Any software to sharpen blur images


AnitaChong28

New Member
Oct 12, 2012
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Singapore
Recently I took some scenery night shots.
The background is very sharp but the foreground (people) are blur.
This is due to the long shot (20")
Is there any software to make the people clear and sharp??
Apprec some guidance or tips
rgds/Anita
 

Heres one example.
How to sharpen this group of people
 

There is only so much software can do. If the blur is too much, like what you show in your picture, not much can be done.

Thanks daredevil123
Not even a little sharper????
Anything is better than nothing....
 

Thanks daredevil123
Not even a little sharper????
Anything is better than nothing....

Sharpening will only help if there are some level of details there. So slight blur, you can sharpen. Very blur, nothing you can do because there are no details to begin with. If you have another picture where their faces are sharper, maybe something can be done.
 

The facial details are not even there, so TBH, nothing can really salvage the picture.
 

yes, you can sharpen the faces.

a bit oxymoron, but it will only make the blur sharper.

there is nothing you can do when the details are not there to begin with.
 

systematically speaking blurs are graphics equivalent of low pass filters and the information lost in blurness cannot be recovered to full accuracy
 

if possible in future you should shoot wirh rear curtain flash. or use an external flashgun and hold the remote trigger in your hand and flash manually over a long exposure
 

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Reactions: v0857
you are meow-come
 

Beautiful capture of the Aurora Borealis!

+1 to Shizuma on rear curtain flash, and I would like to add: tell the people to relax and only smile when you cue them. And let them know what you're doing so they won't go "how come so long?" or "ok already or not?". When it's 2-3 sec before the shutter close, tell them to smile.

I noticed that the igloo in the foreground is less sharp/defined as the 2 igloos further back. Google hyperfocal distance to know how to get both the foreground subject(the people) and background reasonably sharp.
 

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Beautiful capture of the Aurora Borealis!

+1 to Shizuma on rear curtain flash, and I would like to add: tell the people to relax and only smile when you cue them. And let them know what you're doing so they won't go "how come so long?" or "ok already or not?". When it's 2-3 sec before the shutter close, tell them to smile.
Does this means the ppl in foreground can relax until 2-3 sec before the shuttle close then keep very still and smile.
I got them to be still for 20secs…no wonder so blurrrr besides it was freezing -38*C


I noticed that the igloo in the foreground is less sharp/defined as the 2 igloos further back. Google hyperfocal distance to know how to get both the foreground subject(the people) and background reasonably sharp.

Does this means the ppl in foreground can relax until 2-3 sec before the shuttle close then keep very still and smile.
I got them to be still for 20secs…no wonder so blurrrr besides it was freezing -38*C
Thank you - great advice.
 

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Does this means the ppl in foreground can relax until 2-3 sec before the shuttle close then keep very still and smile.
I got them to be still for 20secs…no wonder so blurrrr besides it was freezing -38*C
Thank you - great advice.

Hi no flash.. only long exposure
I hope you get the suggestion right.

What sis Shizuma suggested is use flash for this.

But photographers must also understand rear sync flash is not a magic pill.
Yes, flash light is able to freeze the image due to high intensity light emit during a very short duration, like 1/500s and shorter, but if the exposure time is long enough (slow sync) for the existing light to record images of your subject, and if your subject moved, it will create double images, or what we call "ghost image".

the camera default setting for slow sync is front curtain sync, means flash is fired once the shutter open. so the images recorded by existing light is after flash is fire, any subject moved during the whole exposure will create double image.

but when photographers use rear curtain sync in long shutter speed, the flash is fired just before shutter close. so the double images is still record but is before the sharp images.

read this page you will get a better idea of front and rear curtain sync.

http://www.sony-asia.com/microsite/assets/alpha/lighting/02_advanced/2-2.html


From your post respond to v0857, it seem you miss the part of using flash, so if you use long shutter speed without flash, and your human subject moved during the whole exposure time, they will still be blur.

and if you use flash, you want to record sharp image of your human subjects and not ghost images, you have to ask your human subjects to keep still thru out the whole exposure time, regardless front or rear curtain sync.







I remember some time ago, one member want to shoot portrait at night with city skyline as background. he came out a clever idea to record sharp images of model during long exposure.
He set up tripod to compost the shot and pose his subject, use flash in long exposure to record his human subject, and he ask his subject to walk out the frame once the flash fired. the shutter is still open and record the beautiful night scene.

so guess what he got, a semi-transparent model standing in front of skyline night scene.

Ghost in front of MBS.............. LOL


if possible in future you should shoot wirh rear curtain flash. or use an external flashgun and hold the remote trigger in your hand and flash manually over a long exposure

Beautiful capture of the Aurora Borealis!

+1 to Shizuma on rear curtain flash, and I would like to add: tell the people to relax and only smile when you cue them. And let them know what you're doing so they won't go "how come so long?" or "ok already or not?". When it's 2-3 sec before the shutter close, tell them to smile.

I noticed that the igloo in the foreground is less sharp/defined as the 2 igloos further back. Google hyperfocal distance to know how to get both the foreground subject(the people) and background reasonably sharp.
 

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as for your photo, there is noting to salvage, you can take the human subjects from another photo, do a copy and paste in photoshop, but also need to find a photo with similar lighting set up, you don't want to take a group photo taken during a sunny day, and paste it into night scene.

hope this help.
 

AnitaChong28, I have just read your response to my post above and catchlights' subsequent clarification post. Thank you catchlights for setting it straight.

Yes, the people will still have to remain motionless to prevent or minimise ghosting effect. I apologise for the confusion my post caused.

Since we are talking and discussing for future photographic opportunity, I would like to +1 to the recommendation of blending by silvermoon1407. For similar situation, 1 long exposure for the scenery without people and an exposure with flash(faction of a sec) with the people in the frame. Layer then mode "Lighten only".