Cleaning Up A Bad Photocopy

[OMMBoy]

Hello, Everyone!

I recently received this poor-quality Xeroxed scan (below) as a PDF, and was asked if I could enhance it to show the names written on the pages. Does anybody know of a way to improve the quality of this image so the names are more legible (original image size is 8x11)? The image is of a logbook of prisoners interned at Buchenwald concentration camp in 1944; my friend's father's name is on the left page, about halfway down. The quality is actually much better in PS than what is displayed here. If need be, I can email you the original PDF, if that'll help. Thanks for any help you are able to provide!
OMMBoy

[Rich]

Could I suggest you attach the original PDF (Or if it is too big, upload it to http://www.megafile.com) and maybe some people will have a go at trying to clear this up for you... Or then again maybe not...

... I have a feeling you will have a few options to clean up the page, so it will be a bit of trial and error of a few things.

[Rodder454]

A levels or curve adjustment should get you started. It'll help you remove most of those midtones and bring out the gridlines/text.

If your new to PS, brightness/contrast should work ok but won't give you the flexibility you may need.

[OMMBoy]

Originally Posted by Rich

Could I suggest you attach the original PDF.

Here it is: http://briefcase.yahoo.com/scherbagge. The file is named "Team Photoshop Forum" (the only file there).

Thanks,
OMMBoy

[Rodder454]

After seeing the pdf, I don't think your going to get much more legible than it is now. It's a pretty bad scan and you can't really restore whats not there.

The noise and the text share the same colors, so if you brighten it your going to lose both.

[OMMBoy]

Rodder454 & Rich:

That's what I was afraid of I tried levels, curves, and brightness/contrast, but all yielded the same poor results. I'm looking forward to the day when photo-manipulation software is as technologically advanced as that which Harrison Ford used in Bladerunner.

Rich, could we leave this thread open a little longer before closing it? Somebody out there might have an idea that we haven't considered...

Thanks,
OMMBoy

[Rich]

Hey OMMBoy,

Sorry it's not good news for you... Sure we'll leave it open... We don't usually close posts anyway, just let them filter down to the bottom of the page as they naturally get older.

Rich

[tim507]

are you trying to restore the photo for looks? or for trying to read what was copied...

if its trying to read... i did a technique by showing the inverse and adjusting brightness way up, then trying to darken the rest of the area.. making the text tand out...i havent looked at the psd but ill see what i can do.

-tim

[OMMBoy]

Originally Posted by tim507

are you trying to restore the photo for looks? or for trying to read what was copied....

Actually, a little bit of both. My friend's father's name is on the left page (Paul Martin) and she would like to have it "cleaned up" enough to make it legible so she can frame it or put it in a photo album along with other pictures and memorabilia of ther father.

I'll try your technique and post the results here (if they're satisfactory ).

Thanks, again, everyone, for your help and advice!