Step By Step Guide
Sharpening Photos
Quick Approach1. Please resize the image to its final size before using FocalBlade.
2. Set the preview zoom to 100% otherwise you won't see the sharpening effect precisely.
3. Choose "Novice Mode" if it isn't already set.
4. Click the Reset button to set the default values.
5. Click on the Print button if you want to print the image or the Screen button if you want to use the image for screen display.
6. If you don't like the result, try other settings from the three Auto combo boxes.
7. Click on OK to apply the correction.
Advanced Approach
1. Please resize the photo to its final size before using FocalBlade. If you want to print it, make sure that its pixel size matches the print size.
2. Set the preview zoom to 100% otherwise you won't see the sharpening effect precisely.
3. If the image is larger than the preview, right click on the preview and drag to make the part of the image visible that contains the most important object.
4. Choose "Expert Mode" if it isn't already set.
5. Click the Reset button to set the default values.
6. Click on the Print button if you want to print the image or the Screen button if you want to use the image for screen display.
7. Try different settings from the three Auto combo boxes until you are satisfied.
8. To make more subtle changes please use the control of the Edges and Surface tab.
9. Click on OK to apply the correction.
Expert Approach
1. Please resize the photo to its final size before using FocalBlade. If you want to print it, make sure that its pixel size matches the print size.
2. Set the preview zoom to 100% otherwise you won't see the sharpening effect precisely.
3. If the image is larger than the preview, right click on the preview and drag to make the part of the image visible that contains the most important object.
4. Choose "Expert Mode" if it isn't already set.
5. Click the Reset button to set the default values.
6. Click on the Print button if you want to print the image or the Screen button if you want to use the image for screen display.
7. Draw a sample area on the preview that encloses the most important part of the image. By doing so you make sure that this part of the image gets optimally sharpened.
8. Try different settings from the three Auto combo boxes until you are satisfied.
9. To make more subtle changes please use the controls of the Edges and Surface tab. For controlling which areas of the photo will be sharpened with the Edges tab settings and with the Surface tab settings you can use the four Mask sliders. The Mask Display options lets you see which areas belong to the edges and which are surface.
10. Click on OK to apply the correction.
Split View
1. Please resize the photo to its final size before using FocalBlade.
2. Set the preview zoom to 100% otherwise you won't see the sharpening effect precisely.
3. Click the Reset Button to set the default values.
4. Activate the "Sharpen Vert." or "Sharpen Horiz." Split View mode. Activating the Multiple check box usually lets you better compare the different Split View areas.
5. Right click on the preview and drag to center the most important image area in the preview.
6. Try different settings of the three Auto combo boxes, adjust the controls of the Edges and Surface tabs or even draw a sample area on the preview until you are satisfied. For every change the Split View areas will be updated and display the new setting. The current settings are displayed in the middle area while the other areas display -/+ 50% variations of it.
7. Finally deactivate the Split View mode or alternatively hold down the Shift key and click on one of the Split View areas to apply its values to the controls of FocalBlade.
8. Click on OK to apply the correction.
Sharpening with a Brush
... in Photoshop
1. Open your image.
2. Choose Layer > Duplicate Layer or alternatively select "Duplicate Layer" from the menu of the Layer palette.
3. Apply Filter > PhotoWiz > FocalBlade to the image.
4. If you want to remove the sharpening effect from a few image areas, please choose Layer > (Add) Layer Mask > Reveal All. Alternatively, if you want to brush the sharpening effect only on a few image areas, please select Layer > (Add) Layer Mask > Hide All.
5. Select the brush tool and choose appropriate brush size and options.
6. To remove the sharpness effect from some areas of the image please choose a black color in the foreground color box of Photoshop's tool palette. But if you have choosen Layer > (Add) Layer Mask > Hide All in step 4, please choose a white color in the foreground color box of Photoshop's tool palette.
7. Brush over the image areas where you want the sharpness effect removed or revealed.
8. When you are done, you can flatten the image with Layer > Flatten Image.
... in Paint Shop Pro1. Open your image.
2. Choose Layers > Duplicate which will add a new layer called "Copy of Background" in the Layer palette.
3. Apply Effects > Plugins > PhotoWiz > FocalBlade to the image.
4. If you want to remove the sharpening effect from a few image areas, please choose Layers > New Mask Layer > Show All. Alternatively, if you want to brush the sharpening effect only to a few image areas, please select Layers > New Mask Layer > Hide All.
5. Select the brush tool and choose appropriate brush size and options.
6. To remove the sharpness effect from some areas of the image please choose a black color in the foreground color box. But if you have choosen Layers > New Mask Layer > Hide All in step 4, please choose a white color in the foreground color box.
7. Brush over the image areas where you want the sharpness effect removed or revealed.
8. When you are done, you can flatten the image with Layers > Merge > Merge All (Flatten).
.. in other applicationsThe procedure works similar in other aplications if they have a layer mask feature.
Deblurring Photos
1. Please resize the image to its final size before using FocalBlade.
2. Switch to the "DeBlur" or "DeBlur Pro" mode.
3. Try various settings for the Sharpen and Radius slider(s) until you are satisfied. Choosing the right method may help, too. However, if the image is too blurry, you will only be able to make it somewhat less blurry, but not fully sharp again.
4. Click on OK to apply the correction.
Fixing Oversharpened Photos
1. Please resize the image to its final size before using FocalBlade.
2. Choose "Expert Mode" if it isn't already set.
3. Set the Sharpen sliders of the Edges and Surface tabs to zero.
4. Increase the value of the Soften slider of the Surface tab until you are satisfied with the result. Also try different Radius slider settings.
5. To soften the edges, too, please decrease the value of the Intensity slider. Try various settings for the Method combo box if you are still not satisfied.
6. Click on OK to apply the correction.
Creating a Glow Effect
1. Switch to Glow mode or to Expert mode. In Expert mode set both Sharpen sliders to zero if you don't want additional sharpening to be applied.
2. Adjust the Glow slider to your preferred value and change the glow color by clicking on the color box left to the Glow slider.
3. To change the look of the glow effect you can use the Intensity, Smoothness and Remove sliders.
4. Click on OK to apply the correction.
Creating a Soft Focus Effect
1. Switch to Soft Focus mode or to Expert mode. In Expert mode set both Sharpen sliders (of at least that of the Surface tab) to zero if you don't want additional sharpening to be applied.
2. Set the Soften slider to a value between 50 and 75 and set the Radius slider of the Surface tab to a value of around 8.0.
3. Try different Method box settings.
4. In Expert mode you can additionally use the Intensity and Remove sliders to selectively soften or unsoften certain image areas. Additionally you can use the Highlights and Shadows sliders from the Fix tab to remove the effect from the highlights and shadows.
5. In Expert mode you can also use the Glow slider to add a nice effect.
4. Click on OK to apply the correction.