FocalPoint by onOne Software is a plug-in for Photoshop that simulates depth-of-field and allows users to apply selective focus to key elements of their photos. If it sounds similar to Photoshop's built-in "Lens Blur" filter it is, but FocalPoint sweetens the deal with some additional tools to help you fine tune your focus.

Users can use the onFocus interface to drop "focus bugs" on their image. Areas away from a bug get blurry while areas under the bugs remain in-focus (assuming they were in-focus to begin with). The transition between in- and out-of-focus areas can be adjusted using a feathering setting. Users can also adjust the amount of blur applied.

FocalPoint also allows users to paint focal blur on to their images using a brush tool similar to Photoshop's standard brush tool. Painted focus and focus bugs can be combined to fine tune selective focus effects.

Photographers more sophisticated than myself might appreciate the control that FocalPoint allows over the type of blur it applies. This tool is designed to simulate the blur created by a camera lens, not simply apply a standard gaussian blur.

If all of this sounds interesting, there are quite a few videos at www.ononesoftware.com demonstrating how to use FocalPoint, including some showing features I haven't described here. Users with older hardware should beware that FocalPoint lists 2GB RAM and a 1.8 GHz P4 as system requirements. My older laptop with a 1.6GHz processer and 1GB RAM runs Photoshop easily but stuggled with FocalPoint.