How do I make this blurry image clear?

[JABTE05]

I've been sent a couple of images (that I have reduced in size for the purpose of posting it here) to be put into a powerpoint presentation, but upon opening them I realize that they are pretty blurry like the one attached here. What is the best way to fix this in Photoshop? I know there's the sharpen filter, but is there a technique to using it rather than just clicking it once (since that didn't seem too work too well)?

Angela

[Norman Hathaway]

sadly that's a long exposure- so more than simpy out of focus.
don't use sharpen- use unsharp mask.

as i don't know your final size/rez, it's hard to be specific.

but adjust the top slider the most, the middle one just a smidge, and the bottom one barely at all or not at all.

how's that for generic guidance?

[JohnC]

That is a lot of motion blur to get rid of. What if you went the opposite way? Make it more artistic. Do a little sharpening, but then add another layer with an effect filter like "smudge stick" and lower the opacity of that layer and get something like this...

John

[Steve Rindsberg]

If it helps, it'd be reasonable to assume a final size of 1024x768 for use full-screen in a PPT file that'll be used as a screenshow or printed on most desktop printers.

[PeterArnel]

( I am a synical printer :-) just put it in power point and be dammed. It doesnt have much relevance unless they are related to your boss or the client. I nowadays never clean my glasses when looking at powerpoint so everything is a blur anyway.
Peter

[JABTE05]

If it helps, it'd be reasonable to assume a final size of 1024x768 for use full-screen in a PPT file that'll be used as a screenshow or printed on most desktop printers.

Yeah, it's not even going to be printed to my knowledge. He's just using it in a screenshow to illustrate something to his clients.

[JABTE05]

( I am a synical printer :-) just put it in power point and be dammed. It doesnt have much relevance unless they are related to your boss or the client. I nowadays never clean my glasses when looking at powerpoint so everything is a blur anyway.
Peter

That's exactly what I did since he only gave me 20 minutes before his meeting. Then he called my boss and complained. Luckily she told him I did the right thing.

[Stephen Owades]

sadly that's a long exposure- so more than simpy out of focus.
don't use sharpen- use unsharp mask.

as i don't know your final size/rez, it's hard to be specific.

but adjust the top slider the most, the middle one just a smidge, and the bottom one barely at all or not at all.

how's that for generic guidance?
The Smart Sharpen tool in Photoshop CS2, with "Remove Motion Blur" specified as an option, might be useful in dealing with images whose blurriness is caused by camera shake. If we look at spot highlights in the image posted here, it appears that the camera motion was in two directions--a horizontal move followed by a vertical one--and even this smart sharpener can't do much to fix it. But it may be the best tool to experiment with for similar images, especially if the blur is in a single direction.