If your image is just a little soft, try printing it out at a smaller size-for example, at wallet size (2.5 by 3.5 inches). However, if you have a shot that you really want to use, and one of those programs’ built-in sharpening tools don’t solve the problem, there are some other alternatives.

Nothing can truly bring an out-of-focus image back into sharp detail. Of focus-mainly by increasing the contrast along edges. IPhoto, Photoshop, and Photoshop Elements all provide sharpening filters that can go a long way toward improving an image. Soft or out-of-focus images are usually a sign that your camera focused on the wrong thing, or used a shutter speed that was too slow. You could always get rid of the color and go with a black-and-white photo. For example, shooting in low light can produce images that look almost monochromatic, usually with extreme reddish-orange color casts. By clicking on the images you think best represent the true color of the scene, you can systematically adjust the image’s color channels. Here, you can see your current image, as well as several different versions of your image, each with slight color changes. In Photoshop, go to Image: Adjustments: Variations. In Elements, go to Enhance: Adjust Color: Color Variations. If that doesn’t work, both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements also offer a Variations tool that can help guide you through the process of adjusting color. Go to Enhance: Adjust Color: Remove Color Cast, and use the eyedropper to click on any part of the image that should be white, black, or a neutral gray. Photoshop Elements will also attempt to correct color casts for you. Photoshop Elements’ Remove Color Cast tool helped restore the scene. The camera used the wrong white balance when taking this shot (left). Doing so tells Photoshop to blend the pixels of the two layers together, severely darkening your image. This menu controls how overlapping layers blend together.

At the top of the Layers palette is a pop-up menu set to Normal. To quickly correct this in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, open the Layers palette (if it isn’t already on screen) and make sure the Background layer is selected. Once you’ve converted to gray scale, you’ll probably notice that your image lacks contrast. You can mask the problem by converting it to a black-and-white image (right). In this overexposed image (left), the flesh tones in the child’s face are completely blown out. ($599 and $80, respectively), the easiest way to convert to black-and-white is to select Image: Mode: Grayscale. ($79 as part of the iLife ’05 suite), switch to Edit mode and click on the B&W button.

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