Techniques are disclosed for blur classification. The techniques utilize an image content feature map, a blur map, and an attention map, thereby combining low-level blur estimation with a high-level understanding of important image content in order to perform blur classification. The techniques allow for programmatically determining if blur exists in an image, and determining what type of blur it is (e.g., high blur, low blur, middle or neutral blur, or no blur). According to one example embodiment, if blur is detected, an estimate of spatially-varying blur amounts is performed and blur desirability is categorized in terms of image quality.