BEST software for FIXING BLURRED / OUT OF FOCUS portraits

Glyn Dewis
21 Feb 202308:22

TLDRIn this video, the photographer shares their experience with fixing a blurred portrait by testing three software solutions: Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., and Topaz Sharpen AI. After trying each, they find that while Luminar Neo and On1 Noise A.I. have limited success, Topaz Sharpen AI delivers impressive results, especially for the eyes, with additional controls for fine-tuning. The video concludes with the photographer's appreciation for the existence of such advanced software.

Takeaways

  • 📸 The speaker discusses a recent portrait they took, which initially seemed successful but turned out to be out of focus.
  • 👁️ The focus issue was critical because the subject's eyes were not sharp, which could have led to discarding the photo.
  • 🤖 The speaker explores various software options to fix the blurred image, including Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., and Topaz Sharpen AI.
  • 🛠️ Luminar Neo's 'Super Sharp' feature was tried first but resulted in minimal improvement and an unsatisfactory outcome.
  • 🔍 On1 Noise A.I. allowed for separate noise and sharpness adjustments, with a combination of settings yielding better but still imperfect results.
  • 💡 Topaz Sharpen AI showed promising results, significantly improving the sharpness of the eyes and offering additional control options.
  • 🎨 The speaker used Photoshop to apply the sharpening effects selectively to the eyes for a more tailored look.
  • 🤔 Despite skepticism, the speaker was impressed by the capabilities of the software in fixing a blurry image.
  • 📝 The speaker is not affiliated with any of the software companies and was not paid to promote them.
  • 👍 The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to like, subscribe, and share the content if they found it useful.

Q & A

  • What was the main issue with the photographer's favorite portrait?

    -The main issue with the photographer's favorite portrait was that the camera had focused on the subject's hair instead of her eyes, resulting in a blurred image.

  • What was the photographer's initial reaction upon realizing the focus issue?

    -The photographer was initially worried and nearly decided to discard the portrait due to the focus issue on the subject's hair rather than her eyes.

  • Which software did the photographer consider first to fix the blurred portrait?

    -The photographer first considered Adobe Lightroom's built-in sharpening adjustments as suggested by an article on Adobe.com to fix the blurred portrait.

  • What were the three software solutions the photographer ended up trying?

    -The three software solutions the photographer tried were Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., and Topaz Sharpen AI.

  • How did Luminar Neo perform in fixing the blurred portrait?

    -Luminar Neo's super sharp option did not significantly improve the focus of the portrait, and the face enhancer option altered the face too much, making it a less desirable choice.

  • What was the outcome when the photographer used On1 Noise A.I.?

    -On1 Noise A.I. improved the eye detail using the Tack Sharp AI section, but the sharpening introduced noise and altered the skin tone. Combining noise reduction with sharpening resulted in a better outcome.

  • Why did the photographer choose Topaz Sharpen AI as the final solution?

    -Topaz Sharpen AI provided an incredibly good result, significantly improving the focus on the eyes and offering more control options for tweaking the outcome, which is why the photographer chose it as the final solution.

  • How did the photographer apply the sharpening effect selectively in the final edit?

    -The photographer duplicated the image in Photoshop, sent the duplicate into Topaz Sharpen AI, and then used a black layer mask with a white brush to selectively bring back the sharpness in the eyes.

  • What was the photographer's overall impression of the software solutions for fixing blurred images?

    -The photographer was impressed by the capabilities of the software solutions, especially Topaz Sharpen AI, but also expressed a hope to never need such solutions again, preferring to capture perfectly focused images initially.

  • How can viewers support the photographer's channel?

    -Viewers can support the photographer's channel by giving a thumbs up, subscribing to the channel, and sharing the content if they feel inclined to do so.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Overcoming Focus Issues in Portrait Photography

The speaker discusses a recent portrait they took, highlighting the challenges faced due to overconfidence which led to a focus issue on the subject's hair instead of the eyes. They emphasize the importance of fixing this issue before proceeding with main editing. The speaker shares their research and experience with various software solutions for fixing blurred or out-of-focus images, including Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., and Topaz Sharpen AI. They detail the process and results of using each software, noting the limitations and effectiveness of Luminar Neo and On1 Noise A.I., and expressing their satisfaction with the outcome using Topaz Sharpen AI.

05:00

🌟 Topaz Sharpen AI: The Saving Grace for Blurred Portraits

Continuing from the previous paragraph, the speaker focuses on their successful experience using Topaz Sharpen AI to salvage the portrait. They describe the ease and speed of the software in enhancing the subject's eyes and correcting the initial blur. The speaker also mentions their method of using the software in conjunction with Photoshop to selectively apply sharpness to the eyes. They conclude by expressing their amazement at the capabilities of such software and their gratitude for its existence, despite hoping not to rely on it in the future.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Blurred Portraits

Blurred Portraits refer to photographs where the subject, particularly the eyes, is not in sharp focus. In the video, the photographer discusses the issue of capturing a portrait with the camera focusing on the subject's hair instead of the eyes, resulting in a blurred image. The main theme of the video revolves around finding a solution to fix this common photography problem.

💡Software Solutions

Software Solutions in this context refer to digital tools or programs designed to address and rectify issues in photographs, such as blurring or loss of focus. The video provides an in-depth look at various software options that claim to fix such issues, with the photographer testing and comparing their effectiveness.

💡Lightroom

Lightroom is a photo editing software developed by Adobe, which is widely used by photographers for importing, managing, adjusting, and exporting images. In the video, the photographer uses Lightroom as a starting point to edit the portrait and access other software solutions for fixing the focus issue.

💡Luminar Neo

Luminar Neo is a photo editing software that offers a range of tools, including the 'Super Sharp' feature aimed at enhancing the sharpness of images. The photographer in the video uses this software to try and fix the focus issue in the portrait but finds it lacking in effectiveness for this particular case.

💡On1 Noise A.I., 2023

On1 Noise A.I., 2023 is a software that specializes in noise reduction and sharpening, allowing users to adjust the clarity and detail of images while minimizing noise. The video shows the photographer using this software and finding some success in improving the eye detail, although it introduces noise that affects the skin tone.

💡Topaz Sharpen AI

Topaz Sharpen AI is a specialized software that uses artificial intelligence to enhance the sharpness of images, particularly in situations where the subject is blurred or out of focus. The video highlights the effectiveness of this software in significantly improving the clarity of the eyes in the portrait, with additional controls for fine-tuning the result.

💡Focus Issues

Focus Issues refer to problems in photography where the desired area of the image, usually the subject, is not sharply defined or is out of focus. In the video, the photographer faces a focus issue where the camera incorrectly focuses on the hair rather than the eyes, which is critical for a compelling portrait.

💡Photo Editing

Photo Editing involves the process of altering or enhancing digital images using various software tools and techniques. In the context of the video, photo editing is crucial for fixing the focus issue in the portrait and achieving the desired aesthetic.

💡Sharpness

Sharpness in photography refers to the clarity and definition of details within an image. A high level of sharpness indicates that the image's details are clearly visible and well-defined. The video emphasizes the importance of sharpness, especially in the eyes of a portrait, for creating a visually impactful photograph.

💡Noise Reduction

Noise Reduction is the process of minimizing or eliminating visual noise in digital images, which often appears as random speckles or graininess that can detract from the overall image quality. In the video, the photographer is concerned with noise reduction when using software to fix the focus issue, as some solutions introduce unwanted noise while attempting to sharpen the image.

💡Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think, learn, and problem-solve like humans. In the context of the video, AI is utilized in photo editing software to automatically analyze and enhance image sharpness, particularly in areas like the eyes of a portrait.

Highlights

The video discusses the challenge of fixing a blurred portrait, particularly focusing on the eyes.

The photographer's overconfidence led to a focus issue on the subject's hair instead of her eyes.

Software exists that claims to fix blurred or out-of-focus images, which the photographer explores in this video.

Adobe's article on deblurring photos suggests using Lightroom's sharpening adjustments but may not be sufficient.

Three software options are considered for fixing the portrait: Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., and Topaz Sharpen AI.

Luminar Neo's 'Super Sharp' feature did not significantly improve the image's focus.

On1 Noise A.I.'s 'Tack Sharp AI' section showed promise in improving eye detail but introduced noise.

Combining noise reduction and sharpening in On1 Noise A.I. yielded better results, though not perfect.

Topaz Sharpen AI demonstrated impressive results in a short time, significantly improving the focus on the eyes.

The photographer used Topaz Sharpen AI in Photoshop to selectively sharpen the eyes for the final edit.

The video showcases the power of AI in fixing common photography issues like blurriness.

Despite the success, the photographer hopes not to rely on such software for future focus issues.

The video serves as a practical guide for photographers facing similar focus problems.

The photographer's experience with these tools highlights the potential and limitations of AI in image editing.

The video concludes with a recommendation for using Topaz Sharpen AI as a last resort for severe focus issues.

The video encourages viewers to subscribe and support the channel for more helpful content.