Best Software to Fix Blurry Out of Focus Portraits and Photos
TLDRIn this video, the speaker shares a personal story of a photography mishap where a crucial portrait photo was out of focus. To rectify this, they use various software solutions to sharpen the image. They first try Luminar Neo with its Super Sharp AI feature, which improves the image but not to the desired level. Then, they switch to Topaz Sharpen AI, which provides better results, particularly when using the motion blur correction. The video also demonstrates the use of a layer mask in Photoshop to selectively apply the sharpening effect. Additionally, Gigapixel AI is used for further enhancement, with a face recovery feature that increases sharpness. However, it slightly alters the color, which is corrected by blending modes in Photoshop. The speaker highly recommends the Topaz Suite for fixing technical flaws in photos, including blurriness and noise, and for overall image quality improvement.
Takeaways
- 📷 The video discusses using software to fix blurry and out-of-focus portraits and photos.
- 🤩 The speaker shares a personal experience of a photography assignment where they made a mistake with focus.
- 💡 Luminar Neo's Super Sharp AI is introduced as a tool to fix out-of-focus photos.
- 🔍 The AI's Universal sharpening method is applied, but the results are not as sharp as desired.
- 🔧 The middle setting of Super Sharp AI provides a clearer image without too many digital artifacts.
- 🚫 The high setting of sharpening introduces digital artifacts, making the image fall apart upon close inspection.
- 🧐 The Face Enhancer option changes the geometry of the face, which is not suitable for an accurate portrait.
- 🌟 Topaz Sharp AI is recommended as the best software for sharpening blurry photos, surpassing Luminar's capabilities.
- 🎨 A combination of Topaz Sharp AI and Photoshop is used to selectively sharpen the eyes and mouth while masking the hairline.
- 🔄 Gigapixel AI is also used for additional sharpening and face recovery, but it introduces slight color variations.
- 🖼️ To maintain correct color while sharpening, blending modes like Luminosity can be used in Photoshop.
- 🔗 The Topaz Suite of software is highly recommended for overall image quality improvement, including Sharpen AI, Gigapixel AI, and Denoise AI.
Q & A
What issue did the photographer face with their portrait assignment?
-The photographer faced the issue of a blurry photo due to missing the focus, which was not on the eyes but on the hair behind.
Which software did the photographer first attempt to use to fix the blurry photo?
-The photographer first attempted to use Luminar Neo, specifically its Super Sharp AI extension, to fix the blurry photo.
What was the outcome of using Luminar Neo's Super Sharp AI with the low setting?
-Using Luminar Neo's Super Sharp AI with the low setting resulted in a subtle improvement, but it wasn't as sharp as the photographer had hoped.
Why did the photographer decide against using the face enhancer option in Luminar Neo?
-The face enhancer option in Luminar Neo changed the geometry of the photographer's face, which was not desirable for an accurate portrait.
What alternative software did the photographer use to improve the sharpness of the portrait?
-The photographer used Topaz Sharpen AI as an alternative to improve the sharpness of the portrait.
How did the photographer combine the sharpened image with the original to avoid over-sharpening?
-The photographer combined the sharpened image with the original by creating a layer mask in Photoshop to selectively reveal the sharpened effect only where desired.
What blending mode was used to preserve the original colors while sharpening the image?
-The blending mode 'Luminosity' was used to preserve the original colors of the image while applying the sharpening effect from the Gigapixel AI layer.
How did the photographer address the color shift issue introduced by Gigapixel AI?
-The photographer addressed the color shift issue by changing the blending mode of the Gigapixel AI layer to 'Luminosity' and using a mask to selectively apply the sharpening.
What is the recommended software suite for fixing technical flaws in photos like blurriness or noise?
-The Topaz Suite of software is recommended for fixing technical flaws in photos, including Sharpen AI, Gigapixel AI, and Denoise AI.
Why did the photographer find Topaz Sharpen AI to be the best solution for their blurry portrait issue?
-The photographer found Topaz Sharpen AI to be the best solution because it provided the most significant improvement in sharpness without introducing unwanted artifacts or color shifts when compared to other software options.
How did the photographer ensure the final image quality was the best possible after using Topaz Sharpen AI and Gigapixel AI?
-The photographer ensured the best possible image quality by using a combination of Topaz Sharpen AI for initial sharpening and Gigapixel AI for further enhancement, followed by careful masking in Photoshop to refine the sharpening effect.
Outlines
📸 Fixing Blurry Portraits with Luminar Neo and Topaz Sharp AI
The video begins with the photographer admitting a mistake in a recent portrait photography assignment where they failed to check the sharpness of every photo, leading to a blurry image being sent to the client. To rectify this, they use Luminar Neo's Super Sharp AI extension to enhance the focus of the out-of-focus eyes. After experimenting with different sharpening levels, they find the middle option to be the most effective but notice digital artifacts upon closer inspection. They then try the Face Enhancer option, but it alters the facial geometry, which is undesirable. Finally, they turn to Topaz Sharpen AI, which provides better results and is used in conjunction with Photoshop for a final, sharp image.
🎨 Refining Sharpness and Color with Photoshop Layer Masks
The photographer describes a technique to selectively sharpen blurry areas of a portrait, such as the eyes, without over-sharpening already sharp areas like the hairline. They use a layer mask in Photoshop to control the visibility of the sharpening effect. By inverting the layer mask and using a brush with 50% opacity, they apply the sharpening effect to key areas like the eyes and mouth. If the effect is too strong, they use a black brush to hide it. They also compare the results of using Topaz Sharpen AI and Luminar Neo, noting a significant difference in quality, and conclude that Topaz Sharpen AI is superior for fixing blurry photos.
🔍 Further Enhancement with Gigapixel AI and Color Correction
The photographer attempts to further improve the image quality by using Gigapixel AI, which has a face enhancement feature. They load the sharpened image into Gigapixel AI and enable the face recovery toggle, which increases sharpness. However, they notice a slight color variation when comparing the Gigapixel-enhanced image to the original. To maintain the original colors while benefiting from the sharpening, they use a luminosity blending mode in Photoshop and apply a mask to reveal the sharpening effect only on the desired areas. The final result is a significantly improved image quality achieved by combining Topaz Sharpen AI and Gigapixel AI. The video concludes with a recommendation for the Topaz Suite of software for fixing technical flaws in photos and improving overall image quality.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Portrait Photography
💡Sharpness
💡Luminar Neo
💡Super Sharp AI
💡Topaz Sharp AI
💡Motion Blur
💡Photoshop
💡Layer Mask
💡Gigapixel AI
💡Face Enhancer
💡Topaz Labs Suite
Highlights
The photographer made a significant mistake by not checking the sharpness of each photo taken during a portrait assignment.
The selected photo by the client had a focus issue, with the sharpness on the hair instead of the eyes.
Luminar Neo with its Super Sharp AI extension was used to address the out-of-focus issue.
The Universal sharpening method in Super Sharp AI was applied first, showing a subtle improvement.
The middle setting in Super Sharp AI provided a clearer and sharper result, but introduced digital artifacts upon closer inspection.
The Face Enhancer option in Luminar AI altered the geometry of the face, which was not desirable for an accurate portrait.
Topaz Sharp AI was identified as a superior tool for AI sharpening, offering various correction algorithms.
A combination of Topaz Sharp AI and Photoshop layer masking was used to selectively sharpen the eyes and mouth.
Gigapixel AI was utilized for further sharpening and had a face recovery feature, but introduced slight color variations.
Blending modes in Photoshop were used to combine the sharpening effects of Gigapixel AI with the original colors.
The final result significantly improved the quality of the blurry and out-of-focus portrait.
Topaz Suite software is recommended for fixing technical flaws in photos such as blurriness, noise, and image rescaling.
The photographer emphasizes that the recommendation for Topaz Suite comes from personal experience and not sponsorship.
A link to Topaz Suite software is provided in the description for those interested in improving overall image quality.
The video demonstrates the step-by-step process of using AI software to fix blurry portraits, including specific tools and techniques.
The importance of checking sharpness and focus during photography sessions is highlighted by the photographer's mistake.
The computational intensity of AI sharpening tools requires patience as they take time to process the images.
The use of layer masks in photo editing software allows for precise control over where sharpening effects are applied.