Photoshop Ninja
Expert Photoshop tips and tricks for designers and photographers since 2005
Sharpening seemingly unusable blurred images
There are times when an image is beyond rescue with Unsharp Mask, when its so out of focus it is bordering on creative, but your client insists that you use it! Well, there are lots of ways to use the native filters in Photoshop for other uses, some not so obvious as others, like the example below!
If you really have to use a particularly blurry image, it may seem impossible to actually put detail back into an image that is not there already – and to all but the most Ninja level Photoshop user it would be! This is where the generally unusable Emboss filter steps up for service in our arsenal!
Firstly, duplicate the image/layer onto a layer above the one you need to sharpen and run the Emboss filter on it. Use the settings below as a rough guide, but all images are different. For very high resolution images you can get away with a-little higher settings, for low resolution images you want the settings to be a little lower.
- Keep the angle default 135
- Height quite low, around 2-6 pixels
- Amount, fairly high, around 100-150%
Once you have applied the filter to the layer above, switch the layer blending mode to Overlay. Then desaturate the layer to get rid of the nasty multi-coloured noise that will probably appear. The final step with this layer is to nudge it to correctly align it with the original layer below using the cursor (arrow) keys – this is due to the offset nature of the emboss filter. Probably just a few pixels up and left will do perfectly.
Once you are happy, you may want to fine tweek your new sharpened image by dropping back the opacity of the emboss layer, flatten it and maybe apply a little unsharp mask too after to finish.
Im lead to believe that security forces actually use the emboss filter to lift out and enhance hidden detail within images, and you sometimes see them use the Emboss filter in crime dramas too, so dont forget this little sharp, crime-fighting filter!
(4 votes, average: 4.25 out of 5)
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Written by Jonny Allbut - freelance graphic designer
Last modified: 9 August, 2005 (08:27) | First published: 9 August, 2005
Filed under Photoshop Top Tips, Techniques - Other 8 Comments »
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Comment by RICHARD
May 4, 2007 @ 4:30 pm
Regarding “Sharpening seemingly unusalbe …” how does one “nudge it to correctly align it with the original layer below using the cursor keys”? I use a PC. Thanks for the tip! rl
Comment by Jonny
May 5, 2007 @ 9:53 am
Richard – on PC just use the arrow keys, ensure that you have the move tool active (Shortcut is V on the keyboard)
Comment by Changeling
October 8, 2007 @ 5:47 pm
You can also do similar sharpening using the ‘High Pass’ filter which doesn’t require you to move the layer afterwards.
Comment by wiewiorkowa
September 4, 2009 @ 6:36 pm
Did not help on my blurry photo
Comment by Susanna
December 6, 2009 @ 9:16 am
Thank you for this! I have a client who wants me to use a really blurry and burned photo and get all the details back on it! This helped, obviously still not amazing photo but much much better, Thanks!
Comment by Photoshop Ninja
January 15, 2010 @ 3:43 pm
Yup, you can only work with the pixels you are given… but it does help if you spend some time and play around a bit with the settings – better than nothing!
Comment by Ziaul Mannan
March 8, 2010 @ 6:22 pm
I am not so famliar with PS. Would have sort of a step by step instructuins to sharpen the blurry pics ?
Thanks in advance.
Comment by Maddy
May 3, 2010 @ 4:31 pm
Great tip! Thanks1