conferences, I also finally got a chance to attend some sessions!

Below are the three workshops. If you missed them or would like to review them, you can do so here at no charge:

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Ask The Retoucher #61 Watermark Your Pictures

2011-09-06T10:43:00.005-05:00

If you are part of a business or organization that posts pictures on a website, Facebook Page or a blog, you may want to consider protecting each picture with a watermark. This could help prevent someone from downloading your picture, using it in any they want, modifying it or even claiming it as their own creation.

A watermark is a subtle symbol, text or log that is put in the picture that identifies the owner or creator of that picture.

Another technique is to make your image a low-resolution image, which would create a very small picture when downloaded. This might prevent people from doing much with it.

On the PhotoGrafix website, the images on the professional services section are very small.

To see an example of a watermark, visit the Stockfuel stock image website. You'll see the watermark they use. Beware: Dishonest people may still try to remove the watermark!

Add a Watermark to your Images

Open an image in Photoshop.

Create a new layer. Name it Watermark.
Take the Text Tool, change the color, use a large enough typeface and type a copyright name. Center the text on the image.
Keep text selected, choose Character Palette and use a Sans Serif font.
Do a “Layer Effect.” In the Layers Palette, create a Drop Shadow, turn off Global Light, spread it out. Add a Bevel effect with Outer Glow. Drop the opacity in the Layer Palette, moving the slider to the appropriate effect.
Once you have made a watermark that you like, you can duplicate it.
If you have a logo, you can copy the Layer Effect style and paste it onto the logo.
You can also use the Line Tool and apply the Layer Effect to it and use it throughout the image.

Another Way to Do It

Eliminate all layers except the watermark. Adjust the Line Tool to right angles. This can now work on vertical or horizontal images.
Rasterize and flatten the layers. Save this as “My Watermark Test 1”.
Open your image.
File/Place/Watermark Test puts it right into the image.
Make an Action script by clicking the Page icon. Call it Place Watermark Test. Hit the Play button, and it will automatically place it as a Layer in the image. This can also be done in Batch Mode for multiple images, saving you lots of time.

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

—Edited by Judy Bond. Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Five Reasons Why You Need My Photoshop Course

2011-09-04T15:35:00.003-05:00

After teaching Photoshop Basics for many years in the classroom, I knew I had to make a version for those who could not travel to Evanston, IL (USA) or had busy schedules. Within 2 years, I made it happen. To this day, I'm still selling the Photo Restoration Basics course. If you don't own this course, here's five reasons why you might need it.

1. True to the Test of Time: My Photo Restoration Basics course cannot be obsolete, no matter what version of Photoshop is released. That is, I teach you concepts and and tools that are fundamental in digital photo editing, regardless of software or hardware. Buy it today and use it in ten or more years. The rules remain. Most books and courses you can get are based on new features of the latest version released and you need to keep purchasing new ones to keep up.

2. Real-World Experience: The teacher in the videos, me, works full-time as a professional photo retoucher. I work with Photoshop every day and I teach it on a regular basis to hundreds of people each year. This course is completely built from a very real and very successful classroom setting.

3. Digital Overload: More people have more digital and scanned photos than they can handle. Every picture needs some work. It's overwhelming. We become overwhelmed when we lack skills. When you finish my course, you will have the skills and confidence to work on those pictures.

4. Price: The value of my course is tremendous. Whether you are just a hobbyist, a genealogist or considering a business in photo restoration, everything you learn from Chapter 1 to Chapter 10, you will save 2 or 3 times the amount you would pay for multiple books and classroom sessions (not including travel expenses).

5. Simple 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: After a two-week examination of the course, you can send it back (at your expense) and I'll refund you 100% via check or Paypal (depending on how you paid for it). As long as everything is in the same condition I sent it to you, you have my word. No questions asked.

Learn more about how to order your Photo Grafix University Photo Restoration Basics Course here.

Photo Restoration Quotes at FGS in Springfield: Take your pix home the same day

2011-08-16T14:17:00.003-05:00

Photo: ©Eric Basir

Whenever I'm at a genealogy conference you can count on Photo Grafix having a scanner and computer on-site if you need your photos restored. That means I scan them there, give you a quote and hand the originals back to you the same day.

At the 2011 Federation of Genealogical Societies conference in Springfield we'll do just that—and more! I'll also have a slew of photo restoration books and videos. In fact, I'll have my awesome Photo Restoration Basics course at a very, very nice sale price! See us at booth 607.

So if you haven't made plans to attend this great conference, get your old pictures and questions together now. See you in a few weeks!

Do you like to restore photos yourself? Download this Photo Grafix Purple Elephant COUPON for $10 off any purchase of my fun Photo Restoration and Retouching Foundations course or video tutorials. There's a catch: This coupon is only good for the the FGS conference and you must bring it in person. Click on the coupon image or link and use your browser's print button for your copy.

Please support the great work of the Federation of Genealogical Societies with your donations.

Ask The Retoucher #60 Scanner Resolution and Metadata for Organizing

2011-08-16T12:33:00.001-05:00

To receive a reminder about the Ask the Retoucher show each month, join Photo Grafix email Newsletter. You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook

Scanners are important for a high quality family archive. Epson scanner optics can capture high resolution.

See recommendations at Photo Grafix University Do-It-Yourself Store. Click on the Epson Perfection V700 (Or just the "Shop Epson..." link at the bottom left corner of the box). It has an Optical Resolution of 6400 dpi. Divide it by 4 = 1600; this is the actual pixels per inch that you can achieve in this scanner.

The less expensive V330 of the Epson Perfection scanners has an Optical Resolution of 4800 dpi (makes images no larger than 1200 ppi). The quality is a little less. However, I say 6400 is only necessary if you are scanning negatives or film because the image area is so small. To enlarge it, you will need the highest resolution. 4800 will get you fine images. But if you want the best, get the highest resolution.

Other features of which you must be aware while examining product details:

Image Sensor

CCD. Charged Coupled Device. This is the typical sensor on scanners.

Interpolated Resolution

This is like a magnifying glass on the page. This can make the image bigger but not necessarily sharper, since it averages out color. It is better to scan it in big than rely on the Interpolated Resolution. Optical Resolution—as mentioned earlier—is the real measure of quality.

Grayscale depth

Don’t worry about it; scan everything in color. Basic Color Correction should be done using Levels; adjust sliders through Red, Green, Yellow & Blue channels.

Media Type and Media Size

You need a minimum of 8x10 for prints. Attachments and or a separate tray for negatives and slides is ideal. But again, make sure the resolution is high enough.

How to Organize Your Scanned Pictures

I call it Global Organization. Focus on Metadata, sometimes referred to as Tags or Keywords. These are easily accessed in Photoshop, Paintshop Pro, Gimp and Photoshop Elements.

In Photoshop, choose File => File Info. Then open the Description tab.

Concentrate your time on entering information for your family photos in Title, Description and Key Words. In this picture:

Title: Name of Family Outdoors

Description: Names of the People, why, when, where, how

Keywords: Everything that is in the description and title in phrases and nouns. Names of people; names of place; important objects, dates

Save in TIF format.

Save for Web strips out the metadata.

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Ask The Retoucher #59 Detail Retouching and Restoring an Old Family Photo

2011-07-19T12:51:00.002-05:00

Finer detail work on a photo by Scott Griessel at Creatista:

Methods to clean up stray hair on the model:

Use the Healing Brush and Clone Stamp to remove the stray hair or…
Lasso the background area of the photo, feather it and go into Quick Mask mode and copy and paste it into its own Layer, make a Layer Mask and use the Paint Brush Tool to smooth out the edges.
Clean up the hairs on the neck with the Clone Stamp.

Working on the eyes:

Work on photo at 100%.
Copy eyelid and part of the eye and paste it into its own Layer.
Paint with a Quick Mask Tool.
Sharpen Layer and pull back with opacity in the Layer Pallette.
Brighten up the cornea with the Dodge Tool.

Old family photo restoration

First photo is out of focus and a second is much better. Work on #2 first.

Crop and straighten the photo.
Save as a working copy, changing name slightly.
Eliminate the color cast, choosing the Black and White Adjustment Layer.
Duplicate the Background Layer.
Remove obvious dust and scratches using the Clone Stamp and Healing Brush.

If you find this article useful, please return the favor! Share it or Like it using any of the share buttons below.

Send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Ask The Retoucher #58 Good Teachers, Photo Retouching Shop-Talk

2011-07-19T12:29:00.001-05:00

Eric revisits a photo restoration (See Ask The Retoucher #57) with damage caused by condensation between the glass and the print. John described the methods he used to retouch his photo and Eric offered this critique:

Create paths around the areas needing work:

Be sure to close your paths.
To clean up a path that was not properly closed, use the Pen Tool, holding Control key down (Apple key on the Mac) and drag to delete the points that are not closed.
Alt Option/Click to close the path.

Adjust contrast on the face:

Soften the selection layer
Adjust shadows and mid-tones on Adjustment Layer
Desaturate all of the color with a Black and White Adjustment Layer or a Hue and Saturation Adjustment Layer to eliminate the color casts.
Use the Healing Brush over the hard edge of the selection.
Use a High Contrast Adjustment Layer to build up the image, adjusting the mid-tones.
Use the Paintbrush to bring back some of the surrounding areas.

Some of the video is missing sound due to Eric's microphone being off! Some of important points for advanced dust and scratch removal:

Duplicate the Background Layer
Go to Filter => Noise => Dust & Scratches, set radius at 6, threshold at 0.
In the History Pallet, click Previous State that says Duplicate Layer. Now the Dust & Scratches State is grayed out.
Click the box next to the Dust & Scratches state.
Grab the History Brush, using a brush that is a little bigger than the scratch in the face and brush over the scratches.

Marissa in California asked if photo restoration could be a good career choice. The answer is yes and no. You have to keep your expenses under control and carve out a niche in the business. There is much competition, including outsourcing overseas, which can put U.S. retouchers out of work.

Marissa also submitted a photo portrait she was struggling with. The first problem is that the photo has already been sharpened. In a situation like this, you should rescan the photo and turn the sharpening off because sharpening blows up all of the defects. If you cannot retrieve the original, then you will need to work with it in that condition.

Draw a selection around the person to separate it from the background. Save the path and feather the selection at least 1 pixel.
In Layer Pallete/Panel, make a new layer between the Background and Layer 1 and call it “white” and fill it with white.
Begin to rebuild the missing pieces using Clone Stamp and other tools.
Use Hue and Saturation to remove the color cast.
For the lips, make a new blank Layer and use Paintbrush Tool to paint in the lips back in. Create another Layer and Use Motion Blur on the lips.
For the teeth, use the same approach.
Create a layer, called “mouth” to pull these layers together.

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Ask The Retoucher #57 - Eliminating old photo bright and dark spots

2011-07-19T11:29:00.002-05:00

Eric of Photo Grafix offers suggestions for two photo restorations by viewers. Look for great information about the Clone Stamp Tool, Adjustment Layers and Levels. Aired April 22, 2011. For more information about Photo Grafix and to participate in a live show, please visit us online or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

This first photo submitted by Dennis, has large rectangular areas of light and dark, probably caused by an exposed area on the film, before the picture was shot. Dennis did an impressive job, working on it with Gimp:

Add a Transparent Layer and set it to Green Merge
Then use the Gradient Tool, Eraser and Paint Brush tools to even out the colors.

Adjust the contrast:

Levels/New Adjustment Layer
Adjust each individual RGB layer, moving the sliders to the edge of the mountains
In the Composite channel, moved the middle slider to adjust the contrast.

Work on the original photo.

Grab rectangular marquee and select the darker portion of the photo.
Transform the selection
Choose Feather/Modify Feather, Resolution 6.
Transform the selection.
Choose Level/New Adjustment Layer
Move Black triangle in toward the center until achieving the right contrast.
Duplicate the background copy
Merge adjustment Layer with the underlying layer
Grab Healing brush and remove the line that was left in the photo between the dark and light sections.
Grab the Dodge Tool, adjusted to 20% to adjust further
For the final touch, choose Hue and Saturation and remove the saturation to get rid of any color tones and convert it to black and white.

Hint: The size of the photo is quite small. It would be good to scan it at 200% in order to retain the 300 dpi, while enlarging the height and width (dimensions).

Look at this before and after restoration submitted by a Photo Restoration Basics student from the United Kingdom. He did a very nice job rebuilding this badly damaged photo (to his credit, he had been practicing long before becoming a student). There is some evidence of the clone stamp pattern; a suggestion might be to use the Paintbrush tool to smooth that out.

Level/New Adjustment Layer, adjust the sliders to improve contrast.
Use Paintbrush tool to remove the mottling in the arm, and other areas.

The third photo, also submitted by the same person, is an old photo with a coating that leaves blotches on the image.

Use the Pen Tool and carefully select the blotchy area. Save path by double clicking.
Choose Hue and Saturation/Desaturate to remove all the different color tints.
Click the Path/Feather
Layer/New Adjustment Layer and adjust the midtone slider to blend the photo tones.

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Ask The Retoucher #56 - Shopping For Stock Images

2011-07-19T10:51:00.002-05:00

Have you ever needed a stock photo or illustration and wondered which kind of stock image to purchase?

The first thing to remember is that two factors are important in your choice: image size and image resolution. Think of this as two realities for the image. The first is a two-dimensional size measurement of height and width. The second—the resolution, or dpi (dots per inch) or ppi (pixels per inch)—is like a three-dimensional measurement.

To experience choosing a stock image, go to iStock and search for birds in a tree. Click on a photo or several photos, and review the choices available to you. You see that the categories are:

size
pixels or inches
file size
credits (this is the pricing)

When you click on inches, you will see the size in inches as well as the resolution (72 or 300 dpi). 72 dpi is acceptable only for a web image; choose 300 dpi for any other publishing. Be sure to choose a bigger size than you need, within reason. You can always downsize an image in Photoshop without losing anything, but when you make it larger in Photoshop, you will loose some resolution.

You may want an illustration instead of a photo. Search for an illustration on iStock, GraphicLeftovers, Canstock, Dreamstime or many other sites. Download a vector image if you can find a free one. Vector means the image is scalable to large sizes, because image is generated by mathematical vectors; it is not pixel-based.

To resize a vector image in Photoshop, download an image and open it in Photoshop. You will see a dialog box that says “Rasterize EPS Format.” Choose RGB at 300 ppi, 20 inches Then examine the crisp detailed image.

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Photo Grafix Blog Facelift

2011-07-16T16:18:00.000-05:00

The share buttons disappeared from the Photo Grafix Blog. Yuck. A few hours later after using a new template, carefully replaced Description/Keyword meta tags and the analytics code, the problem has been solved. I had to re-size the Photo Restoration Basics commercial and the Photo Grafix Twitter stream windows also. So if your ad-blocker is off, everything should look just right! How do you like it?

Photo Grafix Thumbtack Website

2011-06-26T23:03:00.000-05:00

We're trying out this offer from Thumbtack.com to sell our High-Quality Photo Restoration Services

Let me know if you have ever used Thumbtack.com. If not, why not? We hope this new connection will bring lots of new customers and their friends.

Photo Grafix Headquarters vs. Apple Computer Spaceship HQ

2011-06-12T10:35:00.002-05:00

Click to see the details

With all the news from Mr. Steve Jobs regarding the Apple Computer proposed environmentally-friendly headquarters, plans for my new Photo Grafix headquarters has taken the back-burner in the media. However, ever since the start-up of the Photo Grafix Newsblog, we can get the good news out regardless of the situation.

This drawing of the proposed Photo Grafix HQ by Nabila Neohoj of Black Rhino Illustration is impressive.

Our new HQ has the following fine amenities for 15,001 employees (slightly larger than Apple Computer's HQ):

• Solar power. Completely off the grid.
• Water reclaimation. Gray water collection and rain garden.
• Native oak trees, shrubs and a non-native orange tree.
• Bike rack.
• Windows for everyone.
• Recycled brick and furniture made from reclaimed timber.
• Earthquake-proof with underground bomb shelter and rocket engine in case we need to escape earth's gravity.

Mr. Job's planned HQ

Zoning and building permits have not been obtained yet.

Ask The Retoucher #54 - Siding and Retouching Fix Up

2011-06-10T15:37:00.015-05:00

Ye Old Copy Shot

Old Fashioned Loupe

Distortion With Warp

Use photo loop tool to examine the quality of the grain of a photo. If there is good detail, you will be able to retouch photo successfully.

Straighten and crop the photo.

Clean up the photo using the Clone Stamp tool and the Healing Brush.

To replace large areas of the house siding, clean up one portion of the siding to use as a sample. Then use the Lasso Tool to “cut out” a sample, feathering the edge with a one pixel radius. Place it over areas of the siding that need replacement, using the distortion feature and adjusting capacity to fit it into the surrounding area.

Use a Layer Mask as necessary to improve the look of the siding.

Pasting in the new siding

Adding a person into a photo with other people

Most important factors to consider when adding a person into a photo are:
element of focus, grain, lighting and perspective.

Hard edges make it look fake

On the sample picture, the element of focus is very good (similar to others in the photo), and the grain also matches. The person also has the same perspective.

However, there is an issue with the angle of the lighting on the added person. To fix this, use the Burn Tool to adjust the shadows around the person’s arm and shoulders.

The contrast is also a little off, compared to the others in the photo. Build a Path along the person and use Curves Adjustment layer to adjust the contrast.

Also the person adjacent to the added person needs to have his hair “repaired.” Use the Lasso Tool to replace the piece that was chipped away by the added person.


A selection makes it easier to darken	the edge

A lot of this work requires us to go back and forth between the retouched and un-retouched. Since the photo was already done, I’m just showing you how to improve it.

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Wacom Tablet - Try it and You'll Never Go Back

2011-06-08T11:01:00.004-05:00

If you're working on images, doing lots of mouse-button clicking, I will say it's safe to assume you may have some wrist pain. Or maybe arm or hand pain. Maybe it keeps you up at night. I have the solution: A tablet.

I started using one when I used to work for Schawk (formerly Ambrosi), here in Chicagoland way back when Star Wars Episode II was still in the theaters. It took awhile getting used to it. Eventually I bought my own (for my old Blue & White Macintosh G3). This was an old ADB port used model from ebay. What a deal!

Almost 10 years later, I've purchased 3 more (one broke while transporting to and from a client's worksite).

I suggest going no smaller than the 6x8 inch or 6x9 inch size model (unless you don't do alot of Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator work). Anyway, whichever model you get, I know you'll be happy.

Shop intuos4 at Bizrate

ads from Shopzilla,Inc

Bizrate

Ask The Retoucher #55 - Shadow Details, Photo Restoration

2011-05-10T10:54:00.009-05:00

Dark areas can have hidden detail

Scott asks: On magazines scans, I find the contrast is often really flat, even though the darks don’t have any detail. Is there a way to find more detail or is it gone forever?

Answer: The scan of a photo is actually a 3rd generation version: original photo made with a camera; then image is brought into a page layout program and sent to press; then the third generation is a scan of the original photo. Most likely there is no detail. This is what you can do to figure out if you can retrieve detail in the shadow areas.

Channels (not in Photoshop Elements)

Open up the scan in Photoshop. Then, open the Channels Palette and if you don’t see detail in the composite channel, click on the Red, Green and Blue channels individually. If you do find detail in one or more of the individual channels, there are ways to retrieve that detail, called plate blending or channel mixing. This is an advanced technique that we will take up in another show.

Photo Restoration Corrections

A customer requested some revisions on a project. These were minor, but important details that you might need consider with your own photo restorations. Many of the techniques are advanced. However, in the video I briefly mention some alternative methods with Photoshop Elements.

No. 1: Original restoration enhanced the eyes of the subject to give more detail. Customer requested that the corners of her eyes be lightened a little; that the left eye needs to be lightened; the area under the chin needs lightening; and that a line that runs from eye to left cheek should be eliminated; also the left hand is too dark.

Duplicate the layer, naming it customer corrections.
Use the History Brush Tool (Use Burn/Dodge tools for Photoshop Elements), making a new snapshot. Soften edge of brush and brush it over adjust the corners of the eyes.
Make a new snapshot and lighten fingers, using 30% opacity.
Use the Healing Bush to eliminate the appearance of a line on the face.
Make a new snapshot to work on the sleeve, which seems to blend into the background, using Burn and Dodge.

Latest revision on right

No. 2: Lighten tip of nose and eliminate light spot on the cheek.

Duplicate layer, naming it customer correction
Make a new shapshot
Use Burn and Dodge at 10% and gently rub the nose
Darken left eyebrow a little. Use Burn and Doge at 20% and adjust
Use the Healing Brush to darken the light spot on cheek.

Latest revision on right

No. 3: Tip of nose needs to be lightened a little. Lighten corners of her eyes. Darken background to make the hair stand out better.

Make a New Layer for the darker background
Use Paint Brush tool to apply covering over the whole picture.
Apply the mask of the person to the background (Mask was created earlier).
Use History Brush or Dodge Tool as appropriate.

Latest revision on right

No. 4: Chin and right side of mouth need to be lightened.

Background copy and a new Snapshot.
Use History Brush or Dodge the highlights

The customer also mentioned that the eyebrows are too light. So I used a smaller history brush size to darken. To eliminate the glossy look in eyes, I applied a Curve to flatten the contrast, undo and paint that back in with the History Brush.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Photo Organizing and Restoration Workshop at Cary Area Public Library May 14th

2011-05-10T09:40:00.002-05:00

Eric Basir of Photo Grafix University is honored to present two workshops at Cary Area Public Library (IL) on Saturday May, 14th, 2011:

Workshop I (10 AM): Interested in learning about organizing your photos on a computer? You've got the great digital camera. Have you moved the images to your PC? What's the best format to store your images and what software might help you keep track of your photos? Let's share and learn. Register online at the Cary Area Public Library here.

Workshop II (11:15 AM): What about working on those pictures that are so neatly organized? Bring a photograph in need of restoration and I'll share and demonstrate some useful techniques. Register online at the Cary Area Public Library here.

Please support this fine library with your donations.

Fool's Folly? Shutting Down Photo Grafix in April

2011-04-01T08:30:00.036-05:00

After 12 years of service with the best customers, I'm tossing in the towel and going to change trains.

It's been a blast. Thanks to all those who appreciate and use our services.

Sorry kiddies, the Purple Elephant isn't giving anymore rides.

Photo & Document Restoration Workshops for the FGS 2011 Conference in Springfield, IL

2011-03-29T15:11:00.002-05:00

Finally!

For the past 10 years, I've been working my way up the speaker's ladder to teach at a national genealogy conference.

Thanks to a good word from the mighty Illinois State Genealogical Society, I am scheduled to present three workshops for the Federation of Genealogical Society's Annual Conference (Springfield, IL USA) September 7-10, 2011:

Fixing Faded Color Photos with Adobe Photoshop, Friday, 5:00pm-6:00pm, F-348

Photo Restoration From Start to Finish Demonstration, Saturday, 8:00am-9:00am, S-400

Restoring Documents With Your Computer, Thursday, 11:00am-12:00pm, T-204

These workshops will be covered LIVE on Twitter, hashtag #FGS2011.

Whether you're new to genealogy or a seasoned family history researcher, this is a great conference to attend. If you live the region, it's a straight hop on Amtrak or interstate (Be careful, as Amtrak is having some construction work, so you might be delayed).

As an added treat, Photo Grafix University will be present in the Exhibit Hall in booth 607, right next to the awesome Fun Stuff For Genealogists store.

There's more! Download this Photo Grafix Purple Elephant COUPON for $10 off any purchase of my fun Photo Restoration and Retouching Foundations course or video tutorials. There's a catch: This coupon is only good for the the FGS conference and you must bring it in person. Click on the coupon image or link and use your browser's print button for your copy.

Please support the great work of the Federation of Genealogical Societies with your donations.

Earthquakes, Nuclear Meltdown and Your Photos

2011-03-15T12:50:00.001-05:00

As the tragic drama on our planet unfolds with the latest disaster in Japan, we are reminded about the fragility of life. When the wall of water approached the cities and power plants, it was do or die. Leave quickly. There was almost no time to pack things.

For those of us far away from the disaster, we have two things to consider: Should I do something to prepare for it or should I just hope that it never happens to me? I say do something.

First, prepare an immediate "Go" bag as described at Ready.gov. That should include water, food, medications and first aid kid, among other things. Secondly—which you must get in the habit of doing regularly—you should have a daily backup of your computer files and archives on CD/DVD in your home and at someone else's home far away. This is especially important for your family photos and genealogical research.

Take a few minutes to prepare for the worst. There's a saying I heard a few years ago: Those who are lucky always seem prepared.

Genealogists chasing women, Mexicans and Black Folk

2011-03-15T12:28:00.000-05:00

At Photo Grafix University, we're always pushing folks to preserve their family photo history. That's just part of it. You also need to identify and write about that history. Genealogy is how you get started. However, it isn't easy.

In fact, if you're looking for ancestors that are women, Latin-American or African-American, you're going to need some serious help. I won't gripe about misogyny, slavery and colonialism at this time. However, it is a reality when it comes to your research.

Family Roots Publishing has some excellent resources:

If you're of Mexican heritage, check out "Finding Your Mexican Ancestors: A Beginner's Guide." There are some other titles with this one that you might also use whether you have Mexican heritage or not.

This webinar on CD by Leland Meitzler is a highly-recommended resource when researching your female ancestors.

Last, but not least, Family Roots Publishing has a list of titles for researching African-American genealogy. This includes some beginner and intermediate resources. The Slave Genealogy guide is especially interesting.

New Genealogy Circuit Vendors I Met at the DCGS

2011-02-26T23:43:00.005-06:00

Genealogy-related entrepreneurs are easy to find. There's a few giant corporations that tend to dominate the field. However, there's always room for new folks with new ideas. This weekend, at the DuPage County Genealogical Society conference, I met 2 new ones worth noting.

The MagiKey Census-tracking program was developed by a mother and daughter team from Ann Arbor, Michigan (USA). For $49.99 you'll have the ability to track multiple census records and extract new information and probable cases. It will help prevent being overwhelmed with spreadsheets and endless paperwork. It opens and saves in the ever-popular GEDCOM format. You can even use it as a standalone family tree program. I got to see the ladies demonstrate it and I think it's worth sharing.

I also met Jill of Heritage Makers. She provides an interesting photo book service that has many more formats within the family-history flavor. There are various price options. She can really help you tell your family history in a beautiful format. However, you will still need to make sure you have decent grammar and photo color correction skills when you add the content (you know to see me about the latter)!

Useful Genealogy Links (newsblog, free tools analysis)

2011-02-26T00:17:00.001-06:00

Leland & Patty Meitzler of GenealogyBlog

The Purple Elephant stumbled on the easy-to-read GenealogyBlog with lots of regular updates about genealogy and those involved. I was sad to read about the demise of Sandra Hargreaves Luebking.

Our Purple Pachyderm also found a site called Free Genealogy Tools. It doesn't appear to be updated too often. However, it has a decent breakdown of various free online genealogy tools. It seems the moderator didn't care for my addition of a comment sharing the free Google Picnik photo editor and the PGXU Free do-it-yourself photo restoration videos.

Got a useful site you want us to mention? Send it to me.

Boring dad, Judgment Day, PBSKIDS and Genealogy in St. Charles

2011-02-25T17:34:00.009-06:00

I'm a man of little time and even less money (This is the price I must pay as a member of a hungry, endangered species in America known as Photo Retoucher) However, I don't need to be a man of boredom.

So I decided that if I'm going to hang out with genealogists at the DuPage County Genealogical Society's annual conference and hawk my photo restoration services and products, why not make a family vacation of it?

I truly believe that if I'm doing something in which my family cannot participate, I probably shouldn't be doing it.

As my children are probably not going to stop getting older—and may eventually find traveling with me uncool—I made sure we paid a visit to the tollway oasis. Having never been in a building over the highway, I knew this would be a special treat. The gumball machines were very tempting.

Fossil fuel fanfare from the I-294 Oasis

No sooner than we could indulge our indispensable cash stash on giant pretzels, gumball machine treats or souvenirs, we were deterred by an ominous billboard:

Not sure anyone wants to go to a forum to be judged on May 21!

Low-fat, High-yum

Thanks to Mr. Hilton, we have an indoor pool, a clean, dignified conference hotel room equipped with microwave oven, refrigerator and a very wide television screen with our favorite PBS cartoon character Ruff Ruffman. We packed plenty of food too—can my wife ever get a break?

While dad is working the vending area, mom and the children have a pool, 2 backpacks of toys, magazines and all kinds of places to visit around town. Although I won't be able to enjoy all of it with them, it's good to know they will have fond memories of our business trips.

Salt-covered compass marker at the 294 Oasis

Whatever direction I'm headed, it doesn't need to be boring and it certainly will include my family.

This article and photos are mine. Get permission before using or at least give me a credit!

Will Teach Photo Restoration For Money!

2011-02-20T18:25:00.001-06:00

Since 2001, I've helped hundreds of folks from all kinds of backgrounds learn how to preserve and restore their family photographs.

Libraries, genealogical societies and schools. I've been to many. There are many more to visit.

I've got some good information and lots of experience to back it up. I'm just a student. I've learned everything I know from others and my own years as a professional retoucher. Why not bring me to your organization? My rates are fare. My demands are little and I hardly need any food!

For more information about my speaking services, please visit the Genealogical Speakers Guild for details.

If you want me as your personal teacher, you'll really like my Photo Restoration And Retouching Foundations Video Course!

Interview: Photo Grafix Owner talks obscurity, life

2011-02-06T15:00:00.002-06:00

Photo Grafix Owner and Janitor Eric Basir leads a little-known photo retouching studio and virtual school which has 1 employee (himself), 4 unpaid servants (family members) and served a little over 700 customers and students since 1999. He works from a pathetic little dungeon all day and night, yet still finds time for family.

Q. When does the day start for you?

A. Shortly after sunrise. I make sure I get in some prayer, some religious stuff and a good 40-50 minute workout. I get to my basement corporate headquarters by 9 in the morning. I check email and rarely get through it all. I like to subscription requests for my monthly email newsletter. I loathe the unsubscriptions! I anxiously load Adobe Bridge and start working on projects that are in progress.

Q. How does a sole proprietor not get through all of his email?

A. If you saw the still unfinished built-in bookshelf in my living room, you would understand.

Q. How do you balance business demands with looking at the big picture?

A. Stepping away. Doing something physical. Working in the garden. Prayer. Eating. These things contain hidden lessons for work. I'll admit that keeping track of tasks with my Palm Treo helps keep the burden in perspective. Striving to stay organized is key. A clean desk makes a huge difference (when I get around to it!)

Q. Consumers have held their wallets during this current Great Recession...

A. Ugh! Say no more. Next question!

Q. Photo Grafix has struggled to grow revenue post-recession. Part of it was focusing on promoting the Photo Restoration Basics Video Course and Ask The Retoucher Live. Yet sales are flat. How do you react when Photo Grafix makes a mistake?

A. Mistake? Well, that wasn't nice. Look mister, I'm competing with firms throughout Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Photo restoration is not profitable like it was. So I saw everyone finding cheap restoration or doing their own work. I figured that those do-it-yourself types would benefit from my knowledge and experience. My video course is one of a kind, tried-and-tested and wholly underrated. Folks need this course. I believe sales were flat because my marketing is weak. I'm working with a consultant now to change that reality. Stay tuned.

Q. How often do you check the Photo Grafix finances.

A. Only when I must. It's quite a humiliating experience when I do check.

Q. Photo Grafix public outreach seems to have improved. Is that because of the recession?

A. Yes. It really forced me to go out there. Photo Grafix University Live was born from the nasty economic downturn. I hope it enhances my workshop/teaching visibility for more and bigger venues such as the Federation of Genealogical Societies and National Genealogical Society. I'm finally in for FGS for their 2011 conference in Springfield, Illinios (due in part to the fine folks at the Illinois State Genealogical Society).

Q. What ideals do you embrace?

A. The Golden Rule: Do to others what you would do to them. For example, when folks call me asking about services I do not offer or they find it too expensive, I refer them to an appropriate source. I know people have problems and they're seeking solutions. I won't block them from help even if it means I won't be hired.

Q. What should a leader value most?

A. The intelligence of others around him or her. If they are students, customers, employees or friends. If they have a problem with something you're doing, encourage them to share it and cultivate an environment of openness. It must be sincere, however. Don't be afraid to say "I'm sorry, I was wrong."

Q. Who evaluates you? How do you know how you are doing at Photo Grafix?

A. Great question. No one, really. I always seek feedback, but rarely get it. When I do, it's usually brief. My service is too specialized it seems. But then again, business has been horrible. With the exception of a few very loyal customers, 2010 was our worst year since being in business (1999). I'm so glad it's behind us and I believe this year will be much better.

Q. Does work ever stop for you?

A. My mother asks me the same question! Unfortunately, no. Breaks are needed. Playing with the children, doing projects with them and reading Ranger Rick and Your Big Backyard before bedtime is something I never pass up. But work must never stop. If it does, we'd be homeless and hungry.

Ask The Retoucher No. 52 - Is It Retouched?

2011-02-06T13:12:00.008-06:00

In this article I share some insight about how to identify if a photo has been retouched.

My wife showed me an advertisement that claimed, “No retouching.” The ad says: “Easy and affordable. It’s your time to look younger and younger.” Looking at the ad, the before and after picture has the model wearing a different blouse against a different colored background. The edge of the chin looks too sharp against the background to assume no retouching.

In the larger photo, the same face is against a different, obviously false background. Retouching is defined as doing anything to change or adjust the picture, even the background. Most likely the ad legitimately represents the true look of the person after surgery, but everything points to a retouched photo, at least as related to the background.

Photo restoration continued from article #51

1. Duplicate the Background Layer. This is an important step in all retouching work. It can save a lot of time.

2. Make a new blank layer and name it “Hard.” Use this one to work on cleaning up the big spots with the clone stamp. Apply the Grid function to the photo (to learn how to use the Grid function, visit the Downloads section of the Photo Grafix University section of my website). Use the Healing Brush as appropriate.

3. Make a Black and white Adjustment Layer to rid the image of any color. Not only does it remove odd colorcasts, but also it sets up the image for simpler color replacement in cases when you might want a “sepia” tone appearance in the photo.

4. Use a Curves or Levels Adjustment Layer to check highlights and shadows. Pull down the mid-tones to darken or lighten the overall image.

5. Use the History Brush and Palette to enhance the eyes. This is an advanced Photoshop-only technique. You can accomplish similar results with the Burn and Dodge Tools. The Layer Mask function with the Paintbrush Tool will help you separate the man’s face from the dark background.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Blockbusting for Genealogy

2011-02-01T18:45:00.001-06:00

Every one of the DuPage County Genealogical Society is better than the last. If you live in the area, consider a very affordable registration.

That's why we haven't missed one conference since we first started exhibiting—and teaching—at the DCGS annual conference. This year, it is on Saturday, February 26 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the graceful Hilton Garden Inn in St. Charles, IL.

Along with our photo restoration books and videos, I always make sure to have a scanner and computer on-site if you want to hire us to restore your own photos. You can take the originals home the same day.

We'll have a nice special for my easy-to-use Photo Restoration Course.

I hope to see the regular group, along with some new faces.

Ask The Retoucher #51 - Inkjet Prints and Sharpening

2011-01-23T16:33:00.005-06:00

In show #51, Eric of Photo Grafix responds to a viewer’s questions about inkjet print longevity and scanners. He also begins work on a new photo restoration to be continued in the next show.

Francine asks: “My sister wants to scan her husband’s slides and would like to know what type of scanner to use. Does a scanner work with both the PC and the Mac?”

Answer: Most scanners can be used with both the PC and the Mac, as the scanner comes with software that can be loaded on the computer for either PC or Mac.

On the Photo Grafix website, you can do some comparison shopping on scanners I recommend.

Go to the Photo Grafix University Store. (Turn off your add blocking software for this page). There you will find various Epson scanners that Eric recommends, including specifications and price comparisons. You can use a flatbed scanner for sides, if you choose one that has a transparency tray.

Another viewer asks: “Will a printed photo from a computer copier fade if it is matted and framed. It has great color and clarity now.”

The important aspects to keep in mind when considering longevity in prints from copiers/printers are the paper and the ink. Epson is probably the top of the line for printing photos. Be sure to use the paper and the ink which is made by the equipment manufacturer.

Framing: Keep the paper off of the glass by using a mat, in order to produce a little gap between paper and glass. This will help protect the print from sticking to the glass, should a little moisture get into the frame.

Starting a new photo restoration

How do you determine if a picture is blurry? In this picture the background is sharp and the foreground is soft. That means we have a selective focus problem: Background in focus and foreground is not. We know we need to sharpen the picture. But the Sharpen Tool or Unsharp Mask Filter will not necessarily help or must be used very carefully.

Aspects of the Unsharp Mask Filter

1. Amount: Amount of sharpening throughout the entire image, or pixels which will have a build-up of lightness and darkness.

2. Radius: Area between the light and dark pixels, smaller the radius the more narrow it is. When you increase radius, it builds up, increasing the noise.

3. Threshold: This function can help isolate certain levels of color when applying Amount.


Click to download and work on the photo

Cleaning up the photo

1. Crop the white border surrounding the photo and save a copy of the photo
2. Eliminate the major defects, using the Clone Stamp tool or the Healing Brush.
3. Will finish the picture in the next session.

Hint for the day
Allexperts.com website is a great resource. Search for your topic (i.e., scrapbooking) to get some advice from experts.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Ask The Retoucher #50 - Scanner Shopping

2011-01-23T16:09:00.005-06:00

In this show, Eric of Photo Grafix responds to a viewer’s question about how to choose a scanner. Eric gives some scanner recommendations and shows you how to shop online to compare prices, features and specifications.

1. Go to the Photo Grafix University Store Software and Hardware section and scroll down the page to section named “Recommended Scanners.”

2. For flatbed scanners, I recommend Epson brand. They are affordable, yet high-quality and the software is easy to use. Most of the scanners can handle OCR, 35 mm slide and negative scanning, as well as prints and documents.

3. If you need a portable scanner, click on the V300 and follow along to check specifications and pricing.

4. The link will bring you to a page that compares pricing of all the V300 scanners. Clicking on the price will bring you to a page that also desribes the features and specification of the V300.

a. Optical resolution: 4800 dpi is good choice and will handle 35 mm slides or small negatives at 1200 dpi. For prints, 300 dpi is adequate in most cases.

b. Color Bit: 48-bit.

c. Maximum scan area: 8.5 x 11.7. Would prefer to have a bed that can handle legal size scan area, but this could limit portability and affect price.

d. 35mm transparency adapter.

e. 6 negative and 4-slide capacity.

f. Hi-Speed USB interface.

5. Go back to Software and Hardware and check out another model.

a. Optical resolution: 6400 dpi, will scan small negatives at 1600 dpi.

b. Also handles Medium format film, which is twice the size of a 35 mm frame

c. Digital ICE, which aids in scanning small negatives and slides, and helps to minimize scratches and dust when you blow up these slides.

d. LED technology uses less power, has no mercury (much better for your health).

When you are researching a scanner, the most important feature to look for is the optical resolution. Divide it by 4 and that will tell you what is the highest resolution you can actually use to scan.

Additional Hint: Make sure you create redundant backups and archives for your scans and photos. More information on archiving your work can be found in Digital Photo Restoration Book II.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

A Hundredaire's Prediction For 2011

2010-12-30T11:57:00.004-06:00

Last year, I entered the economic discussion from the perspective of a photo retoucher. I made some pretty horrible predictions for 2010. However, some were spot-on. What about for 2011?

Unlike my billionaire companions featured in Forbes, I've barely broken the elite hundredaire benchmark of my ultra-wealth status. In fact, I think I'm just about under that rank. But I'm proud of it and glad my taxes are going to good use for various bailouts, wars and congressional salaries. Will it change? Let's see:

What is the most alarming trend facing the economy today?
My assessment from last year hasn't changed. A national debt of $13.8 trillion is quite a bill!

In what direction will your country's stock market move, and what kind of returns do you anticipate?
I was right last year and I'm confident the United States stock market will do better this year. If you didn't get in 2008, you missed a buying opportunity. Real estate is attractive to me. However, it is still very risky. So I suggest buying a REIT mutual fund if it interests you.

Gold: buy, hold or sell?
I say hold or sell. If you believe that the U.S. is heading towards a complete economic meltdown within the year, hold. If not, take your profits. I still think a bomb shelter or off-the-grid earth-house in the wilderness with all the amenities is a good investment.

Which emerging world economy is the best bet for investors?
It's crazy out there. Risk averse folk should consider India and China. Yep. Long-term. All those retiring might want to keep a tiny bit overseas. But the rest should be cash or something very conservative.

What's the best asset to own in 2011?
I think cash with U.S. Dollars and Euros.

Will Twitter be a viable business in 2011?
No. However, I think it will be bought out by Google. They seem to be canning Google Buzz for a reason. They will acquire Twitter by 2012.

Global warming: Fact or fiction? How much money should your government invest in emissions cuts?
I still stand by what I wrote last year. It's good to be proactive about it and will not do any harm in the long-term.

Any other predictions?
Outsourcing will consume any commodity-like service. The graphic arts industry will be in Asia. As they become wealthier, I see it going to Africa. If you're in America and not focusing on creative work, you are obsolete.

What about Genealogy?
This will undoubtedly become more and more interesting. When PBS aired African-American Lives, it opened the door of family history research much wider than before for all elasticities. The future for ancestral DNA research is very bright. I predict that within a decade, the grandchildren of African-Americans alive today will be able to track down their cousins in Africa from whom their surviving middle passage ancestry was separated hundreds of years ago. This is an exciting time for all people of all ancestry. We are truly related.

What about Photo Grafix?
This will be our first year teaching at a national genealogy conference. After many years of applying, I finally got in as a teacher for 3 classes at the Federation of Genealogical Society's annual conference 2011. This year it's in Springfield, Illinois. I pray we meet alot of people and help them with their family photo digitizing efforts.

Any hopes?
I really hope to get my Photoshop course in the hands of more people. Folks have alot of photos they are scanning and they really don't understand what they are doing. I can show them how to do it right. I also hope more people will drive cars less and walk, bike, carpool/car-share or use public transportation. However, without a substantial increase in the cost of gasoline, I doubt it will happen.

So, dear reader, what do you think 2011 will bring?

Ask The Retoucher #48 - Pro Retouching Details

2010-12-16T10:58:00.003-06:00

Warning: This is an Intermediate-Advanced class. Purchase Eric's Photo Restoration and Retouching Foundations course to get started right.

In show #48, Eric of Photo Grafix focuses on photo retouching, as compared to photo restoration. Fine-tuning is the final stage of photo retouching (after you have taken care of the basic color correction or cleaning up).

Watch Eric work on a picture by photographer, Scott Griessel to make it sing.

1. First, sharpen the photo by using “Sharpen/Unsharp Mask” and adjusting the settings, putting the Radius at 1.5. Then go to “Fade/Unsharp Mask” and drop it to luminosity.

2. Then in the History Pallet, undo all those stages and click on “Fade/Unsharp Mask” history state.

3. Then grab the History Brush, increasing the opacity to about 50% and paint the History Brush on the eyelashes, tear ducts and specular highlight.

4. Then use the Healing Brush and clone stamp to clean up any remaining stray spots or marks.

5. Then make a new History State and grab a big History Brush and change mode to “screen,” dropping opacity to 20. Wipe the faces. Using Multiply mode in History Brush, darken in the hands.

6. Add a Curves Adjustment Layer, creating an S Curve, being sure not to lose contrast. Take Paint Brush Tool, Mode Normal and wipe the white areas.

7. Save as Layered TIFF option.

Fixing some blown-out highlights in another photo by Scott Griessel.

1. Grab the Paintbrush Tool, changing mode to color and wipe over the edges on the earphones.

2. Using the original photo, open the Raw dialog box. Use Lens Correction and adjust the red and yellow fringe on the earphones. Drop exposure down, making sure it's the same target resolution and color profile. Open it from the Raw dialog box and it will appear next to your current version.

3. Copy and paste that new Raw file into your current image. Cover it up with a Layer Mask.

3. Using the Paint Brush Tool, use White color to get the metal edges and detail back.

4. Add Adjustment Layer/Curve and adjust the channels.

5. Save as Layered TIFF option.

Photo Retouching Principle to remember: Good photo retouching does not change the picture, it enhances the picture.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Ask The Retoucher #49 - Wedding Photo Restoration

2010-12-09T19:36:00.006-06:00

In show #49, Eric of Photo Grafix shares some helpful advanced photo restoration techniques on a damaged B&W wedding photograph. Eric goes through the picture, step by step.

1. Crop the picture, create a Background Layer and save it with a file name.

2. Create a Black and White Adjustment Layer. Double click to make adjustments and run Eye Dropper over the areas of concern.

3. Click on the Background Layer and work on cleaning up the obvious spots with the Clone Stamp and the Healing Brush, starting with the background and leaving the faces for later.

4. Merge the Layers and duplicate, saving the file as Filename R1.

5. Increase the contrast, using Curve Adjustment Layer to darken the shadow areas and pull down the quarter tones.

6. Go to Filter/Noise/Dust and Scratches, choosing 2. Save snapshot in History Pallet, naming it DS for Dust and Scratches.

7. Make another snapshot in the History Pallet and name it New.

8. Adjust Curves Adjustment Layer and make an S curve, increasing ? tones. Adjust ? tone anchor points, making a shape more like a cursive F.

9. Use the Paintbrush tool, switch to black, opacity 30% and paint in the highlights.

10. Use the Path Tool to fill in some details.

11. Make a new Blank Layer above all the other layers. Use black Paintbrush Tool and make a vignette around the photo. Add some grain (add Noise/monochromatic / gauge / gauge and blur.

12. Make a new snapshot, naming it New 2. Use as the source, grab History Brush, change mode to multiply, opacity 15% and paint in the underexposed area.

13. With History Brush, go to Screen Mode and lighten up important parts of the face.

Photo Retouching Principle to remember for a Wedding:

When you are planning your wedding, ask your wedding photographer to take a shot of the background of the place where the photographs will be taken (without people, wires, chairs, etc.) so that you can have a background, which could be used to rebuild a picture without some of the people in the picture. Be sure the photographer uses the same lighting and angle for all the shots.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Ask The Retoucher #47 - Tinted Picture

2010-11-25T19:55:00.006-06:00

In article #47, Eric of Photo Grafix works on an antique photo with some interesting color tints. You may find the techniques used in this advanced level restoration helpful when working on your own photographs. Follow along in our video on the blog or at this link here.

1. Working in Photoshop, duplicate the background layer and create a working copy (add a version number to the filename). Crop the photo and save.

2. Apply the Curves Adjustment Layer, adjusting the highlights and shadows to the edge of the histogram.

3. Remove the obvious defects using the Healing Brush and the Clone Stamp, being careful to maintain original detail.

4. In History Palette, make a new Snapshot, set it as source and save. Then choose Filter=Noise=Dust and Scratches, adjusting the settings as appropriate. Make a new Snapshot, naming it by the settings, undo and save.

5. Choose the History Brush, changing the mode to Normal and apply to the Background. On the person’s face, change the History Brush mode to Darken and apply it to the light spots; and change to Lighten mode to apply the Brush to the dark spots.

6. Make another Snapshot and use the History Brush and Clone Stamp to finish off the spots on the photo.

7. Duplicate the Background Layer and save.

8. Make a new Snapshot, changing the History Brush mode to Screen, bringing opacity down to about 20% and apply to the eyes.

9. Create a Black and White Adjustment Layer. Grab the Paintbrush tool, (100% opacity; Blend Mode Normal), changing the hardness to 25%, switch to black for the foreground and paint the yellow tunic.

10. Flatten the layers and Duplicate the Background Layer (Add a new version number to the end of the filename).

11. Sample the dark colors. Add a little noise using Filter=Noise=Add Noise… and Use Filter=Blur=Gaussian Blur to help that noise match the grain of the original.

12. Add a Curves Adjustment Layer, creating a nice S curve to pump up the contrast.

13. Finally, try a Vibrance Adjustment Layer and Save.

Photo Retouching Principle to remember: Good photo retouching does not change the picture, it enhances the picture.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Please send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Adobe Continues It's Decline with Photoshop CS5

2010-11-25T10:49:00.004-06:00

"Your assumption about me is false and seems to be rooted in some kind of deficiency you choose to project on others with whom you disagree. It was also entirely unhelpful, serving only to add to the growing dissatisfaction by many Adobe customers.

It's also an accusation (admission?) that Adobe is so sloppy that they released PSCS5 with incorrect system requirements. If you read it carefully before responding, you would see that I was using various potential examples that the masses of PSCS5 problem-laden users could relate to while trying to be fair to Adobe"

The above quote is from one of many posts in a thread on the Adobe support forums about Photoshop CS5 bugs that I—and many other users—have been essentially told "Live with it." As I explained in this article a few years back, the sign of worse to come was evident with the release of CS4.

Most of the responses are an excellent example of the a ever-growing aura of arrogance, rigidity and supremacy at Adobe.

Adobe is a huge corporation that exploded in growth with the Creative Suite (CS) marketing concept in 2001. In my opinion, this was a bad idea. It forced software engineers to come up with simultaneous upgrades (Photoshop and Illustrator) and make users fork over cash for upgrades they may not need.

I don't know what happened behind closed doors, but I'm sure it was all about increasing value for shareholders.

Then they bought Macromedia in 2005 (the creators of Flash, Shockwave and Freehand). I'm not sure what else they bought, but with over 100 software products for sale, Adobe's girth is quite sizable.

Unfortunately, the idea of being all things to all people historically leads to a critical disconnect with customers.

It's the difference between an established independent diner and a fast-food chain: They both have good customer service, but one is encumbered with robotic efficiencies, money, power and the need to serve shareholders first. One thinks the company is right; problems must be managed. The other is humble enough to admit mistakes; they put out the fire and fix the problem from the top-down quickly.

Just like Microsoft, Apple and Google, I humbly declare that bigger isn't always better. In fact, I declare that it is rarely any good at all for anyone. The attitude of supremacy and pride will only undermine Adobe. For the sake of the employees and license-holders, I hope that attitude will change.

In the very least, I hope Adobe can muster the courage to say "I'm sorry." An apology—admission of fault—can go a long way in mending strained relationships.

Ask The Retoucher #46 - Photo Restoration Part V

2010-11-11T12:12:00.019-06:00

In this 46th article of Ask the Retoucher, Eric of Photo Grafix continues on his mission to restore a unique copy photo of martial arts legend Grandmaster Moses Powell.

1. Because we are satisfied with the work done so far on this image, we are going to flatten what has been done so far and save it.

2. Go to Image=Duplicate… and check “Duplicate Merged Layers Only” and name add “R4” (or whatever you choose to designate the latest version) to the filename.

3. Then Duplicate the Background Layer.

4. Let’s complete fine-tuning process for the image.

5. Use the History Brush and Healing Brush to smooth out the black, white and shadow areas around the head of the Grandmaster’s Teacher (at top-left).

6. Grab the History Brush, 40% opacity, Blend multiply (from the Options Bar), to add a 3-dimensional look to the Grandmaster.

7. Work on some of the color cast still remaining in the picture, using the Paintbrush tool with a 25% hardness brush, in Color mode.

8. Work on reducing or eliminating the moiré pattern.

9. Duplicate the Backgr

ound Copy, naming it “Descreen.”

10. Try Filter=Noise=Dust and Scratches. Set Radius to 1 and Threshold to 1.

11. Save the file and send it off to the customer for approval!

Photo Retouching Principle to remember: Maintain realistic element of focus, contrast and lighting. Be aware that when you manipulate an image, you can easily change this and throw off these elements.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Photo Restoration Workshop Video Overdrive

2010-11-11T11:41:00.005-06:00

Looking at our YouTube source channel, I believe there are over a 100 hours (159 individual videos organized into various playlists) of freely available footage with my skinny self espousing the virtues of JPG, TIF, image size and proper handling of photos/documents.

Not including the videos and course that are for sale at the PGXU Store, it's even higher.

Yet, it seems there are still large swaths of humanity who have yet to know some of the simple—and embarrassingly repetitive—information I have to share. So the cause marches on. Hopefully, some will take me seriously enough to purchase my highly underrated Photo Restoration And Retouching Foundations course.

Recently I edited and uploaded almost 2 years of video. But I've got more going further back. Yes, there is a drawer with quite a few others. Some, such as my talk at the Chicago Genealogical Society are unusable because the projector screen is blown out (this was before I had a laptop powerful enough to do a simultaneous screen capture). Others, such as my first day-long seminar for the Tazwell County Genealogical Society, were mistakenly erased (I was really sad about messing that one up). Then I had some audio disasters for not plugging the microphone into its extension cord at the Northwest Suburban Council of Genealogists and the Winnebago & Boone Counties Genealogical Society!

Regardless, I promised myself to edit and upload all recorded workshops within a week of the event. To get a headstart, I spent most of my past 2 weeks to get these workshops online for you:

International Black Genealogy Summit (October 29, 2009) In this one you can hear my wristwatch ticking. I lost it a few months ago. Has anyone seen it?
Arlington Camera Club (September 17, 2010)
Cook Memorial Public Library (October 27, 2010)
Shorefront Legacy Center (November 6, 2010)
Shorefront Legacy Center Encore (November 6, 2010)

That cleared my computer of what was imported. Next is to go through more of the tapes. As I find more, I'll be sure to get them uploaded. To stay updated, please join our Email Newsletter, the Photo Grafix Facebook Page or the Photo Grafix Twitter Stream.

Photo Restoration Roadshow at the PGSA

2010-11-08T10:46:00.002-06:00

I always enjoy my visits with the members of the Polish Genealogical Society. I hope you enjoy it as well. We went over quite a few old photos and had a few laughs. Please share your comments and questions.

A Rosey Tutorial: Color Correcting Flowers

2010-11-02T14:12:00.003-05:00

In this 15 minute tutorial, I help you punch up the color for photos of roses to make them look their best. Order my fun and easy to learn course to learn more and become a proficient user of Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

Although theOldRosarian website I reference appears to be no longer online, the material is very relevant!

A YouTube version of the tutorial is available here.

Genealogy Workshop in Evanston (With some photo restoration topics)!

2010-11-02T10:47:00.002-05:00

Join me at the African American History and Genealogy Study Group of Evanston and Shorefront for a great conferenced about "Learning From The Past" Saturday, November, 6 from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. See the details at the Shorefront Legacy Center here.

I'm scheduled to teach a workshop about preserving your documents and pictures. We also plan to have onsite photo restoration, videos, books and our course for sale. We're past due for registration, but if you give them a call at 847-864-7464, they might be able to accommodate you.

All Events are held at the Shorefront Legacy Center, 2010 Dewey Avenue, Room 206, Evanston, IL (the Family Focus Building/former Foster School). Here's a map.

The Legacy Center is a brand new museum that collects, preserves and educates people about Black history on Chicago's North Shore. Call 847-864-7467 to schedule a visit or research session.

Recordings from this workshop are below:

Ask The Retoucher #45 - Photo Restoration Part IV

2010-10-26T12:31:00.001-05:00

In this 45^th article of Ask the Retoucher, Eric of Photo Grafix continues on his mission to restore a unique copy photo of martial arts legend Grandmaster Moses Powell.

1. Start by cleaning up any obvious spots left after our last session.

2. In Color Mode, use the Paintbrush Tool, to remove a yellow color cast still remaining in areas around the hair and head.

3. Create a Curves Adjustment Layer to work on the contrast, adjusting the endpoints of the curves.

4. Make a Duplicate Layer, naming it LAB for Lab Mode. Go to the menu, Image=Mode=Lab Color to switch the color to Lab Mode.

5. Using the Paintbrush Tool, work in various channels to get contrast to separate the legs from the carpet.

6. In order to experiment with various options and make the uniform “pop,” convert a duplicate layer into to a “Smart Object” through Layer=Smart Objects=Convert to Smart Object. Then choose Adjustment/Shadow-Highlights to try to get the best contrast.

7. To work on the Magenta color cast, make a Hue and Saturation Adjustment Layer. Switch from the composite drop-down menu to Red channel. Move the Saturation slider to the left and move the Lighteness slider a little to the right.

8. Build a path around the person to create a mask separating him from the background and Desaturate some of the color in the background.

9. Do a QuickMask around the face and adjust the color of the skin.

In the next session, we will finish up this photo—hopefully!

QUICK TIP

In the world of digital photos, we have to accept the fact that every picture needs a little work. You can approach even the best of pictures with the idea, “Let me see what I could do better with this picture.” As my college teacher and mentor, John H. White, a Chicago Sun Times photojournalist, told us: “Good, better, best, never let things rest…Until your good is better and your better is best.”

Even with your new, digital pictures, you may need to adjust the color cast and contrast. It might help to crop the photo. In my course on Photoshop Restoration Basics, I give you ideas about how to crop and when to crop, as well as how to adjust the color and contrast of your photos.

If you want to learn about some production issues I have had with Photoshop CS5, check out this video.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Please send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Restoring Documents Workshop

2010-10-11T14:53:00.002-05:00

Like classical music, my workshops become more tasty with age.

Huh?

Whatever. I'm just slow in getting this stuff edited and published!

Regardless, this is a 2-year-old workshop from a document preservation and restoration workshop I conducted for the Illinois State Genealogical Society. They are a wonderful organization for helping you properly record your family history.

This year's conference is in Peoria on Oct. 23. They work very hard to recruit youth into the important "hobby" of genealogy. Although I won't be there this year, I truly believe you will enjoy it.

Restoration Roadshow on October 27th

2010-10-06T17:22:00.000-05:00

I am scheduled to conduct another fun Photo Restoration Roadshow in the Chicago area. This event is sponsored by the Cook Memorial Library you must register to attend.

If you are unable to be there, you will still be able to view it on-demand when it is added to the Photo Grafix Blog, which is usually done within a month or two.

Ask The Retoucher #44 - Photo Restoration Part III

2010-09-30T12:42:00.002-05:00

In this 44th article of Ask the Retoucher, Eric of Photo Grafix continues on his mission to restore a unique copy photo of martial arts legend Grandmaster Moses Powell.

The next step in the process is to clean up the spots and dust.

1. Switch to RGB color and Duplicate the Background Layer.
2. Choose a Grid (View/Show/Grid) to help you work in a methodical way.
3. Using the Clone Stamp and the Healing Brush, clean up the spots.
4. Zoom in and out to see the before and after to make sure you have removed all the spots.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Please send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Ask The Retoucher #43 - Photo Restoration Part II

2010-09-30T12:33:00.001-05:00

Ask The Retoucher #43 – Photo Restoration Part II

In this 43rd article of Ask the Retoucher, Eric of Photo Grafix continues on his mission to restore a unique copy photo of martial arts legend Grandmaster Moses Powell.

First we will attack the colorcast, starting with the halo around the Master.

Grab the Eyedropper tool, Alt/Option/Click and sample the area, making sure Eyedropper Tool Options bar reads 5x5.
In the Channels palette, work in the Blue channel, removing the yellow spots throughout the background.
Then sample the neck and eliminate the yellow on the face.
Then sample the uniform and remove that yellow. Work carefully around the fingers.
Create a new snapshot and look at the Before and After to evaluate your work.
Remember to zoom in and out and look at the big picture. If what you changed, does not look right, then undo and start again! Be sure to keep multiple layers and multiple versions so you can start over again where you need to start.

Financial hint: Remember you don’t always have to use Adobe Photoshop to restore your photos. There are other alternatives, such as Corel PaintShop Pro. Let’s hope some day soon they will come out with a Mac version! Another open source option is Gimp, which is available for Mac and PC.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Please send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Join the Photo Grafix University email list for cost-saving specials on our unique educational materials.

Photo Restoration Books and Videos at the PGSA Conference

2010-09-30T10:57:00.007-05:00

I'm packing up for another visit with our friends at the Polish Genealogical Society's annual conference. We've been going every year since 2003. It's always a pleasure to meet old friends and customers, as well as new ones.

We'll be on site to take your restoration orders, so be sure to remember to bring those photos and documents you've been wanting to restore.

We will also have our complete line of Do-It-Yourself books and videos, including our new comprehensive Photo Restoration Course.

Lots of non-Polish specific genealogy topics will be covered as well at the conference!

Of course Fun Stuff for Genealogists is going to be there. Don't miss it!

Register online today. The conference starts Friday, October 1.

Ask The Retoucher #42 - Photo Restoration Part I

2010-09-22T11:22:00.001-05:00

In this article I am demonstrating how to restore a unique photo. One that has great emotional and historical significance to the owner. It consists of one image of a Martial Arts Grandmaster superimposed on an image of another Grandmaster.

When you have an unusual photo such as this, your first job is to carefully examine the picture, zooming in close to see what is there. In this picture we see halftone dots, moiré, and watermark dots. The photo is missing detail and tonal depth.
Using Adobe Photoshop, I examine the color channels in the picture. The Green and Red channels are fairly clean, but the Blue channel shows many dots, probably from a watermark. I always remind my customers to get permission from the photographer when there is a copyright.
Working in Blue channel to clean up those dots, take the following steps:
Choose Mode/Lab
Duplicate the Background layer
Use Eyedropper tool to sample the color and then use the Paintbrush tool to begin painting to remove the watermark dots.
At a later date, perhaps we can work on the other problems in this picture, such as the moiré and halftone dots.

Interact with your Photoshop Instuctor HERE!

2010-09-18T18:08:00.003-05:00

Did you know that I am hold a no-charge online workshop to help you retouch and restore your photographs? Every Saturday morning I am at your service. You can chat online as we air live. I'll take any questions about photo retouching, restoration and color correction. I also do demonstrations.

What's even better is that you can watch any of my past shows and workshops through an on-demand library. Just scroll through the list below and choose the one that interest you.

Please tune in a spread the word.

ATR #41 - Handling Handwritten Signatures

2010-09-07T17:51:00.002-05:00

Sometimes we think of Adobe Photoshop only as a photo editing program, but it has many more uses. When you are reviewing your own photographic collection, often you will find documents that need restoration.

I received a question from a viewer in St. Louis who asked how to handle hand-written signatures in a document.

Use the Lasso tool to select the signature from the document.
Inverse the selection, making sure “Default Foreground and Background Colors” is chosen in the tool bar. Then strike the Delete key to fill the background with white.
Try to scan the signature as high as possible, no less than 300 ppi resolution, being sure to save the image as gray scale.
Use the Pencil tool to add white color and begin cleaning up the rough edges of the Signature. Drawn in black pixels to fill in gaps in the letters. Be careful not to change the signature, keeping the brush size to match the original.
Using the Levels Adjustment Layer, move the sliders on the histogram to build up contrast.
To insert the signature into a word processing document:
Open the document and choose “Insert-Picture-From File”. Be sure that you have checked both “Link to File” and “Save with Document.”
Insert the signature file into the document.

ATR #40: Colorizing B&W Photos

2010-08-23T11:32:00.008-05:00

I received a question about colorizing a Black & White photo. This is a common question. However, the methods of colorization can vary greatly. I can show you a technique or two (one of which is below).

This one is easier to accomplish with Adobe Photoshop. However, if you have Adobe Photoshop Elements, you can get by with using the Selection Tools instead of the Path Tool.

1. Make sure you scan photo or negative in color, in order to gather the full (red, blue and green) channel information. Scanning in Grayscale mode will not give you the full range of highlight and shadow detail.

2. Create a Black and White Adjustment Layer (or a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer with the Saturation Slider pulled all the way to zero). Duplicate the background layer and merge the black and white layer into the background copy.

3. Focus on the gentleman in the picture, and use the Path Tool to trace an outline around the head, separating the skin from the hat and the bow tie.

4. Concentrate on the "Skin" on the man, using these techniques:

Quick Mask to see how harsh are the edges and uses Select/Modify-Feather to achieve the best hardness of the edges.
Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer with "Colorize" checked, to colorize the "Skin" and move the slider until you get the best color for the skin, using the eyedropper tool to check the numbers.
Add color to the cheeks, ears and hair, using Curves and Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layers; and use the History Brush or Burn and Dodge Tools to add depth.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Please send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Interact LIVE with Eric during the weekly Ask The Retoucher Photoshop show, every Saturday at 10 am EDT (9 am CDT, 8 am MDT, 7 am PDT)

ATR #39: Image Size, CD Case Rebuild, SD Card Fix

2010-08-19T12:07:00.002-05:00

In this week's show, I reviewed one of my favorite basic teachings in photo restoration: Understanding Image Size.

If you scan a photograph or capture an image with a digital camera, you must keep two basic things in mind: Resolution and Image Size. Image Size is the dimensions of height and width of an image. The resolution of the image (i.e., 300 dpi or ppi) represents the "depth" of an image (or the detail of the image). Technically, there is a related, but different "bit depth" (16-Bit vs 32-Bit is a flammable topic in the digital imaging field).

Recently, I was hired to rebuild a CD cover to be used in a catalog. Rebuild it? Yes indeed! You see, I could not remove the shrink-wrap cover for the case. Of course, when you scan such a thing, the light from the scanner reflects on folds in the shrink-wrap and it makes a nasty mess.

In order to get rid of the plastic wrap, you need to rebuild the image. Following is an overview of the steps, but watch the video above to see the entire step-by-step.

1. Use the Path Tool to isolate the spots you know you have to keep and are unable to rebuild.
2. Grab the Type Tool and rebuild the affected type, matching the color of the original, and matching the typeface and size.
3. Place the rebuilt type over the image, being careful to match the element of focus, creating a layer which will allow you to rasterize and blur the type to match the original.
4. To rebuild the background, go to layer palette, naming it "brown" (for the background color). Choose Edit/Fill (blending mode normal) and choose color to match background color.
5. Use the Layer Palette and mask button to combine the rebuilt sections.

On a final note, I received this great tip from a viewer and fellow photo retoucher, Mr. Bill Greenwood: An excellent solution for dealing with your corrupted SD cards (camera memory chip). Download this simple command line application to rescue it. Yep, that's it! Try it and be sure to post your comments.

Be sure to send questions for me to address in our future shows. No question is too small or complex.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Please send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Interact LIVE with Eric during the weekly Ask The Retoucher Photoshop show, every Saturday at 10 am EDT (9 am CDT, 8 am MDT, 7 am PDT)

Ask The Retoucher #38 - Photo Tips and Photoshop Gripes

2010-08-10T21:43:00.001-05:00

In this week’s show, I discussed file format, how to get some free photo composition tips, and how to use Raw work-flow in Photoshop CS5. I also expressed some gripes about Photoshop CS5!

In order to retouch a photo properly, you need to have a firm foundation of some basics. You need to be conscious of lighting, focus and perspective that make a good picture. You also need to understand how to use the software retouching tools, such as Photoshop CS5. A good teacher can help you by providing both Theory and Practice. And be sure to ask questions when you are learning!

Quick Tip: Free advice is available on the Internet. On our own Photo Grafix University we provide lots of free training about retouching photos. I have also found some great information on the Best Buy website, which gives tips about how to shoot a picture, how to use a flash, and what are the elements of good composition.

Practice 1: File Format and File Size of Images:
File format is the container for your image. You can use a container that is bulky (like a box) or one that is flexible (like Tyvec). Follow along on the video while I show you in detail how to use Photoshop format (PSD) and TIFF to save your file and minimize the file size.

Practice 2: Using the Raw work-flow in Photoshop CS5 to retouch a photo.
Using a photo created by Scott Griessel, I demonstrate in detail how to use the Raw work-flow to bring out the features in the photo and to clean up spots. This is an advanced tool that you will find helpful as you practice using it. You will learn how to use HSL (hue, saturation and lightness slider), adjust contrast and exposure and use the adjustment brush, polygonal lasso tool and the patch tool. You will also learn to save the file as XMP and TIFF LZW compression.

Be sure to send questions for me to address in our future shows. No question is too small or complex.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Please send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Interact LIVE with Eric during the weekly Ask The Retoucher Photoshop Q&A show, every Saturday at 10 am EDT (9 am CDT, 8 am MDT, 7 am PDT)

Ask the Retoucher #37-Quick Retouch Workflow

2010-07-27T20:25:00.001-05:00

In this week's show, I shared insights about photo retouching workflow. The video is quite detailed and also includes some useful techniques for color correction and making a picture more pleasing to the eye.

Working on a scanned image from a medium format photo from Evanston Photographic Studio, here's the basics for what I've shared:

Step 1: Cleaning up the Picture: There is a when and how when it comes to using the Clone Stamp Tool, Healing Brush or Patch Tool to clean up spots in a picture.

Step 2: Color Correction: You can use a Curves Adjustment Layer to adjust the color on the different channels of the picture. Remember that the focus of your work should be on the skin tone. Everything else is secondary.

Step 3: File Format: Save retouched image in the Photoshop format, and retain the original image as is, in case you need to go back to it in the future.

As a parting treat, I shared some advanced retouching techniques on an amusing photograph by Creatista, a professional photography studio in Tuscon, Arizona. It's quick. It's rough. But it's worth your time to watch it just to get a good laugh!

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Please send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Interact LIVE with Eric during the weekly Ask The Retoucher Photoshop Q&A show, every Saturday at 10 am EDT (9 am CDT, 8 am MDT, 7 am PDT)

Ask The Retoucher #36 - Replacing Heads and Hardware Stuff

2010-07-20T15:02:00.002-05:00

Let's review some common, but important questions about replacing faces in a photo, choosing hardware, and good scanning techniques.

Question: "I need to take photos that will be used to replace faces in a family photo. I have never done this before. What should I look out for when taking these photos?"

1. Lighting: Make sure the intensity of the lighting, and the direction from which the lighting comes, is similar to the photo you are replacing;

2. Element of focus: Replicate sharpness of focus in the face, and the type of lens used (telephoto, wide angle, etc).

3. Color: Be sure to replicate the color used in the photo. If you are replacing an old black & white image with a new digital image, be sure to convert the color image to black & white in your photo editing software.

Question: "What equipment would be best to scan a photo collection into the digital format and how can it be done as simply as possible?"

I recommend Epson brand scanners, which are available at different prices-generally, the higher the price, the higher the scan quality.

Basic principles, which will make scanning your photo collection easier and more successful.

1. Scan big, at least 100%

2. Use resolution of no less than 300 ppi/dpi.

3. Save scans as TIF.

4, Do not sharpen or color correct within the scanner software, but do that with photo editing software such as Photoshop Elements.

5. Store your original photos in archival quality materials, which should be clearly marked as such.

—Edited by Judy Bond for Photo Grafix University

Please send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Interact LIVE with Eric during the weekly Ask The Retoucher Photoshop Q&A show, every Saturday at 10 am EDT (9 am CDT, 8 am MDT, 7 am PDT)

Ask The Retoucher #35 - Scanning Film

2010-07-11T10:36:00.001-05:00

Recently I had the privilege of scanning film of various sizes for Evanston Photographic Studios. These were 35mm, 2 1/4", 3x5" and 8x10" originals from the early 1980's.

I thought this was a great opportunity to share with you some simple pointers regarding scanning film:

1. Scan your originals large (no less than 300 ppi/dpi) at 100% size. This ratio changes with smaller-sized originals (film or print). On my Nikon Coolscan, I crank out the highest resolution for 35mm. They are so tiny and rich with detail. On my flatbed scanner—used for larger sized film—I might double or triple the resolution (or magnification). For the 8x10 sheets of film, I just doubled it. There is no magic number. It all depends on how you will use them. Generally, as I always say, keep the resolution no lower than 300 ppi/dpi and you'll be safe.

2. Use good photo hygiene. That is, avoid touching the film with your bare fingers, hands or mouth. Use gloves. Fellow genealogy conference vendor Fun Stuff For Genealogists has a nice assortment of items to keep your originals in good shape.

3. When dealing with distortions in perspective for originals, exercise caution. In this weeks episode of Ask The Retoucher on the Photo Grafix University Live channel, I showed just how far you should go.

Please send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Interact LIVE with Eric during the weekly Ask The Retoucher Photoshop Q&A show, every Saturday at 10 am EDT (9 am CDT, 8 am MDT, 7 am PDT)

Ask The Retoucher #34 - Bad SD card, Picnik

2010-07-03T10:54:00.002-05:00

I received this message from a gentleman through the AllExperts.com website for which I have volunteered since 2001:

Question: On a hiking trip a camera sd card was damaged and began giving "card error!" messages. When I got home I plugged it into my computer and windows insisted that it needed to be formatted. I first used a free file recovery program to get a few pictures off, but most were too damaged. I then did a quick format and used a better program on it. This program recovered far more pictures, but when i click on them to open, they are either unable to be opened or mostly corrupted. This happens in every program I try to open them in, including Paintshop Pro 7, Picasa, Windows Paint, and Windows Photo Viewer. This wouldn't surprise me, except that if you look at the thumbnail images in windows explorer, the pictures look pristine and complete. Clearly the data for the correct image is there for the thumbnail, how can I recover it in a larger form?

Answer: Gideon, this is a little outside of my expertise. However, it sounds like the images are corrupted. Thumbnails are typically generated separately from the main file. So you can have a bunch of images with a thumbnail, but not enough data. Typically, you'll notice the file size is smaller than it should be. In the worst case, you can make screen shots of the thumbnails—especially if you can make them bigger. Other than that, it sounds like you may have lost them. Sorry!

I'm always one to try and learn from mistakes and prevent their occurrence. That said, one must always have a back-up and a back-up for the back-up! Redundancy is a key element for happiness in the digital world. When hiking in the wilderness, besides carving a billion ASCII characters into the trees and rocks, there are few options available.

Some suggestions would be to upload images from your camera using a smartphone (assuming you have the right service and it's working in your location). You could also copy the camera contents using Bluetooth, an optional card reader or a slot.

Looking for a free web-based photo editing program? Try Picnik. This is a quick and easy way to work on digital pictures and order them as prints or on merchandise. The functions are quite easy to use. The interactive help menu is also excellent. With the knowledge of photo retouching basics and Picnik, you can accomplish a lot of work without the expense or hassle of software upgrades.

Please send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Interact LIVE with Eric during the weekly Ask The Retoucher Photoshop Q&A show, every Saturday at 10 am EDT (9 am CDT, 8 am MDT, 7 am PDT)

Ask The Retoucher #30 - Removing Lines from Microfilmed Newspaper With Gimp

2010-06-17T11:49:00.001-05:00

Question: I have a photo from a newspaper article that was microfilmed. How do I take out the black lines and brighten up the background so I can see the subject better? I use Gimp. Thanks.

Answer: So let’s use Gimp (For all you Photoshop users, you can do the same thing. The names of the tools and commands differ slightly). First, I think you should clean up the lines. Then you can brighten the overall image.

1. To clean it up, let's use the Clone Tool:

2. Choose a soft-edged brush in the Brushes Palette:

3. Create a new layer.

4. In the “Create a New Layer” dialog box, you need to specify how the layer will handle the way the Clone Tool will repair the damage. Click the “Transparency” radio button.

Use this Clone Tool to repair some of the damage. If you’re not familiar with how it works, be sure to access the Help menu. However, since you will do your work on the new, blank layer, it will be easy to erase or modify your work independent of the actual image.

Eventually, you will probably need to rebuild some of the damaged areas using the Paintbrush Tool.

5. Before you start using the Paintbrush tool, make a new layer just like you did for the Clone Tool. Name it “Noise.” After you make the new layer, you should see three layers in your Layers Palette.

6. Next, you must have your Paintbrush tool set up to sample—or copy—the correct colors. It’s important to let it make an average reading of more than one pixel. Otherwise, the color will not blend as nicely. For that, you must choose the Color Picker Tool.

7. Make the following adjustments to the Color Picker Tool settings in the Toolbox as shown. I recommend you leave these settings alone after making the change. It’s a good setting for most of your work.

8. Sample the area of the photo as shown:

9. Choose the Paintbrush Tool in your Toolbox and adjust the Brush softness so the edges are not so hard (just like you did with the Clone Tool):

10. Start painting.

11. In order to make repair look realistic, it must match the grain of the photo. When you are satisfied that the area is covered, add noise. Access the Noise Filter in the Filters Menu.

12. Follow these settings in the Noise generator dialog box:

You’re almost there!

13. Next, it’s very important to blur the noise to make simulate the same grain of the photo. Use the same Filters Menu. Choose Blur=Gaussian Blur.

Now the grain matches better.

If you’re not happy with it, then go to Edit=Undo to the state before you added the noise. And try again. Adjust the settings accordingly.

If you notice the noise layer is a bit too dark or light, you will need to fix it using one of the many functions under the Colors menu. If you want to adjust the color, this is how you flatten the layers:

Once you flatten the layers, I suggest using Levels.

The job is never over. Yet, this article must come to an end! Gimp, like Photoshop, is filled with fantastic features. So keep practicing. Keep sharing. This is how we learn new things. Below are a few books that might be of help regarding Gimp. I haven't read them. However, they have good reviews.

Please send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Ask The Retoucher #33 - Color Prints From Slides

2010-06-15T16:42:00.000-05:00

Question: I have a number of 35mm slides from which I would like to make prints. Can I use an HP PSC 2355 All-in-One Printer to do it? If not is there a reasonably priced way to do it?

That particular printer will not scan your slides (you can try, but it will be a mess). Ideally, for the best scan, you will need a dedicated slide scanner, such as a Nikon Coolscan scanner. Unfortunately, these fine works of digital technology are becoming extinct: Nikon and other manufacturers are no longer making slide scanners. Conversely, the technology for 35mm flatbed trays and adapters has improved greatly. You can comparison shop at the Photo Grafix University Store or look at some of the links below.

For you, I recommend the Epson Perfection series (such as the Epson Perfection V500). Most of them can handle both prints and 35mm slides/negatives. The quality is not as precise as a Nikon Coolscan, but it is good enough for archival purposes. The current all-in-one printer you are using should do a fine job printing the photographs.

If you don't have a reliable program to edit those photos, I also recommend that you purchase Adobe Photoshop Elements (a version and platform appropriate for your system and budget).

Finally, you should purchase a good book for Elements. I recommend the Teach Yourself Visually Series. Buy the book for the version of Elements you own.

Please send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA), making photo illustrations and improving photos for hundreds of people and companies worldwide. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems.

Ask The Retoucher LIVE workshop Sat. June 12

2010-06-10T17:10:00.000-05:00

Get your questions and problem photos in order and ask an expert. Ask a Retoucher!

Log in to Photo Grafix University Live this Saturday, June 12th at 9AM CDT (10AM EDT; 8AM MDT; 7AM PDT) where Photo Retoucher and Educator Eric Basir will be ready to answer your questions about problem photographs in this live 1-hour photo retouching clinic.

If you already own some of Eric's books, videos or course, this workshop is also for you.

The best part is it's free!

Submit your picture and questions ahead of time via email by Friday at 5pm. To call in or chat during the show, contact pgxulive through Skype (free). You can also try us at 847-673-7043. However, since that is our single business line, you will have a better chance getting through using chat or voice through Skype.

Hope to see and hear from you on Saturday!

Get Digital Photo Restoration Book II for 10% off

2010-06-08T15:25:00.000-05:00

Get Digital Photo Restoration Book II for 10% off with coupon code:
SUMMERREAD305

Offer ends June 30, 2010
Self-purchases are not eligible.

Article #32: JPG Compression Clues and .webarchive Files

2010-06-01T15:00:00.000-05:00

Alert! Click Remind Me above the viewer here to sign up for email alerts for the next Photo Grafix University Live TV Show!

No matter how many times I’ve written or spoken about it, there are still many people who are saving and re-saving JPG files.

Am I just blowing in the wind? Well, in a field of dandelion seed-heads, I'm blowing one and hoping the seeds sprout. Hmmm...Maybe that didn't come out right.

Anyway, pictures speak louder than words. My demonstration takes place in the hair of the girl as shown in the white box.

I choose the darker (shadow) portion of hair because that is where most photos show the worst degradation. You will notice a subtle change in the pixel colors. This is because each time we re-save, close the picture, open it and re-save, the pixel colors are averaged out to the pixel colors surrounding them.

Now look at the close-ups to see what happens after I resave the files 4 times at varying compression quality settings:

The "Before" is just a bunch of pixels in varying shades of gray (accurately representing the highlighted area of the little girl's hair).

Notice how the same edges of the pixels become blurry in the "After" version. You'll also notice very odd color shifting within some of the same pixels. Not pretty!

The pixels' edges are no longer distinct. This looks worse when we download an image from the internet and use it to make a print-quality image.

Question from Ardele, a member of the Polish Genealogical Society (the Rodziny):

Mr. Basir, I have read a number of your articles in Rodziny and have found them very interesting and extremely helpful. On a number of occasions when I find a document during my research I can only copy it in the .webarchive format. Is there a way I can copy this file to .TIF, .JPG or convert it to either one of these formats?

Answer: Thank so much for your support of the PGSA and Photo Grafix. This was a new one for me! I eventually figured it out. I hope it's helpful!

Download and install a web browser called “Safari.” I know it’s made by Apple, but it seems to be the only solution. Fortunately, they now have a version for Windows/PC computers.

After you install Safari, load it and go to File=Open... And navigate to the location on your computer where you saved that .webarchive file. Then click on the file. Next, you should see the entire ship’s manifest which you wanted to save. Finally, go to to File=Print and look for a “Save As PDF” option in there. Save the PDF to a spot on your computer where you can find it.

If you want to save it as a TIF or JPG, you will need to open that same PDF from within a photo editing program such as Adobe Photoshop Elements or PaintShop Pro. Try to open all the pages at once through the Import dialog box (which should appear automatically). After it opens, save each page as a JPG or TIF. Before that, however, you might want to stitch them together in one file. I suggest you leave it as PDF. It’s less complicated and more versatile for archival and research purposes.

Got a question about digitizing or restoring your photos and documents? Send it to me for future inclusion in an Ask The Retoucher article.

While you're at it, join our email newsletter and Twitter updates so you'll be notified of our next article immediately.

We might even feature your question on the new Photo Grafix University Live TV Show! (Next show airs Saturday at 6pm)

Interested in learning Photoshop right with a firm foundation? From Elements novices to experienced designers, Eric at Photo Grafix has taught them all. Now you too, can get the same great lessons when you order the PGXU Photo Restoration Basics and Retouching Course. 16 hours of video, a workbook, 1-Year Phone/Email support and a 14-Day Money-Back Guarrantee. Get your course today!

The Workshop in Toledo

2010-05-03T11:11:00.002-05:00

I got in early. Greeted old friends. I set up the equipment.

I'm ready.

Ooops.

Oh no.

I couldn't believe it.

I travel 300 miles to the Buckeye State to find out I brought the wrong power cord for my scanner.

Would this be my last workshop (especially for the Ohio Genealogical Society)? Would word spread that I am an ill-prepared speaker? An unprofessional sap? Now NGS and FGS have yet another reason to turn down my workshop proposals!

This was also my first live video. At least that could work... Then the webcam stopped working. Mild panic. At least I can rely on the laptop's built-in webcam.

I'm still breathing—I think.

The room was packed. Over 50 registered. The students brought dozens of original prints and scans. Is there another scanner I can use? Anyone? Someone? No. Is there an Epson power cord in the house? Out of luck. I made a prayer. Then another prayer. "You can do it" said that little voice in my head.

Answer: Digital cameras, USB flash drives and other devices. Someone has got to have them. I asked and two wonderful ladies stepped up. One had a Canon digital camera. The other had a flash drive full of scans she made. I now had more than I could ever use in 2 hours.

The ride was bumpy. It wasn't perfect. However, I made due. I survived. The students seemed engaged and—most importantly—they seemed to enjoy the workshop.

Very nice comments for some hard work

2010-03-11T18:53:00.000-06:00

"My initial email query was answered promptly, and the process was explained clearly. Eric sent several drafts of the restored photo, and encouraged me to be critical, sensing that I might have reservations. He definitely wants his customers to be 100% satisfied. I was very pleased with the final product. Thank you."

Accelerate to Toledo for My Workshop at OGS

2010-03-01T22:50:00.000-06:00

I'm looking forward to meeting former and new students at a 2-hour photo restoration workshop for the Ohio Genealogical Society's annual conference on April 22, 2010. This will be my third visit with this conference. It's such an honor to be a guest. I plan to conduct an action-packed class.

This will also be our first "live" course. That is, I plan to broadcast the class through our new Photo Grafix University Live streaming channel. Subscribe to the Photo Grafix Email Newsletter for updates. You can also follow Photo Grafix on Twitter and I'll send a reminder prior to its airing.

If you have questions about a particular photo—and you're registered for the workshop—send it to me. I may use it that night. If I get the images ahead of time, I can plan a more effective class.

Genealogy Building Blocks On Feb. 27

2010-01-20T11:52:00.000-06:00

Every one of the DuPage County Genealogical Society conferences is better than the last. If you live in the area, consider a very affordable registration.

That's one reason why we haven't missed one since we first started exhibiting—and teaching—at the DCGS annual conference. This year, it is on Saturday, February 27 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the graceful Hilton Garden Inn in St. Charles, IL.

Along with our photo restoration books and videos, I always make sure to have a scanner and computer on-site if you want to hire us to restore your own photos. You can take the originals home the same day.

I hope to see the regular group, along with some new faces.

Hundredaire Predictions 2010

2010-01-08T13:45:00.000-06:00

The billionaires have spoken: Mark Cuban, David Cheriton and others have submitted their predictions to Forbes Magazine for the year 2010.

Well, whoopdee-do! What about the hundredaires, like me? Certainly, we have some insight as well. You know, those of us who live and struggle among the masses? We support our families, run our own retirement savings and do our part to help in the community.

I know I have at least $100 I can flaunt. So here's my submission to Forbes:

Eric Curtis M. Basir

Citizenship: United States; LFNOIITW; United Federation of Planets; Corusant; Asgard
Net Worth: $0.0001 billion
Age: 36
Source of wealth: Photo retouching; DIY photo restoration books and videos.

What is the most alarming trend facing the economy today?
The balloon of the congressional buffoons: The federal budget deficit.

When will the Fed step in to strengthen the U.S. dollar?
Not this year or in the foreseeable future (did I mention that I'm near-sighted?) It's not in their interest (pun intended).

In what direction will your country's stock market move, and what kind of returns do you anticipate?
I think it will continue to make an upward trend. Some dips and dunks. Regardless, the bear market is effectively over. The buying opportunities are drying up.

Gold: buy, hold or sell?
When everyone is saying "buy," run for the hills! So I say sell or hold (sell if you bought it at $300/oz). Diversify your investing reserves between US dollars, other currencies, real estate and a bomb shelter.

Which emerging world economy is the best bet for investors?
India. Maybe Turkey as well.

What's the best asset to own in 2010?
Cash and gold.

Will Twitter be a viable business in 2010? And do you use it?
When Rush Limbaugh converts to Islam. Yes, I use Twitter to promote Photo Grafix.

Global warming: fact or fiction? How much money should your government invest in emissions cuts?
Possibly fiction. However, we are overdue for an ice age. Moreover, pollution is a fact. Whether it affects temperatures or not doesn't matter if you cannot drink the water without melting your stomach lining. If "global warming" motivates the people to innovate for conservation—and the government supports it—then it doesn't matter what you call it. Progress is progress.

The government should only invest in tangible sustainable infrastructure improvements, from investing in things from Amtrak/High-Speed Rail to large rebates for homeowners and businesses that replace inefficient HVAC units and acquire solar-power.

Who is going to win the World Cup?
Not sure. Possibly the Chicago Bears.

What will be the biggest surprise of 2010?
Google purchases Apple Computer.