How to Repair an Unfocused Picture
Unfocused pictures can be eyesores if the effect was made unintentionally. Overlapping lines and colors in an unfocused photo look bad, and can make small detail look like large blobs of color. Photo editing programs such as Photoshop can be used to fix unfocused pictures. The tools that such editing programs provide make it easier to fix unfocused pictures, while keeping the original photo intact.
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Instructions
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Open the photo file in the editing program by selecting "File," then "Open" in the toolbar menu at the top of the screen. Select the file from its destination in the window, and click "Open" once selected. The file will open in the project window.
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Duplicate the image layer to revert to it in case undesired changes are made. Select "Layer" in the toolbar, then "Duplicate Layer." Rename the layer if desired and select "OK" upon completion.
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Click on the "Zoom Tool" located in the toolbox on the left side of the screen, and click on an area to magnify before fixing. After magnifying, click on the "Clone Tool" also located in the toolbox, and change the brush size of the tool in the options menu at the top of the screen.
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Press the "Alt" key while clicking any clean areas near unfocused edges of the magnified section. Click on the unfocused edges and drag the tool across edges to remove any image bleed and define the edges. Use the "Hand Tool" in the toolbox to move the photo around.
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Smooth the re-defined edges of the unfocused photo with the "Healing Brush Tool" located in the toolbox. Press the "Alt" key and click on a clean area near the re-defined edges. Click on the edges with the tool, and drag the tool across the edges to smooth them out.
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Select the "Zoom Tool" once again from the toolbox, and click on the magnify icon with a minus sign in the option menu at the top of the screen. Click on the image repeatedly with the tool until the image returns to its original size.
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Navigate to the toolbar menu, and choose "Filter," then "Sharpen" from the list. A sub-menu will appear. Click on "Unsharp Mask" to sharpen the unfocused image. Move the sliders in the "Unsharp Mask" window to sharpen and focus the image. When the desired amount of clarity has been reached, select "OK" to accept the changes.
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Flatten the image to merge the first and second layers. Choose "Layers" from the toolbar, then "Flatten Image" from the layers list. The image will automatically flatten. Save the image by selecting "File," then "Save As." This will keep the original file untouched. Enter the name of the file, as well as the destination and file format. Click "Save" upon completion.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
