Tutorial: AKVIS Enhancer

Enhancer plugin: Focus mode

Follow the steps below to improve the focus of your image using AKVIS Enhancer:

• Step 1. Open the image in a photo editor.
  
• Step 2. Call AKVIS Enhancer plugin. To this effect select the command Filter - AKVIS - Enhancer in Adobe Photoshop; the menu item Effects - Plugins- AKVIS - Enhancer if you work with Corel (Jasc) Paint Shop Pro; or Effects - AKVIS - Enhancer if you use Corel PHOTO-PAINT.
• Step 3. Choose the Focus mode in the Settings panel.

  The photo will be processed with the default parameter values (the AKVIS Default preset in the list of presets).

  The result will be shown in the After tab in the preview area.

  The preview area represents a dotted frame. You can drag the frame (the button ) or draw it anew on any part of the image, thus analyzing different parts of the photo.

  

  With a left-click on the image you can temporarily switch to the Before tab and compare the result of automatic focusing with the original photo in the preview window.

• Step 4. You can adjust the settings to achieve the best result

  • The Manual focusing parameter imitates the focus ring of a digital camera. The values vary between 0 and 100. For different images the optimum value will differ.

  • The Sensitivity parameter influences on the level of detail. If you increase the value of the parameter, the details get clearer. It is not recommended to use high values of this parameter as it may reveal much noise.

  • The Intensify parameter is closely related to the previous parameters. If you increase the value of this parameter, the effect of the previous parameters will increase, too.

  Set the value of the overlay parameters that define the final result of re-focusing:

  • The Darken parameter. The result of focusing is compared with the original image. If the color of the pixel on the original image is lighter than the color of the pixel on the resulting image, it is replaced by the darker pixel. If the color of the pixel on the original image is darker than the color of the pixel on the resulting image, this pixel doesn't change its color. The higher the value of the parameter, the darker are the pixels. As a result the image contrast will change too.

  • The Lighten parameter. This parameter works in the same way as the Darken parameter, but the pixels of the original image are replaced with the lighter pixels.

  The real result of the focusing can be seen if you set the value of both parameters to 100. However, it may cause noise.

  When the value of the parameters is lower than 100, the result of focusing is blended with the original image. That is why the final result looks more realistic.

  If the value of these parameters is 0, the resulting image will coincide with the original image.

  
• Step 5. To start the process, click on the button .
  

  If you want to process only certain areas of your image, you should define them using the following tools.

  • The Effect Area tool (button ). Use the blue pencil to outline the areas that should be processed.

  • The No Effect Area tool (button ). Use the red pencil to outline the parts that mustn’t be processed.

  • The Eraser tool (button ). Use the tool to erase the drawn strokes.

  Adjust the stroke width and the eraser size by changing the value of the Brush Size parameter on the Settings panel.

  Note:

  It is better to draw a closed outline around the objects. Otherwise the effect can extend over the drown borders.

  

  Press the button to start the process.

  
• Step 6. It is possible to save the settings you like as a preset and use them in the future. To save a preset, enter a name for the preset into the Presets field and press the button Save. Now, as you start the program, it will use the settings of this preset. If you change the values of the parameters, you can always come back to the default settings of the preset by pressing the button Reset.

  To delete a preset, select it from the list and press Delete.

  To process an image with the settings of a certain preset, you should select it from the fall-out menu and wait a bit.

• Step 7. When the correction process is over, press the button to apply the result or the button to close the program window without applying the result.

  Original image

  Result image