Common photo problems and how to fix them in Photoshop: #4 My photo is out of focus

Photoshop sharpening
(Image credit: James Paterson)

We see lots of wild claims about software tools and editing techniques that can 'cure' out of focus photos. We file these with the Loch Ness monster and Bigfoot sightings. However, while big focus failures are beyond rescue, it is possible to improve the apparent sharpness of photos with smaller focus errors.

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James Paterson

The lead technique writer on Digital Camera MagazinePhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine and N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, James is a fantastic general practice photographer with an enviable array of skills across every genre of photography. 


Whether it's flash photography techniques like stroboscopic portraits, astrophotography projects like photographing the Northern Lights, or turning sound into art by making paint dance on a set of speakers, James' tutorials and projects are as creative as they are enjoyable. 


He's also a wizard at the dark arts of Photoshop, Lightroom and Affinity Photo, and is capable of some genuine black magic in the digital darkroom, making him one of the leading authorities on photo editing software and techniques.