Do I need a Noise reduction SW or....?

GemGem

Hi Everyone!
Happy new year!!

I am working on restoring some pictures for a customer from her wedding two years ago.
I have CS4 and LR2. Still, after applying the noise reduction and playing around with curves a bit, the picture still looks "bad" but better compared to the original. I am just wondering if there is a technique I can use on either of these programs to reduce the noise and bring in some detail to some of the photos or do I need to buy a noise reduction SW. Below sample pictures

Thank you for your suggestions
GG

GemGem

Here is One
Ok, let's c if this one works

GemGem

And another one
Ok, this one is one of the "best" ones of the first set.

Tips, suggestions, comments, etc... I have CS4 and LR2.
Thanks everyone!!
GG

pathfinder

Happy New Year, and hopefully a much better one at that!

Are the original images available as prints, electronic files, slides, negatives or what?

Noise cancelling software will not restore details that are not in the original images. Noise cancelling software tends to reduce details if not used carefully.

Your small posted original images seem to lack sharpness and contrast, and are filled with noise. Maybe if I saw them life size I would view them more favorably.

Neither Photoshop,nor Lightroom will create detail or sharpness that were not present in the original capture. If you have the original digital files it may be possible to sharpen them there and improve their quality. Poor prints are much harder to make better.

GemGem

pathfinder wrote:

Happy New Year, and hopefully a much better one at that!

Are the original images available as prints, electronic files, slides, negatives or what?
(My customer has them in the original CD the photographer provided to her. I have copies of the originals which were JPG and well, of course compressing it further does it no justice)

Noise cancelling software will not restore details that are not in the original images. Noise cancelling software tends to reduce details if not used carefully. (Yea, was wishful thinking on my part, she is pretty upset about it and came to me to see if I could do something.. for her)

Your small posted original images seem to lack sharpness and contrast, and are filled with noise. Maybe if I saw them life size I would view them more favorably. (The original images are just like that.. they lack contract and sharpness. I told her I could help bring out some contrast, but not sure about the noise)

Neither Photoshop,nor Lightroom will create detail or sharpness that were not present in the original capture. If you have the original digital files it may be possible to sharpen them there and improve their quality. Poor prints are much harder to make better.

She has some in print 4x6 do not look as bad as on the screen, but she wants them 8x10

Thank you so much for your reply.
GG

pathfinder

You can scan some well done 4x6 prints on a good flat bed scanner and sometimes make fair 8x10s from them if the originals were exceptional. But if the originals were poor, they will not be better at 8x10.

Folks see CSI and other Hollywood productions and think that one can create information that was not present in the original. Maybe the CIA can do that, but most photographers cannot do that that I know of.

GemGem

Oh that CSI!! I should stop watching that show! Thank Pathfinder