"Unshine" an image

[Helvetica]

Hi everyone,
Using PSP Pro X8.
In a previous plea for help, I mentioned that I was working on a book involving ancient coins and I must say, the high number of "Adjust Image" options available in X8 have really helped.
However, for the book I needed to scan some images from the catalog of a certain national collection and their images are really poor. I need them in grey scale, which they are, but some of them were so brightly illuminated before the photo was taken that they are very light and look like shiny silver instead of dull bronze (in natura they would be between dark brown and black). I have tried turning the contrast right down to zero and adjusting the brightness/darkness but they still look shiny and unnatural.
I also tried Colorize, making them brown then -> grey scale but that didn't work either.
Is there any way I can dull them down to make them look less shiny ?
I am attaching an example.

[hartpaul]

This a bit like what you are after?

To get this :
1. Convert the background to a raster image and duplicate the image . Hide the visibility of the top image.
2. Select the bottom layer Image > Negative Image - this will make the bright areas on that image black.
3. Using the magic wand with Match mode - Color (or RGB or Brightness) Tolerance about 5-10, Contiguous ticked. Click the black background. Hit the delete key. That removes all the black area around the coins on the negative image.
4. Make the top image visible and active. Change the opacity of that top image to slowly allow the black of the negative image to come through and mute the bright specular light areas to your liking.
5. Merge the image and try using Levels and or Brightness and Contrast Adjustments to bring back the contrast you want.

[Helvetica]

Wow thankyou - that is exactly what I wanted. Now I just need to see how to do all that - I have still not used different layers because I get in a mess...

[Helvetica]

Well I got as far as step 4 but couldn't find how to change the opacity. I can't see any option or setting called "Opacity", can you tell me where it is ?
Thankyou !

[hartpaul]

On your Layers Palette , there is the word Layers, and below that is the Blend mode and to its right the Opacity slider for the chosen layer.

[Helvetica]

Found it - thankyou ! And I managed to do it all on another horrible shiny thing from the same collection . Thankyou so much.