Combining Two Scanned Photos

"The Old Bloke" wrote in message

I have 2 scans of the same (old) photo. When I say the same photo, there were two copies of the same photo, each showing different bits of damage. Is there a way to combine both scans to get an enhanced copy. ie stack the two images to increase signal to noise?

I am a novice with CS4

Regards
Doug

Drag one of the images into the other file so it forms a new layer. Lower the opacity so that you can see the original layer below, then move/scale it so that it fits exactly over the image on the lower layer. Increase the opacity back to 100% again.
Erase the damaged sections on the top layer so that the lower layer shows through.

Alternatively, add a layer mask to the upper layer so that you can undo mistakes.

HTH
R.

"Ragnar" wrote in message

"The Old Bloke" wrote in message

I have 2 scans of the same (old) photo. When I say the same photo, there were two copies of the same photo, each showing different bits of damage. Is there a way to combine both scans to get an enhanced copy. ie stack the two images to increase signal to noise?

I am a novice with CS4

Regards
Doug

Drag one of the images into the other file so it forms a new layer. Lower the opacity so that you can see the original layer below, then move/scale it so that it fits exactly over the image on the lower layer. Increase the opacity back to 100% again.
Erase the damaged sections on the top layer so that the lower layer shows through.

Alternatively, add a layer mask to the upper layer so that you can undo mistakes.

HTH
R.

Magic! Thank you!

Doug

"The Old Bloke" wrote:

I have 2 scans of the same (old) photo. When I say the same photo, there were two copies of the same photo, each showing different bits of damage. Is there a way to combine both scans to get an enhanced copy. ie stack the two images to increase signal to noise?

I am a novice with CS4

It doesn’t matter which version or old/new photo as they work the same with any version with LAYER feature.

1. Adjusting each photo to have similar brightness

2. Laying one on top of other

3. Select the Mask Command [o] then start merging them together

– You can set the Opacity of the top layer so you can see the lower photo

– The Revealing the good part from the bottom photo, or Concealing the bad part of the top photo

That’s about it. And you may need to combine with other tricks you have already known.

Regards
Doug

"Ragnar" wrote:

"The Old Bloke" wrote in message

I have 2 scans of the same (old) photo. When I say the same photo, there were two copies of the same photo, each showing different bits of damage. Is there a way to combine both scans to get an enhanced copy. ie stack the two images to increase signal to noise?

I am a novice with CS4

Regards
Doug

Drag one of the images into the other file so it forms a new layer. Lower the opacity so that you can see the original layer below, then move/scale it so that it fits exactly over the image on the lower layer. Increase the opacity back to 100% again.
Erase the damaged sections on the top layer so that the lower layer shows through.

Alternatively, add a layer mask to the upper layer so that you can undo mistakes.

HTH
R.

It’s the right basic idea, but I would use the MASK command than Erase. Or if you can use some type ok History Eraser (I don’t know if it’s the correct name or not) which works pretty similar to Masking as you can UNDO the previous stokes when regular Erase can only undo the very last command.

Also, I am still using CS3 to know what CS4 has that CS3 doesn’t.

"Ragnar" wrote in message

"The Old Bloke" wrote in message

I have 2 scans of the same (old) photo. When I say the same photo, there were two copies of the same photo, each showing different bits of damage. Is there a way to combine both scans to get an enhanced copy. ie stack the two images to increase signal to noise?

I am a novice with CS4

Regards
Doug

Drag one of the images into the other file so it forms a new layer. Lower the opacity so that you can see the original layer below, then move/scale it so that it fits exactly over the image on the lower layer. Increase the opacity back to 100% again.
Erase the damaged sections on the top layer so that the lower layer shows through.

Alternatively, add a layer mask to the upper layer so that you can undo mistakes.

You can undo more than one level of actions by using "Step Backwards" (ctrl-alt-z) instead of "Undo".
Basically you can go back as far as the history pallette will allow Although your’re right about Layer Mask, as there’s no need to undo or step backwards at all.

On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:07:06 GMT, "The Old Bloke" wrote:

I have 2 scans of the same (old) photo. When I say the same photo, there were two copies of the same photo, each showing different bits of damage. Is there a way to combine both scans to get an enhanced copy. ie stack the two images to increase signal to noise?

I am a novice with CS4

Regards
Doug

U might be able to reporpose the HDR tools in PS to do what you need.

"The Old Bloke" wrote in message

I have 2 scans of the same (old) photo. When I say the same photo, there were two copies of the same photo, each showing different bits of damage. Is there a way to combine both scans to get an enhanced copy. ie stack the two images to increase signal to noise?

I am a novice with CS4

I’ve been thinking about this a lot since I first read it yesterday, and Ragnar’s suggestion is clearly the best and most sensible way to approach the problem.

However, I think there might be a simpler way to align the two images accurately on top of each other, which will save yuo a lot of time and messing about with rotate and scale tools.

Open both images using "File>Automate>Photomerge", ensuring you have unticked the box labelled "Blend images"

This should in theory (depending on how much of the two images is damaged or lost) create one working file with two layers. Each layer will have one of the two source images, perfectly aligned with each other.

The rest of Ragnar’s process of masking and erasing applies from this point onwards.

"The Old Bloke" wrote in message

I have 2 scans of the same (old) photo. When I say the same photo, there were two copies of the same photo, each showing different bits of damage. Is there a way to combine both scans to get an enhanced copy. ie stack the two images to increase signal to noise?

I am a novice with CS4

Regards
Doug

I am so thankful for all the help that you kind people have given me. It is appreciated.

Regards
Doug Price