Camera shake happens to the best photographers. A variety of factors can lead to blurry shots, from jostling and poor lighting to focus problems with moving subjects and inadequate aim. Fortunately, you don’t have to delete a digital shot just because of a little blur.
Image editing software, such as Adobe Photoshop can help you salvage shots you never thought would see the inside of a frame. Photoshop is especially user-friendly. In just a few steps you can sharpen your shots without anyone knowing what the original photo looked like:
Step One: If your shooting conditions are compromised, use the RAW format setting on your camera rather than JPEG. By doing so, your camera will record all the details from the image and you will have more control when editing.
Step Two: Open the shaky shot in Photoshop and adjust the color and lighting aspects first. Don’t head straight for the “sharpen” option. That will cause you to lose pixels in the process. Sharpening should be your last resort. Start by tweaking the color and contrast.
Step Three: Look for the “Sharpen” menu from the drop down “Filter” list. There are a few different tools, though if your photo is a little blurry, you should start with the tool at the top. Click it and the menu will disappear and your image will be slightly sharper.
Step Four: If your photo is still blurry, click on the next tool from the list, “Sharpen Edges.” This tool identifies the change in pixel patterns and adds contrast to the darker tones at the edges of objects.
Step Five: If you still don’t like the way your photo looks, choose the advanced tab and sharpen highlights or shadows. This tool works best on faces.
Step Six: Repeat using the tools until you are happy with the results. However, keep in mind that the more you edit, the more pixilated your image may appear. Examine the end results by printing the photo and determine if it needs more work.
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