Photoshop gurus

[SgtM]

Anyone out there know a good way of restoring a photo? I want to have this photo cleaned up so I can print out a better copy of it. Any tips/help would be greatly appreciated. This was my old crew at Camp Pendleton back in 1997. From Left to Right, Sgt Brian Levell, LCpl Oscar Cordoba, SSgt Ron Lutge, 1stLt Paul Crotty (Commanding Officer), 1stSgt Eduardo Leardo (Company 1stSgt), Me, SSgt Brooks (Company GySgt). These were some of the finest Marines I had the pleasure of serving with.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/1997Ballsmall.jpg

[xmastree]

Is that the highest resolution copy you have?
First thing I would do is tweak the levels, it's a bit faded as it stands. I suspect it was underexposed originally (weak flash from a compact camera?). I would also remove the edges, including that guy's head and the light stand on the left, and the guy at the back in the white shirt.
That makes it more square. There's a bad reflection from the picture at the top, so I would think about cropping the top edge too, but that will cut off part of the flags. I'm not sure if that's acceptable to you or not.

IIRC, photoshop has a despeckle filter, which should help removing the noise a little.

Here's what I did in five minutes with the Gimp:

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/1997Ballsmaller.jpg

I would also be tempted to extend that background over behind Sgt Brian Levell's head.
Edit: I did it.

[SgtM]

Yeah, I'd like to extend the background behind everyone, that way it's uniform. This was taken with a cheapo disposable camera. I have a 7069x4657 version of this. That's cool what you already did. Obviously, I suck at it. I don't mind the cropping one bit. + rep xmastree.

[xmastree]

I have a 7069x4657 version of this.Whoa, that's probably way too big. 1200dpi scan?
My computer would probably barf if I tried to edit that. Extending the background isn't that difficult, you just use the 'rubber stamp' tool to copy from an existing area and paste over where you want the new area. Do it in a new layer, overlap the guy's head a little, then use a layer mask to trim it exactly without even touching the original image.

[slytherock]

Also, try to add a bit of saturation, reduce the green (really too much green)

[Omega]

Upload the bigass version to lotechdesigns.com/host

I'll gladly try to work with it. No promises of quality, though.

EDIT:

Cool man, a 1st Sergeant and a Company Gunnery Sergeant... I love the military chevrons for those ranks

[DaJe]

I want the big version.

[SgtM]

Omega, I tried uploading the file for you. Don't know what happened. I let it go overnight, and it still didn't finish uploading. I'll PM you and DaJe later with FTP info. I'll just host it from home. Thanks guys.

[Scotty]

sgtm, if you can send me the file ill see what i can do to it, heres what i did with the pic in your 1st post.

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/9928/1997balltv3.png

Still some noise in it but with a bigger image that should be easier to remove.

[SgtM]

Awesome picture, sir!

Back when you were just a lowely corporal eh? :p
heh heh heh.. My comp. 1stsgt hated me. I think it was because I am from Texas.. :$

-Jeremy

Texas! Holy..... you know the rest lol. Scotty, check your PM for FTP info. Thanks.

edit: +rep to all

[SgtM]

I'm getting some feedback that the FTP site isn't working right.. Sorry guys. Anyway, I uploaded the file to yousendit. WARNING 90Mb! Here ya go:

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=B71B0ED32C1998C8

[Crimson Sky]

login required??

[SgtM]

Shouldn't be a login required.. try this link:

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&batch_id=WTNJc2ZOUnF3TGg1VEE9PQ

[Scotty]

Still a login required, luckily for me i have a YouSendIt account.

[DaJe]

Here we go

http://codeinsurrection.com/pics/1997Ball.jpg


I got the file size down to 11.7MB, and am hosting the image myself. So now everyone can download it, and no one has to login anywhere.

[Scotty]

Just as i finished downloading the 90mb one too...

[onelegout]

That was the noisiest photo I have ever seen. What was it taken on?!
http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/4439/1997ballsmallqu1.jpg