BEST software for FIXING BLURRED / OUT OF FOCUS portraits

The video discusses the use of three software programs to fix a blurred portrait, highlighting the challenges faced with each. Luminar Neo and On1 Noise AI had limited success, but Topaz Sharpen AI delivered impressive results, particularly in enhancing the subject's eyes. The video emphasizes the remarkable capabilities of such software, while expressing a hope to not need them in the future.

Takeaways

• 📸 The speaker recently took a favorite portrait but overconfidence led to the camera focusing on the subject's hair instead of her eyes.
• 🤖 The issue of the out-of-focus eyes could have ruined the portrait, but software was used to fix it, which the video aims to demonstrate.
• 🌟 The speaker found three software options renowned for fixing blurred images: Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., 2023, and Topaz Sharpen AI.
• 🔍 After researching online, the speaker decided to test each software to see if they could save the portrait.
• 👁️ Luminar Neo's 'Super Sharp' feature was tried first but resulted in minimal improvement and unwanted changes to the face.
• 💡 On1 Noise A.I., 2023 allowed for separate and combined adjustments of noise and sharpness, with the combined use leading to a noticeable but still imperfect improvement.
• 🏆 Topaz Sharpen AI showed the most promise, delivering a significantly better result with clear eyes and minimal noise.
• 🎨 The speaker used Photoshop to apply Topaz Sharpen AI selectively to the eyes for the final edit, reflecting a personal preference for the look.
• 🤔 Despite skepticism, the speaker was impressed by the capabilities of the software to fix the blur, acknowledging the remarkable advancements in technology.
• 👍 The video concludes with the speaker appreciating the existence of such software, though hoping not to rely on it again for similar issues.

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.

How did the photographer attempt to fix the focus issue?

The photographer attempted to fix the focus issue by using various software programs, namely Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., 2023, and Topaz Sharpen AI.

What was the outcome of using Luminar Neo's super sharp feature?

The outcome of using Luminar Neo's super sharp feature was not satisfactory; it did not significantly improve the focus of the eyes and even the medium setting did not produce good results.

How did the photographer address the noise issue introduced by sharpening in On1 Noise A.I.?

The photographer addressed the noise issue by using both the noise and tack sharp sections together in On1 Noise A.I., which improved the eye detail and restored the original skin tone.

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

The photographer chose Topaz Sharpen AI as the final solution because it provided an incredibly good result in fixing the blurred eyes, with additional controls for tweaking the outcome.

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 hope to not have to rely on such tools in the future for fixing blurred or out-of-focus images.

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 advice does the photographer give to viewers regarding the software?

The photographer appreciates the existence of such software but does not recommend relying on them all the time, suggesting that it's better to capture a well-focused image 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.

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 resulted in a focus issue. The camera focused on the subject's hair rather than her eyes. The speaker emphasizes the importance of fixing this issue, as a lack of sharpness in the eyes would render the portrait unusable. They explore various software solutions to correct the blur, mentioning an article on Adobe.com that explains the concept of deBlur and sharpening adjustments in Lightroom. The speaker critically evaluates three well-known software options: Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., and Topaz Sharpen AI, detailing their individual performance and the final outcome of using these tools.

05:00

💻 Comparative Analysis of Deblurring Software

In this paragraph, the speaker continues their exploration of deblurring software by comparing the effectiveness of Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., and Topaz Sharpen AI. They describe their experience using Luminar Neo's super sharp option and its limitations. The speaker then discusses On1 Noise A.I.'s ability to work on noise and sharpness separately or together, noting an improvement in eye detail but a negative impact on skin tone. Finally, they share their success with Topaz Sharpen AI, which provided impressive results, allowing them to salvage the portrait by selectively applying sharpness to the eyes in Photoshop. The speaker concludes by reflecting on the skepticism towards such software but acknowledges the value of these tools in a摄影师's toolkit.

Keywords

Blurred Portraits

Blurred Portraits refer to photographs where the subject, usually a person, is not in sharp focus. This is often due to camera settings, movement, or other factors that affect the clarity of the image. In the context of the video, the photographer unintentionally captured a portrait with the focus on the subject's hair rather than her eyes, resulting in a blurred image. The main theme of the video revolves around finding solutions to correct this issue and improve the portrait's quality.

Editing Software

Editing Software refers to computer programs designed to alter or enhance digital images. These tools can range from basic utilities for cropping and resizing to advanced applications offering features like color correction, retouching, and sharpening. In the video, the photographer uses editing software to attempt to fix the focus issue in the blurred portrait, trying out various programs to achieve the best result.

Lightroom

Lightroom is a popular photo editing software developed by Adobe. It is widely used by photographers for managing, editing, and enhancing their digital images. The software provides a range of tools for adjusting exposure, color balance, sharpness, and more. In the video, Lightroom is mentioned as the initial platform from which the photographer accesses other editing software to correct the blurred portrait.

Sharpening Adjustments

Sharpening Adjustments are editing techniques used to enhance the clarity and detail of an image, particularly bringing out the finer details that may have been lost due to blurriness or camera movement. The process typically involves the use of software tools that apply algorithms to create a sharper appearance. In the video, the photographer attempts to use sharpening adjustments in Lightroom and other software to improve the focus of the portrait.

Luminar Neo

Luminar Neo is a photo editing software that offers a range of tools, including a feature called 'Super Sharp' designed to enhance the sharpness of images. The software uses artificial intelligence to analyze and adjust the image. In the video, Luminar Neo is one of the first software the photographer tries in an attempt to fix the focus issue in the portrait, but it does not yield satisfactory results.

On1 Noise A.I.

On1 Noise A.I. is a specific feature within the On1 Photo RAW software, designed to reduce noise in digital images while enhancing sharpness. This is particularly useful for low-light photographs or images that have a lot of grain or noise. In the video, the photographer experiments with On1 Noise A.I. to see if it can improve the detail in the eyes of the blurred portrait without introducing excessive noise.

Topaz Sharpen AI

Topaz Sharpen AI is a specialized image editing software that uses artificial intelligence to analyze and sharpen images, particularly focusing on details that may be blurred or out of focus. The software is designed to improve image clarity without introducing unwanted artifacts or noise. In the video, Topaz Sharpen AI is the software that ultimately provides the best results for the photographer's blurred portrait, significantly improving the sharpness of the eyes and other details.

Photoshop

Photoshop is a widely recognized industry-standard image editing software developed by Adobe. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools for photo manipulation, retouching, and creative editing. In the video, Photoshop is used as a platform to apply the sharpening effects from Topaz Sharpen AI and to selectively apply the sharpening to the eyes of the portrait for a more controlled and customized result.

Focus Issue

A focus issue in photography refers to a situation where the intended subject of the photograph is not sharply focused, which can result in a blurry or out-of-focus image. In the context of the video, the photographer's error in focusing on the subject's hair instead of her eyes created a focus issue that needed to be corrected using various editing software.

AI Animation

AI Animation refers to the use of artificial intelligence to generate or enhance visual animations or effects. In the context of photo editing software, AI animation might be used to demonstrate the process of applying a particular editing effect or to illustrate the changes being made to an image. In the video, AI animation is mentioned as a visual representation of the editing process in Luminar Neo, although the photographer criticizes it as being 'pointless' in terms of actual image improvement.

Skin Tone

Skin Tone refers to the color of a person's skin, which can vary greatly depending on factors such as ethnicity, lighting conditions, and individual pigmentation. In photo editing, maintaining the natural skin tone is important to ensure that the subject looks realistic and true to life. In the video, the photographer is concerned about how the sharpening process affects the skin tone, noting that some software introduces noise that alters the original appearance of the skin.

Highlights

The video discusses the challenge of fixing a blurred portrait, specifically focusing on the eyes which were not initially in focus.

The photographer had high expectations for the portrait, but faced an issue due to overconfidence leading to a focus error.

Adobe's article on deblurring photos suggests using Lightroom's sharpening adjustments, but the video creator expresses skepticism about its simplicity.

Three software options are explored in the video: Luminar Neo, On1 Noise A.I., and Topaz Sharpen AI, all of which claim to improve the sharpness of out-of-focus images.

Luminar Neo's 'Super Sharp' feature was tested but did not yield satisfactory results for the specific portrait.

On1 Noise A.I. offers separate noise and sharpening adjustments, with the Tack Sharp AI deblur slider showing some improvement.

Topaz Sharpen AI produced the most impressive results, significantly improving the sharpness of the eyes with minimal noise.

The video creator used Photoshop in combination with Topaz Sharpen AI for the final edit, focusing on bringing back sharpness only in the eyes.

Despite skepticism, the video creator was amazed by the capabilities of Topaz Sharpen AI in fixing the blurred image.

The video emphasizes the importance of having software options like Topaz, Luminar Neo, and On1 for fixing focus issues in photography.

The video creator hopes to not need such software in the future but appreciates its existence for saving problematic shots.

The video serves as a practical guide for photographers facing similar focus issues, providing a direct comparison of different software solutions.

The transcript includes a setup guide and video on the photographer's website, detailing how the portrait was lit and taken.

The video concludes with a recommendation for using a subscribe button and sharing the video for support, emphasizing the value of community engagement.

The video provides a critical look at the advice given by Adobe, suggesting that practical application may not be as straightforward as suggested.

The video creator's journey in finding a solution for the blurred portrait serves as a testament to the evolving technology in photography software.

The video offers a comprehensive review of the software options available for fixing blurred or out-of-focus portraits, providing valuable insights for viewers.