Oops! It didn't keep the photo to show what I did. ... View more

I watched a video on how to restore old photos (but can't find it again). They did it by creating blank layers above the "original" and then making all adjustments there. After all the discussion, I now remember that the option to "sample all layers" was available to the eraser tool and that is what I clicked to be able to use it on a blank layer. It DID exist, because I have dozens of photos where I did exactly that, but now it has either disappeared or I can't remember where to find it. Here are the steps I followed. 1. Made a copy of the background layer. 2. Created adjustment layers for threshold, levels (never have been able to master curves for some reason), etc. 3. Then I selected the entire photo (but not the white border around it), inverted it so only the white border around the photo was selected. I clicked on save selection and named it "frame." 4. I created a blank layer above the copy of the background, named it frame and then went back to the menu and loaded my saved frame selection. 5. I selected the eraser tool (with sample all layers turned on) and began erasing all the yellowing, tape shadows, etc. from the frame. I did not want to apply a white fill because most of the photos have hand-written captions on them and I wanted to preserve that handwriting, since it was my mother's. When I erased, it left a white border (not a clear background with that checkerboard pattern in the background). 6. Then I deselected everything, created another blank layer to apply the healing brush (or whatever tool I was using) to get rid of the scratches, large blobs, etc. I continued creating blank layers and making whatever adjustments I wanted to "correct" the photo. The image below shows some of the many blank layers I used to correct a photo. ... View more

Well, there used to be because you can see that I did it on numerous photos and it worked like a charm. I haven't downloaded any updates, so I can't figure out why it used to work, but doesn't now. As a matter of fact, it literally worked one day and then the next when I came in to do some additional work, it quit working. It is very frustrating. Thank you to everyone who has researched this and if anyone figures out how to get that option back, PLEASE let me know. BTW, thanks to all of you for not laughing at my feeble attempts at restoration. ... View more

I found what I am looking for under the stamp tool. If you look towards the end, there is the word "Sample." If I click on that, it gives me the option for current layer, current layer and below and all layers. When I turn on all layers, the stamp tool acts the way I want the eraser and other tools to work on the adjustment layer. However, that option is no longer showing up for the eraser tool. Don't know if that helps. ... View more

It isn't only the frame that I want to do adjustments on and by using the adjustment layer, it doesn't actually erase the pixels on the image. If you had the ability to click on that layer and turn it off, you would see that the actual image is unaffected. See the image below. By using a blank adjustment layer, I was able to get rid of all the blobs of ink on the photo by creating a blank adjustment layer and using various tools (healing brush, stamp tool, etc.). I don't understand HOW it works, but I know it does. I have done dozens of photos this way. When you turn the adjustment layer off, the image looks exactly as it does now, but when you turn the adjustment layer back on, the adjustments I made are there. See below: I wish I could explain it better so you would understand. This is the only way I know how to make all the corrections I need to make to the photos without altering the actual pixels. If you were able to turn off the top three layers, you would see the photo is totally untouched. I don't think masks will work for all the different corrections I need to make, but as I said, I am an amateur. ... View more

At least, you seem to know what I am talking about. No one else does. Unfortunately, that option doesn't exist, but that is what I am looking for. This is a screen shot: I clicked on the eraser options at the top, but it only gave the option to select whether it was chisel or pencil. There was a setting option, but nothing about it working on all layers. It is so frustrating because I know for a fact that there is some setting that allows me to erase on a blank adjustment layer without affecting the actual image, but I can't locate it again. ... View more