Is this fixable with sharpen tool?

[LookingUp]

Hello friends,
Is there a point of no return when it comes to a blurred photograph? (I sure hope I didn't ask this before.) LOL
Thanks

[Wolfman]

I did some work to sharpen, but of course if you sharpen you bring out other problems........ I only sharpened and a few other moves but no noise reduction, etc.

[Chain]

Just be aware that a sharpen filter can only enhance details already there in the picture. It will not bring back details that have been completely lost due to the blur or bad focus.

The challenge with this image is that there are fine details like noise/cracks/dust that will also be enhanced when sharpening the image. Noise reduction, or not sharpening high frequency details might help (do a low radius frequency split and sharpen the low frequency layer). Just thinking out loud...

[LookingUp]

Thanks for the feedback.

[LookingUp]

Thanks for the feedback. Could you suggest what procedures I should take to correct the color in Photoshop CS5.1?

[Chain]

To start I would have a look at the Curves adjustment layer. Work on each of the RGB channels to adjust the colour. You can hit "auto" get get a suggestion for where to start.

[0lBaldy]

To get here I added 1" to canvas size all around.. then selected a few pixels inside a corner of the original picture ... drug to just inside the opposite corner ... selected inverse to select the new border plus the few pixels inside the picture... <Shft+F5> Filled with content Aware... <Ctrl+D> to deselect.... Select the Ruler tool.. drug along the back of the top of the bench/rail...Clicked <Straighten>

Zoom tool till two boys filled frame..<Shft+Ctrl+N> for new layer.. <Shft +F5> filled with 50% Gray... changed Mode to Difference...

Added New Adjustment Layer <Threshold> ... moved slider to the right then back to the LEFT till a small white area large enough for the Point Sampler target to reside shows up somewhere on the boys...(NOT a reflection or blown out area).. hold down Shift key and mark the spot... (This is a close approximation of the Grey area of the picture)

UN-Check the eyeball on the 50% Gray Difference Layer to DE-Select it...

Continue with the threshold adjustment by dragging the slider all the way to the left then back slowly to the right till a dark area within the boys large enough for the Point sampler target shows up and while holding the Shift key ..mark/select it.. (This should be the Blackest area)... continue all the way right then left till a white area within the boys large enough for the Point sampler target shows up and while holding the Shift key ..mark/select it (this should be the White Marker)

UN-Check the eyeball on the Threshold Layer to DE-Select it...

Added New Adjustment Layer <Levels> Use the points just marked and click with the eyedropper tools for the White, Gray, and Black points.... Adjust all sliders for a pleasing effect

<Shft+Ctrl+Alt+E> to combine all the adjustments onto a new layer

Further refined by using multiple Hue/Saturation and/or Color Balance masked layers to remove the red/magenta cast and for refining the individual colors

[John Wheeler]

Not much to work with. I would get the highest resolution 16 bit TIFF scan of the image before starting to do work on it. I thought I would just try some experiments with the image and see what I could get.

- color and tone correction helps quite a bit by itself using curves adjustment layer. The greater tonal range and higher contrast gives the impression of increased sharpness.
- Tried my own sharpening approach by increasing midtone localized contrast especially of edges (not sure this result is much better so did not write up the details)
- Ran in back through ACR for use of their noise reduction tools (could have used a noise reduction filter as well).

Here is an animated GIF showing before and after:

fiXBLUR-CompareSWF-animation.gif

[LookingUp]

Originally Posted by 0lBaldy

To get here I added 1" to canvas size all around.. then selected a few pixels inside a corner of the original picture ... drug to just inside the opposite corner ... selected inverse to select the new border plus the few pixels inside the picture... <Shft+F5> Filled with content Aware... <Ctrl+D> to deselect.... Select the Ruler tool.. drug along the back of the top of the bench/rail...Clicked <Straighten>

Zoom tool till two boys filled frame..<Shft+Ctrl+N> for new layer.. <Shft +F5> filled with 50% Gray... changed Mode to Difference...

Added New Adjustment Layer <Threshold> ... moved slider to the right then back to the LEFT till a small white area large enough for the Point Sampler target to reside shows up somewhere on the boys...(NOT a reflection or blown out area).. hold down Shift key and mark the spot... (This is a close approximation of the Grey area of the picture)

UN-Check the eyeball on the 50% Gray Difference Layer to DE-Select it...

Continue with the threshold adjustment by dragging the slider all the way to the left then back slowly to the right till a dark area within the boys large enough for the Point sampler target shows up and while holding the Shift key ..mark/select it.. (This should be the Blackest area)... continue all the way right then left till a white area within the boys large enough for the Point sampler target shows up and while holding the Shift key ..mark/select it (this should be the White Marker)

UN-Check the eyeball on the Threshold Layer to DE-Select it...

Added New Adjustment Layer <Levels> Use the points just marked and click with the eyedropper tools for the White, Gray, and Black points.... Adjust all sliders for a pleasing effect

<Shft+Ctrl+Alt+E> to combine all the adjustments onto a new layer

Further refined by using multiple Hue/Saturation and/or Color Balance masked layers to remove the red/magenta cast and for refining the individual colors

THIS IS AMAZING!! YOU'RE A MASTER! I am trying to follow the directions you posted but I get lost.

[philbach]

Well what I did was to use levels on each color channel
Next I used an adjustment layer and used the gray eyedropper on a white shirt
I used "Neat Image" a noise reduction filter
I sharpened the image.

[edbayani]

Desaturated and then added a bit if red and yellow using color balance. Sharpened edges by using a sharp brush while on quickmask, following the soft edge. Exit quickmask and move the selection a bit to the right or left as the case may be and pressed ctrl/alt to duplicate selected area and moved it back to the edge.