Restoring skin overtone/undertone

[philg.film]

Operating System

1. Windows 10

Hello all,

My work is mostly about scanning and restoring old photos from various periodicals.

When it comes to caucasian models/people we have several overtones/undertones (not sure which adjective applies here), it can be neutral, warm, cold, olive, etc.

Suppose I scan a photos with a terrible white balance. I can certainly correct that, but it feels to me like the more I restore, and the more my work leans toward neutral tone.

I sure would prefer to restore the original tone of the subject, but how can one gauge the original tone when the bad white balance turned everything orange?

Thoughts?

 

[Paul McFarlane]

I would set the WB based on a neutral color (Gray, white), see how 'natural' other colors look and adjust; then assess the skin tones.

 

[Paul_DS256]

I sure would prefer to restore the original tone of the subject, but how can one gauge the original tone when the bad white balance turned everything orange?

One observation is that since you are scanning from old periodicals, you are dealing with how the original artist wished to depict the skin tones also potentially tied with any degradation of the image over time.

If the scanned image looks like it should compared to the periodical I'd say you were successful.

Personally, and it would be a challenge for me, I'd be utilizing PhotoShop to create a layer of just the skin to play around with colouring. I suspect there would be more control there than in LrC. I suspect you have objects like eyes and lips that would have to be removed from any skin toning.

 

[philg.film]

One observation is that since you are scanning from old periodicals, you are dealing with how the original artist wished to depict the skin tones also potentially tied with any degradation of the image over time.

If the scanned image looks like it should compared to the periodical I'd say you were successful.

Personally, and it would be a challenge for me, I'd be utilizing PhotoShop to create a layer of just the skin to play around with colouring. I suspect there would be more control there than in LrC. I suspect you have objects like eyes and lips that would have to be removed from any skin toning.

Thanks for the suggestion. That's a bit tricky though as I a want to restrain color grading to LR. The masking tools, and intersection capabilities really help to zero in on the range of hues I wish to grade. I do work with PS though, to descreen and restore, but when that work is done I bring it back in LS to grade and finalize.

Another problem I face is oftentimes, the printer did a lousy job as the WB is not the same on the right-hand side of the spread versus the other side. Sigh...

Still though, I'll give it whirl, and see what happens.

Thanks!