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Need some advice with an old photo

Started by Fan Boy,

34 posts in this topic

Fan Boy

Fan Boy

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I got an old photo from my mom while she was cleaning out the attic closet. It is featuring me as a young boy with my OO collection of comics. That brings back memories 41 years ago - I remembered some comics I had.

 

Now... here is where I need advice in asking. Anyone here has some photography skills or experience? I'm looking for a way to get the old photo to made more sharper and try bring up these comics bigger in size by blowing up. I want to see what titles are on the comics.

 

I went to a local London Drugs with photo dept. I'm told that because the photo is old and little blurry - he cannot bring it up to 8X10 size with the expectations I had in mind. Said this is to someone who is better in skills than he could.

 

On the side note... I've now realized the photo stores on streets had went the way of dinosaurs already! :P

 

So... am I out of luck ... or is there somewhere I can get it done? I want to read these comics in the photo lol

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Ditch Fahrenheit

Ditch Fahrenheit

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Why don't you just scan it in high resolution and enlarge it on your computer screen? (shrug)

 

Also, there are a number of free photo editing software programs out there that can sharpen the image, change contrast, enlarge the image, etc.

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Fan Boy

Fan Boy

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Why don't you just scan it in high resolution and enlarge it on your computer screen? (shrug)

 

Also, there are a number of free photo editing software programs out there that can sharpen the image, change contrast, enlarge the image, etc.

 

Did thought about that to try but as I am bit of a noob with software programs. I will just give it my best in the morning with my scanner ( with coffee). I will see what my scanner can do.

 

Which editing programs you think is best recommended?

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Ditch Fahrenheit

Ditch Fahrenheit

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Why don't you just scan it in high resolution and enlarge it on your computer screen? (shrug)

 

Also, there are a number of free photo editing software programs out there that can sharpen the image, change contrast, enlarge the image, etc.

 

Did thought about that to try but as I am bit of a noob with software programs. I will just give it my best in the morning with my scanner ( with coffee). I will see what my scanner can do.

 

Which editing programs you think is best recommended?

 

In your case, and since you probably don't want to invest a lot of time learning a full-featured program, I would recommend something simple and easy to use like Paint.NET. But try Paint (Windows) after a high resolution scan first - you might be able to see what you want just by enlarging it. Also, most digital cameras come with editing software.

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Fan Boy

Fan Boy

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Ok, so that I made myself clear. The photo is 40 years old and is NOT from digital camera. My dad took it with a Kodak camera at the time back in the day. If my memory is good ... that was in late/end of 1974 during Christmas season. I was 6 years old.

 

So, the photo is bit blurry and has lot of scratches across the face. Which is somewhat normal for the type of print back in the days.

 

I was reading a lot of Disneys, some Charltons, some Harvey and under the pile - some Archies. At the time I had about 150-200 comics storaged in a cardboard file box in my old room. As you can see ... I was napping after reading my comics. :cloud9: Please excuse my mom's legs! lol

 

I'm trying to figure out what numbers were few of the comics as seen in the photo?

 

First%20Gregory%20with%20Comics_zpsfqkskq1r.jpg

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Bird

Bird

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you would be better off trying to match the images in your photo to the comics in question. you can tinker with the image but actually defining it better and blowing it up is generally a movie trick - the best resolution is the original image and that looks like a tough task. far easier to compare the color schemes on the covers to online databases if you can at least make out the title names.

 

that is what I would do.

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spidrvacc

spidrvacc

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Ok, so that I made myself clear. The photo is 40 years old and is NOT from digital camera. My dad took it with a Kodak camera at the time back in the day. If my memory is good ... that was in late/end of 1974 during Christmas season. I was 6 years old.

 

So, the photo is bit blurry and has lot of scratches across the face. Which is somewhat normal for the type of print back in the days.

 

I was reading a lot of Disneys, some Charltons, some Harvey and under the pile - some Archies. At the time I had about 150-200 comics storaged in a cardboard file box in my old room. As you can see ... I was napping after reading my comics. :cloud9: Please excuse my mom's legs! lol

 

I'm trying to figure out what numbers were few of the comics as seen in the photo?

 

First%20Gregory%20with%20Comics_zpsfqkskq1r.jpg

 

Very cool photo. Tried many times to find a old photo that had my comics from when I was a kid but no luck.

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Fan Boy

Fan Boy

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you would be better off trying to match the images in your photo to the comics in question. you can tinker with the image but actually defining it better and blowing it up is generally a movie trick - the best resolution is the original image and that looks like a tough task. far easier to compare the color schemes on the covers to online databases if you can at least make out the title names.

 

that is what I would do.

 

Yes, this is true what you say about databases. The best I can make out from my photo are:

 

Tom Cat

Casper

Yogi Bear

Daffy Duck

 

I just have to find a database with visual images to match the front covers. Then I can find out what title and numbers are.

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Senormac

Senormac

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You can scan it huge and send it to me. I'll mess around with it in Photoshop and see what I can do. I used to manually process digital pics for a newspaper.

 

+1 :applause:

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Bird

Bird

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you would be better off trying to match the images in your photo to the comics in question. you can tinker with the image but actually defining it better and blowing it up is generally a movie trick - the best resolution is the original image and that looks like a tough task. far easier to compare the color schemes on the covers to online databases if you can at least make out the title names.

 

that is what I would do.

 

Yes, this is true what you say about databases. The best I can make out from my photo are:

 

Tom Cat

Casper

Yogi Bear

Daffy Duck

 

I just have to find a database with visual images to match the front covers. Then I can find out what title and numbers are.

 

Grand Comics Database, they have a cover gallery for every comic, or darn near it!

 

CICHjiRUAAAsam3.jpg

 

This comic is July 1972

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Senormac

Senormac

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Here's the comics area, cropped, sharpened and with highlights darkened about 50%

 

It doesn't help much does it :(

 

cropped%20comic%20shot_zpssyk6bhec.jpg

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