Seeking for an easy way retouching old color photos

[Stephen Liu]

Hi all,

Please advise an easy way to touch old color photos.

I have old color hardcopy photos converted to digital copies using an android phone connected via an USB cable to Ubuntu 24.04 desktop PC with remote desktop.  This setup works for me without problem.  Copies of 3 digitized photos are attached here as example.

I expect to retouch them adding colors on the fade colored photos as well as making the photos more sharp .  Please advice.  I expect finding an easy way because I have abundon hard copies of fading color photos to treate.

I'll not print the edited photos but using them building digital slideshow only.

Thanks in advance.

Regards

[PixLab]

For a simple quick easy to do:
First I would neutralize that pinkish color cast to get back what is white and gray as white and gray.

1) Colors > Levels..., take the pipette and select that white on the awning (1)
2) Then on the histogram move those two cursors (2) to "straighten" the blacks and light them a bit
3) Then on the "output level", move the white cursor inward (3) to get back the lights on the top and facade of the different buildings at the back, or your lights will be a bit blown out.

Now what is should be gray like the first wall on the left is gray, and white a more real white.
   

Then duplicate your image, and go to Filters > Enhance > High Pass... with settings in the screenshot below and put then that layer in "Overlay" mode

Now it's more sharp (once this layer is in "Overlay" mode, you can duplicate that layer (the High Pass) as many times as you want to get sharper and sharper and sharper)
   

Now Select back the bottom layer in the layer stack and go to Colors > Hue-Saturation..., saturate as you wish
Use the Master first, then use selected color like red, blue, yellow to fine tune to your liking
   

Result Before/After with 3 High Pass layers, which is too much for my taste, but it's just to show how it can sharpen
   

The other pictures can follow the same process (with not so different settings)