You can sharpen "soft" photos in Adobe PhotoShop with the "Unsharp Masking" and "Sharpen" features provided in the computer software. It uses the same principle that we b&w darkroom printers used to employ--increased contrast along the edges of the subject. A high contrast b&w print looks sharper than a normal or flat one because the demarcation lines between light and dark areas are narrowed with the higher contrast. So, soft focus edges go either darker or lighter with the increased contrast, thus providing a harsher edge and more apparent sharpness. PhotoShop works in a similar manner by converting the pixels to a darker or lighter color to increase the contrast between areas and give the impression of sharpness.
If that doesn't work, I have here a bottle of "Print Focusing Solution" that I will be glad to sell you! John B. Corns --> SPORRS: Serious Photographers of Railroad Related Subjects
