I admit that sometimes I’m a bit slow to catch up with the latest technology. For instance, for years I’ve been going on and on about how I should invest in a drone and I finally did it 18 months ago with no regrets whatsoever. Better late than never, I suppose!

The same can be said about investing in the latest photography software, such as Topaz SharpenAI, which includes the super-useful AI Sharpening feature. In this blog post I’ll review this amazing piece of technology with examples of my own work and why you should also give it a go. Let’s get started!

Disclaimer: These are affiliate links and would help me out lots if you click on them if you do decide to invest in this impressive software.

Topaz helped me recover a special memory when I saw Michael Jordan play live!

As mentioned on the May 2023 Brutally Honest Earnings Report, I first had the idea to scan some of my old prints and submit them to Alamy to be licensed as stock. One such set was Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls playing the Vancouver Grizzlies in early-1998, a game I attended.

The original print was a mess and Topaz Sharpen AI did a great job to recover some of the lost details with a click of a button. I should soon quite easily recover the relatively small investment of $90 or so with such unique vintage shots.

A few more examples

Here’s a few more examples, this time from my dad’s collection when he traveled to west Africa in the early 1980s.

Blur no more

Admittedly, as I’m often shooting for hours and at the end of the day, my pics can get a little blurrier because I’m less focused / tired (also less light in the evening/night). There are also some occasions when you may capture a moment (for instance breaking news) and it may be slightly soft.

Or when I’m flying a drone during super windy conditions and having difficulty getting a clear still, such as here when I was shooting a golf course in the Algarve.

In all of these occasions, while before I would have probably discarded the pics which were lacking quality, I now run it through Topaz Sharpen AI to see if it’s possible to recover some of the lack of focus and reduce noise.

Here’s a YT video with some examples of before and after:

Also a great review here:

What does using Topaz Sharpen AI mean in practice as a stock photographer?

Well, essentially it means more images being accepted and higher quality. For instance, whenever I see an image that is slightly noisy/blurry I’ll run it through Topaz Sharpen AI before submitting. Here’s are two examples when I uploaded it without running through the software and after. SS AI reviewers vs AI-enhanced image!

Other useful tools by Topaz Labs

Hope you’ve found this review useful.

Earnings report in a few days, stay tuned!

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About Alex

I’m an eccentric guy, currently based in Lisbon, Portugal, on a quest to visit all corners of the world and capture stock images & footage. I’ve devoted eight years to making it as a travel photographer / videographer and freelance writer. I hope to inspire others by showing an unique insight into a fascinating business model.

Most recently I’ve gone all in on submitting book cover images to Arcangel Images. Oh and also recently purchased a DJI Mavic 2s drone and taking full advantage and perhaps a Mavic 3 soon.

I’m proud to have written a book about my adventures which includes tips on making it as a stock travel photographer – Brutally Honest Guide to Microstock Photography