Photo Repair Advice Needed

[Juiceycow]

Hi everyone,

I'm almost finished repainting an old damaged photo, but now I have an issue of the completely destroyed face(s) on the right, that I can't repair using healing tools.



Luckily I could source another photo (not the same shot) from the same day (although the resolution isn't as high - so there is a loss of texture, plus it's not a "colorized" version).



What would the best technique to use to try and blend the two images? Just fully crop/paste in the better face? Clone?
I lined them up underneath each other, but that's as far as I've gotten.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[IamSam]

What would the best technique to use to try and blend the two images? Just fully crop/paste in the better face? Clone?

I personally would overlay and align the new image and use a layer mask (with Brush Tool) to blend into the damaged photo.

 

[JeffK]

Going by what @IamSam offered, and using your posts above, I did the following:

- Opened up both images in PS and copied over the partial onto the full team shot;
- masked out some of the partial image
- sharpened image via Topaz Sharpen
- desatured so becomes black and white;
- applied neural colorization filter*
(*i don't know what tools you have available you can use other methods to sharpen and colorize)

Result:



Here's my workflow:



Obviously more work to be done and using the originals you have on hand.

Hope this all gives you some insight.

- Jeff

 

[Juiceycow]

Perfect, thanks!
Gives me something to work with (haven't had much practice with layer masks).

 

[JeffK]

Masking is important to know since it's a non-destructive way of hiding - rather than erasing - pixel information.
Here's a bit of a lengthy tutorial and he goes into some extensive detail. What you want to do, blend images, begins at about 11:30.

Lots of other tutorials on YouTube and lessons well taught and learned!