How to make a sharp image in Photoshop. Sharpening Photos
Sharpening and removing noise are very important ingredients in photographic processing and can be applied to almost any image. And if the photo contains feathers, fur or other microscopic details, then sharpening is simply necessary. In this article, we'll walk you through the basic sharpening techniques in Photoshop.
Our original image
We will look at several methods of sharpening, but you should not apply all of the techniques below to one image at once - experiment and find the most suitable for yourself.
To get a high-quality, sharp image, you should consider both sides of the same coin. Harsh sharpening with software results in noise, while noise reduction makes photos look more blurry. To achieve the best result, you need to find a certain balance so that the photos are sharp enough, but at the same time there is no unnecessary noise, which, of course, spoils the whole picture.
Our final image
Many images, such as our photograph of a bird, contain areas that are initially sharp and blurry. We do not need to increase the sharpness at all in those places where blurring, softness is provided. Take, for example, the green lawn in our photo, it serves as a beautiful background, and you don't need to sharpen it at all. We will show you how to apply sharpening only to those areas where you really need it.
1. Open your image in Camera Raw
In Bridge, double-click the original image to launch Camera Raw. First, let's process the photo a little, add contrast, increase shadows, sharpness and saturation. For this photo, we selected the following settings for the above parameters: Contrast +15, Shadows +16, Clarity +10 and Saturation +18.
2. Maximize the sharpness
In the toolbar, select the Zoom tool (Magnifying glass) and zoom in on the image by 100%. Hold down the spacebar and drag the image so that you can see both the bird's head and the background. Drag the Amount and Radius sliders as far as possible to the right.
3. Now let's soften the effect
Now drag the Amount and Radius sliders back until the image looks natural. The Amount value is responsible for the sharpness of the entire image, and with the Radius value we determine how sharpness affects its borders. Choose the optimal values and do not forget to turn previews on and off in order to compare the resulting image with the source. For our photo, 67 for Amount and 1.4 for Radius are the most optimal.
4. Apply the mask
The Masking slider allows us to apply sharpening only to areas where there is any detail. Hold down the Alt key and move the slider. The image will be displayed in black and white. The further to the right you drag the slider, the more areas become black, which means that these areas will not be sharpened. For this image, we chose a value of 40 to leave the initially blurred background intact.
5. We transform the image into a Smart object
Open our photo in Photoshop by clicking on the Open Image button. Go to the Layers panel, right-click on the Background layer and select Convert to Smart Object. This will give us the opportunity to leave untouched the layer that is being edited, and all the applied filters will be added to it as items. If necessary, the settings of these filters can be changed in the future.
6. Using Smart Sharpness
In the CC's version of Photoshop in the Smart Sharpen section (in the English version of Smart Sharpen) there is a slider responsible for reducing noise. Combined with the Amount and Radius settings, Smart Sharpness is a great tool for adjusting sharpness and noise. Start by changing the values for Amount and Radius (Amount - 102%, Radius - 1.4px).
7. Reduce noise
Drag the noise reduction slider to the right to a value of 30 to remove noise in the background of our photo. If the noise is still noticeable, change the position of the Shadows slider, set the value to about 65%.
8. Use the Layer Mask
Zoom in to see the result of Smart Sharpening. The effect is too strong in the eye area, noise is noticeable. To get rid of it, arm yourself with the Brush Tool, select the Smart Filters mask in the Layers panel, change the brush color to black (you can use the D and X keys to change the brush color). Now, on the layer with the filter, draw with a black brush the area where we want to get rid of the noise, in our case it is the bird's eye.
9. Using Filters in Camera Raw
The background still looks too noisy. Let's try to reduce it still. With the keyboard shortcut Ctrl / Cmd + J copy the layer and go to Filter, select Camera Raw Filter. In the opened Camera Raw window, enlarge the photo and in the Noise Reduction subsection, move the Luminance slider to about 46 until the graininess disappears from the light areas of the image.
On the bottom row of the Layers panel, click on the Add Layer Mask icon. In the toolbar, select the Brush and set black as the main color. Click on the mask and paint over the areas where you want to leave a high sharpness.
10. Sharpen tool
In the layers panel, click on the Create New Layer icon and rename the new layer Sharpen tool. Then in the toolbar select the Sharpen Tool (Sharpness). In the upper line of the tool parameters, put a checkmark in front of Sample All Layers and Protect Detail. Set the Strenght value to about 10%. Now we enlarge the image and use this tool to draw all the details that need to be sharpened.
11. Adjusting the colors
Now we will slightly improve the color saturation using the Color lab. But first, let's combine all the resulting layers, for this use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl / Cmd + Shift + Alt + E. Rename the layer to Color boost, transfer it to Smart Object. Now double click on the layer to open it in a new document.
12. Increase saturation
Open the Image tab - Mode and select Color LAB. Create a new adjustment layer Levels (Levels). In the settings of the adjustment layer in the drop-down menu, select A. To increase the saturation, we need to bring the white and black sliders to approximately equal values. Let's start by setting the value to 25 in the lower left box, which is responsible for the shadows.
13. Setting values for Levels
Now that we have moved the left slider to 25, we need to set the same value for the right slider (255 - 25 = 230). In the lower right window, enter the value 230. Pay attention to the red and orange fragments of the photo, they have become much richer.
14. Channel B
Open the drop-down menu of channels again and change A to B. In this channel, we also need to bring the sliders to approximately the same values. But do not forget that channel B is responsible for green tones, and we don't need to make the background too saturated. For this reason, we enter the following values in the windows: 15 and 240.
15. Evaluating the colors of the photo
To evaluate the changes made, turn off the visibility of the layer by clicking on the eye icon next to the Levels layer. If the photo is oversaturated, reduce the Opacity to 80%.
The colors now look much better, but some of the yellow parts have taken on a red tint as a result of our manipulation. To get rid of it, create a Layer mask and paint over the areas where we need to reduce the effect with a black brush.
17. Add a vignette
Finally, to soften the background a bit, add a vignette. Use the Ctrl / Cmd + Shift + Alt + E key combination to merge the layers, transfer the layer to a Smart Object and select Camera Raw in the Filters tab. Here we will use the Radial Filter. Select it and place the filter circle over the bird, set the exposure to -0.40, now click OK and save the image.
We will talk about how to increase sharpness in Photoshop using various techniques in this article. To begin with, what images we will work with and what final goals we want to achieve with this event. This will allow you to choose the method of work and the desired approach.
As trivial as it is, all photos can be divided into two main categories - those where people are and where they are not. Therefore, there will also be two approaches to sharpening - working with a portrait and other pictures.
Before we directly turn to work, let's decide that means sharpening in Photoshop this will give us an understanding of the processing process. So, Photoshop is not a magic pill for shitty photos, it does not add to the objects in the processed image that which is not there initially. The program cannot turn a blurry UG into a masterpiece of photographic art.
Sharpening in Photoshop, you just increase the micro contrast, nothing else happens. New details do not appear in the photo, it is just that the already existing ones appear most clearly, and both those that I would like to emphasize and those whose manifestation is undesirable.
Sharpening a portrait
When working with portraits, you do not need to sharpen the entire frame, remember to increase the micro contrast, it will be enough to softly emphasize the eye area, this will be enough to make the photo look "cheerful", less often lips and jewelry are processed in the same way.
Such processing can be carried out as part of the general one. I do the following. Use the Lasso tool, read about working with it, select the eye area
Then, using the Shift + Ctrl + C key combination, a copy of the combined data, if the picture consists of one layer, the CtrL + C combination is used. Then immediately apply Ctrl + V the contents of the selected area will be pasted on a new layer.
To this layer I apply the High Pass filter (color contrast) from the menu Filter - Other (Filter - Other). The radius of action is selected in such a way that details begin to appear, in my case these are cilia and a pattern on the iris of the eye.
Then I change the blending mode of the filtered layer to Vivid Light. I add a black mask to this layer using the corresponding button at the bottom of the layers palette and holding down the Alt key, hiding it
With help white I process the mask showing the effect of sharpening the cilia and iris of the eye. If the strength of the influence turns out to be insufficient, the layer can be duplicated (Ctrl + J), excessive - to reduce the opacity (Opacity).
Applying Sharpening Filters
Another way to sharpen both portrait and any other is to use filters Photoshop, however, to use them, you need all the layers that make up the picture into one (Alt + Shift + Ctrl + E).
Earlier I wrote about sharpening in ACR for RAW files, you can read it and, however, no one forbids using this module as a filter (Shift + Ctrl + A) about the settings can be found on the links above.
I wrote about working with the Unsharp Mask filter in this article, if you wish. A more advanced option is Smart Sharp filter it is in the English version of the program - Smart Sharpen, I will try its action on the experimental picture.
To make all the changes occurring to the picture visible, before using the filter, I will set its scale to 100% with the key combination (Ctrl + 1). I follow the path Filter - Sharpness - Smart Sharpness.
Using the Smart Sharpen filter
The size of the filter window can be adjusted by grasping the square and moving it from both inward, decreasing it, and outward, increasing it. This useful feature allows you to customize the window so that it is convenient to monitor changes in the picture either in the document window or in the viewing area of the filter itself.
Now about how the filter works - first you need to set the strength of the impact, the parameter Amount (Effect). The higher the value of this parameter, the stronger the contrast between pixels and the sharper. I set it to 300%
By moving the Radius slider, we increase the number of pixels affected by the effect, the higher its value, the more obvious the sharpening is. However, excessive zeal is unnecessary, because this entails the appearance of halos.
Once the Radius value is set, you can go back to the Amount parameter and try to raise it to values where the halos around the contrasting edges do not begin to appear. The sharpening limit is reached haloless increasing the values of "Radius" and "Effect".
The Reduce Noise slider effectively removes emerging noise due to sharpening.
ParameterRemove "Remove" determines the sharpening algorithm applied to the picture. The default setting is Shallow Blur Lens Blur, which is most effective at detecting outlines and details and then sharpening them. In halos, the sharpness is adjusted at a lower intensity.
The item "Blur in motion" Motion Blur is used to reduce the blur caused by movement during shooting, camera or object, when using this item, the angle setting becomes available, which actually determines the direction of movement.
Also in the filter there is the possibility of adjusting the impact on dark and light areas using the drop-down Shadows / Highlights tab.
The settings of these tabs are used to suppress dark and light halos that appear as a result of the filter operation. We have saddle settings hiding behind sliders
Fade Amount ( Weakening the effect) allows you to change the intensity of the set effect.
Tonal Width ( Tone Range Width) allows you to adjust the range of shades and highlights that can be changed. Adjustment is achieved by moving the slider to the left - the smaller meaning and stronger shadow correction limited to the darkest areas. Moving to the right - higher values will correct the highlights in the lightest areas.
Radius(Radius) determines the size of the area around each pixel, by which it is determined whether it belongs to light or shadow
For my picture, I selected the values of these parameters shown below.
In addition to these most obvious ways to sharpen them, there are still a huge number of them to describe all in one sweat, there is no way. However, in conclusion, I hope it will come in handy for you.
Sharpening with an edge mask
This method of sharpening is simple, effective, easily amenable to automation, which means it can be used when processing a large number of photos from minimal cost time.
Take the picture, create a copy of the background layer, go to the "Channels" tab, you need to select the most contrasting channel, usually it is red or evil, in my case it is green. I make a copy of this channel by dragging the ego onto the leaf icon at the bottom of the palette.
With the green copy active, go to the menu Filter - Stylize - Select Edges (Filter - Stylize - Find Edges). The result is in front of you
Invert the image of keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl + I)
To expand the received contractions I go: Filter - Other - Maximum (Filter - Other - Maximum). Leave the default radius unchanged.
With the help of the correction "" I will get rid of random pixels, with the combination (Ctrl + L) I call the corresponding dialog and slightly shift the black point
It is necessary to soften the edges of the future mask a little; for this, I use a Gaussian blur filter with a small radius value.
The blank for the mask is ready, it remains for her to apply. Turn on the visibility of the image by making the composite channel active (). By clicking on the icon of the green channel copy while holding down the Ctrl key, create a selection based on it, return to the Layers palette, invert the selection (Shift + Ctrl + I).
Now, following the principles described in I apply the contour sharpening filter.
After applying the filter, remove the selection (Ctrl + D). Thanks to the selection made, only the areas on the goat's face became sharp, the rest of the picture was not affected.
That's all for today until the next articles on the blog.
In this tutorial, you will learn several ways to sharpen an image to get around the disadvantages of Photoshop's built-in sharpening filters. What are these disadvantages? Let's start in order:
1. Color halos may appear around contrasting objects.
2. Color and monochromatic noise increases. If the second is not so scary, you don't even always need to get rid of it, then the first literally hurts your eyes.
3. In the scanned photographs, the above disadvantages appear even more strongly, in addition, the graininess inherent in them increases.
As a rule, in the process of working on improving a photo, the sharpness has to be increased several times, which can further aggravate the situation.
How can you avoid these problems? Beginners (and not only) users are often confused by this. But there are several methods, plus their variations and combinations, that allow you to sharpen without increasing noise and artifacts. So, let's get started.
Method 1:
1. Open our image. We immediately put it into Lab mode Image-Mode-Lab(Image-Mode-Lab).
2. Choosing a palette Channels(Channels) press CTRL + 1 to select a channel Brightness(Lightness), then ~ to see the image in color.
3. Apply to this channel Filter-Sharpness-Unsharp Mask(Filter-Sharpen-Unsharp Mask).
The settings depend on the specific image. Many do not know how to properly use this filter. We will now correct this knowledge gap.
So the first thing to do is set the value the effect(Amount) within 80 - 150, depending on the image resolution. Then we gradually increase the values Radius(Radius) until visible flaws and artifacts appear. Next, we increase the value Threshold(Threshold) until the roughness data disappears, but the sharpening effect is preserved.
4. Press CTRL + ~ to select a composite channel. Then, as in step 1, we transfer the image back to RGB mode.
Method 2:
1. Open the image. Copy to a new layer CTRL + J.
2. Apply to this layer Filter-Others-Color Contrast t (Filter-Other-High Pass), with a radius of about 1 (depends on the image resolution, but I do not recommend setting a large one, I will explain why later).
3. Click CTRL + SHIFT + U to desaturate the image. This is a very important point! Since we have removed color information from this layer (and it certainly is, although the layer looks gray), this will avoid an increase in color noise.
4. Change the layer's blend mode to Overlapping(Overlay). You can do this in the Layers palette, or by pressing SHIFT + ALT + O.
5. If the result does not suit you, for example, the sharpness has increased too much, you need to reduce the layer's opacity. If you need to increase the effect, copy the layer as many times as necessary (CTRL + J).
If you try to sharpen up the sharpness immediately by setting a large value for the radius in step 2, it will degrade the image quality.
Method 3: the same second, but adapted for scanned photos. I think many will appreciate its effectiveness. I do not bring pictures so as not to repeat.
1. Open the image, copy it to a new layer.
2. Repeat point 2 from the previous method, but set the radius value much higher, from about 4 and higher, depending on the resolution.
3. Next, you need to blur the layer with Filter - Noise - Dust and scratches(Filter-Noise-Dust & Scratches), so as to remove grain, but leave the outlines of the images.
4. Then repeat steps 3-5 from the previous recipe.
In order not to waste time on performing these actions in the future, you can create actions, that is, operations, for each selected method.
In one of the following lessons, you will learn another sharpening technique. It is quite complicated, so I did not overload this lesson with its description.
I wish you creative success!
Much has been written about sharpening photographs. But there is always an opportunity to take a fresh look at a well-known topic and learn something interesting. In this article we will look at some of the features of sharpening and discuss different approaches to this issue. For the sake of completeness, the description will first briefly describe what sharpness is and what possibilities for increasing it are offered by graphic editors. If you know a lot about this topic, then you can skip directly to the third part, where you will learn about what will help you take better photos. Maybe you will find in this article something that contradicts your professional view on this issue, but after all, it is from the variety of opinions and approaches to the topic that optimal solutions appear.
1. What determines the sharpness of the image
The sharpness of the image depends on two factors - the resolution of the optics and the contour sharpness. In addition, the so-called anti-moor filter is installed on the matrices of most cameras, which in varying degrees blurs the image. This prevents the appearance of moiré, but, in turn, reduces the sharpness of the image. Alas, it is impossible to change the resolution of the optics and the camera in the graphics editor, so in this article we will only consider the issue of changing the contour sharpness.
We perceive sharpness in an image as the degree of contrast on the contours. Classic example the need to increase the sharpness - two surfaces of different brightness. When zoomed out, most interpolation algorithms blur the boundaries between surfaces. To restore sharpness or, more precisely, the illusion of such, it is necessary to darken the outline in a dark area and lighten it in a light area. This enhancement of contrast on the contours is used by the sharpening algorithms.
In the example below, the outlines between surfaces with different brightness are quite sharp. When the image is zoomed out, several pixels have to be placed in one, and with the usual calculation of the average, the contours would become blurred, as can be seen in the second example. Good Photoshop algorithms like Bicubic will slightly increase the edge sharpening when zoomed out. By further sharpening with filters, the contrast on the edges is further enhanced.
2. Ways to sharpen
What it looks like to work with contour sharpness in practice, we will consider using Photoshop as the most famous graphic editor as an example. Other programs, such as Gimp, use the same or similar techniques.
2.1. Unsharp Mask filter
The most famous way to sharpen is the Unsharp Mask filter. It allows you to control sharpening using three parameters:
Amount: the degree of influence of the filter.
Radius: Determines which area around the outlines will be affected by the contrast change. If this parameter is too high, then it will no longer be an increase in sharpness, but an increase in contrast. For most web images, a value of 0.2 or 0.3 gives optimal results.
Threshold: This parameter controls how much the adjacent areas must differ in order for the border between them to be considered a contour. It is better to leave this parameter at zero. If there is a lot of noise in the photo, you can try setting the Threshold to a small value, but it will still be better to just use the noise reduction first.
2.2. Highpass filter
The second way to sharpen is the Highpass filter. First, you need to make a copy of the layer, change the overlay mode to Overlay and remove the saturation from the copy of the layer via Hue / Saturation.
Now we need to apply the Other-Highpass filter to this copy of the layer. There is only one parameter in the dialog that appears. It corresponds to the Radius parameter of the Unsharp Mask filter.
If the sharpness is increased too much, then you can reduce the transparency of this layer. If the sharpness is not enough, you can make a copy of the layer. The advantage of this method is that it allows you to create multiple layers with different radius parameters. In this case, the lower layers are not hidden by the upper ones, since for the Overlay mode grey colour is neutral.
While the Overlay mode works well in most cases, you can experiment with other modes for which gray is neutral: Soft / Hard / Vivid / Linear / Pin Light.
2.3. Smart Sharpen filter
In the version of "Photoshop" CS2 there is a new filter Smart Sharpen, which gives more control over sharpening and, with skillful use, allows you to achieve better results. This filter works well for images with a lot of fine detail, while for coarser structures it is better to use an Unsharp Mask or Highpass.
First, I advise you to check the More Accurate option. At the same time, the process takes longer, but the quality of the result is incomparably better.
In Basic mode, the results of this filter are similar to the Unsharp Mask, only without the Threshold parameter. The main difference of this filter is in the algorithm by which the program reduces the unsharpness of the image, that is, what type of unsharpness the filter is trying to reduce. This algorithm is specified by the Remove parameter. With a Gaussian Blur value, the effect of this filter is roughly the same as the Unsharp Mask filter, only its effect is weaker.
The Lense Blur value is better for images with a lot of fine detail, because with this method, the halos around the edges are much weaker.
When set to Motion Blur, this filter tries to reduce the effect of wiggle caused by too slow shutter speeds. This method works only in cases where the image is blurred in only one direction and you can set this direction precisely with the Angle parameter. In theory and in test pictures, shake reduction works quite well, but in real photographs, the ego effect leaves much to be desired and does not replace a good tripod or a high-aperture lens.
In Advanced mode, this filter allows you to attenuate the sharpening in dark and light colors... I advise you to use this filter as follows:
1. In the Sharpen menu, set the Amount parameter to maximum, the radius - to 0.2, if the photo is intended for the Network. For printing, you can try to set this parameter more. Choose Lense Blur and remember to check More Accurate.
2. In Shadow and Highlight, set Fade Amount to 0%, Tonal Width to 100%, Radius to 1.
3. Now, by increasing the Fade Amount in the Highlight map, you can reduce the effect of the filter in the lighter parts of the image, eliminating white halos. Less often, it is also necessary to increase the Fade Amount parameter in the Shadow. As a last resort, you can reduce the Amount in the main menu.
It should be noted that if the Unsharp Mask or Smart Sharpen filter with the Gaussian Blur parameter can be applied to the same image several times, then Smart Sharpen with the Lense Blur parameter forms noticeable artifacts even after repeated application, so the required degree of sharpness must be selected from one application of the filter. ...
2.4. Photoshop plugins
In addition to the filters that are included in Photoshop, there are plugins that allow you to sharpen using different algorithms and offer various parameters that you can control the changes in sharpness. Which one is better to use, everyone can decide for themselves, experimenting a little with them. Among the most famous plugins are Nik Sharpener Pro, FocalBlade and PhotoKit Sharpener.
3. Methods for manipulating sharpness
Everyone who starts working in Photoshop is looking for a filter that can do everything at once. I pressed a button and a mediocre shot turned into a masterpiece. But over time, most photographers notice that optimal results are achieved not by applying one filter to the entire image, but by varying different filters with different parameters and for different areas of the image, depending on the characteristics of the motive. Sharpening is no exception. In this part, we'll look at some of the sharpening controls that give better results than simply applying one of the three filters mentioned to the entire image.
3.1. Sharpening by brightness
In the RGB color space, the brightness of pixels and their color values are interrelated, so unwanted color changes can occur when you manipulate an image. When sharpening, these changes are reflected in the wrong colors on the outlines of objects. To avoid this effect, it is better to increase the sharpness on a separate layer and change the overlay mode of this layer to Luminosity. In the Lab color space, in this case, it is sufficient to work with sharpness only in the L-channel.
It should be noted that in some rare cases, changing the overlay mode to Luminosity can negatively affect the colors. In this example, you can see how the saturation of the blue-yellow ribbon under the tiger's head decreased when changing the overlap mode, which is bad. But at the same time, the blue halo around the figures at the bottom of the coat of arms disappeared, which is good. Simply put, this is not an easy matter - to be both sharp and beautiful.
3.2. Using masks
As you sharpen the entire image, the noise present on solid surfaces may become more pronounced. Some areas that are in focus but of little interest to the viewer, such as objects in the background or skin texture in portraits, also become sharp. In addition, filters try to increase sharpness in those areas of the photo that are out of focus, and this process does nothing but increase the file size.
A natural solution to these problems is to create a copy of the layer and sharpen that copy. After that, a mask is added to this layer, and all areas where sharpening is undesirable or not of interest for our photo are painted over. To make the effect of these manipulations better, I advise you to use a brush with soft edges and a transparency of 15–30%, brushing one section at a time, if necessary.
In this example on the left, the entire image has been sharpened. A mask has been added to the sharpened layer on the right and only the middle part of the flower is exposed. As you can see by comparing the two photos, the halos on the petals, where sharpness is of little importance to the viewer, have disappeared, and at the same time the size of the photo has decreased.
3.3. Working with overlap modes
After sharpening, white halos appear along the contours of objects in some photographs. The dark halos that also occur with sharpening are usually less noticeable. Dividing the sharpening into light and dark parts can help in this case. To do this, we create a copy of the layer, apply a sharpening filter to it and change the overlay mode of this layer to Darken. Then make a copy of this layer and change the overlap mode to Lighten. Now, as necessary, we can change the transparency of one of the layers or, by adding masks to them, hide areas where the corresponding dark or light halos are too noticeable.
In the next photo, dark trees are visible against a dark sky, and the light outlines that appear when sharpening is only getting in the way. Therefore, two copies were made from the sharpened layer in the right photo, and the transparency of the copy in Lighten mode was reduced to 20%.
3.4. Using a layer property
Another handy way to deal with ghosting while sharpening is through layer properties. To do this, sharpen the copy of the layer and double-click on this copy in the list of layers to open its properties. Now hold down the Alt key and split the highlight caret and move it a little to the right. A similar procedure can be carried out with dark tones if dark halos become too noticeable.
In this photo, light halos have been removed this way, which is especially noticeable on the beak and water circles to the left of the stone.
3.5. Sharpening by channel
In some cases it makes sense to sharpen only one or two RGB channels, possibly with different parameters. This method can be useful, for example, if there is too much noise in the blue channel or when you sharpen portraits where the main outlines - hair and eyes - are in the red and green channels, and the blue contains more information about the bumps. In this case, you should make a copy of the image and change the overlay mode to Luminosity, as the colors around the edges of the objects will change. Now you can go to the channel list, select the RGB channels one by one, leaving the image itself visible, and experiment with changing the sharpness.
3.6. Sharpness and structures in the image
As mentioned above, sharpening the entire image is like treating all diseases with one pill and also rarely produces optimal results. When working with many motives, it makes sense to create several layers, in each of which the sharpness is increased by different methods with different parameters, then add masks to the layers and open them only on the corresponding areas.
In the next photo, the sharpness of dry wood and small structures on it could be safely increased more strongly. For this, a Smart Sharpen filter was used. There are fewer details on sand, and it is better to sharpen it using Unsharp Mask or Smart Sharpen with the Gaussian Blur parameter. For clouds containing many different forms, you need to create several copies of the image in Overlay mode and apply a Highpass filter to them with different parameters and reduce their transparency to varying degrees.
3.7. About sharpness and contours
Eight or nine years ago, among photographers began to spread new way enhancing sharpness. With this method, you first had to define the contours of objects and apply sharpening only to them. Although few people remember this, the main goal of this method was not to improve the quality of photos, but to reduce the file size. In the corresponding newsgroup (such a prehistoric ancestor of forums), one Adobe programmer wondered why this is necessary, if the Threshold parameter in the Unsharp Mask is approximately responsible for this, but it was ignored and successfully forgotten, inspired by an interesting new method.
I personally recommend not using sharpening. While this method is very tempting in theory, in practice it can be very difficult to find the parameters that match the motive. Photos that have been sharpened using this method are most often easily identified by the "soapiness" of the image. Solid surfaces in such photographs are practically devoid of detail, since they have not been sharpened, while the contours of objects are too conspicuous. With small structures, like grass, the situation is even worse: when they are partially included in the sharpening, they resemble a porridge of needles, when they are excluded from processing, they remain unsharp. Early digital compact cameras used this very method of processing data from the sensor - sharpening the edges to reduce file size. I do not exclude the possibility that there are fans of photographs of this quality, but so far no one has admitted this to me.
When sharpening the entire image, light halos may appear at the edges of objects, which especially spoil the image if the objects themselves have dark shade... Yes, I remember that this problem has already been mentioned several times in this article, but I consider it the most serious aspect of working with sharpness, so I sometimes remind about it. So - about the sharpness on the contours. In my opinion, the viewer already sees clear boundaries between objects quite well, so it makes no sense to additionally indicate them to him. Rather, the quality of the image can be improved by emphasizing only the sharpness of the structures and, conversely, reducing the effect of sharpness on the contours by covering it with a mask.
Sharpening along the edges only can be justified in only one case - if there is too much noise on solid surfaces, such as the sky. But the fact is that visually sharpness is also created due to some noise on the surfaces, which is just reduced with this method. Therefore, in cases where noise is too disturbing, it is better to use a noise reduction tool on solid surfaces before sharpening, or not to apply sharpening to such surfaces, hiding them with a mask, or even better, both.
Which of these two methods to use - sharpening the edges or decreasing the sharpness of the contour, everyone can choose for themselves, experimenting with both methods. Since they are both based on creating an outline mask, consider the process common to these methods.
1. First, go to the channel list and select the channel that contains the largest number of contours. Now let's make a copy of this channel by right-clicking on it and choosing Duplicate Channel or by dragging it onto the new channel icon. If we cannot define such a channel or we are just too lazy to search for it, then select the entire image (Ctrl + A), create a new alpha channel in the channel list and copy the image into it (Ctrl + V). If you know how to work with the Calculations dialog, then you yourself know how to do these manipulations.
2. Now let's select our new alpha channel and call the Stylize-Find Edges filter
3. Blur the found outlines a little using the Blur-Gassian Blur filter. The contours should be soft enough, but still noticeable.
4. If you are working on the second method, sharpening, then the mask needs to be inverted (Ctrl + I).
5. Now let us call the Levels Dialogue (Ctrl + L) and, moving the carriages, determine in which areas the effect of sharpening will be visible. If you prefer the first option, hiding the hard edges, then move the right and middle carriage to the left so that the sharpness is visible over large areas of the image. If you choose the second option, sharpening, then move the left and middle carriage to the right.
6. Now select this alpha channel by clicking on it while holding down the Ctrl key or through the leftmost Load Selection icon under the channel list.
7. Let's go back to the list of layers, create a copy of the image and add a mask to it. The selection will automatically turn into a layer mask.
8. Now you can call your favorite sharpening method on the masked copy of the image. If the effect of the mask is not enough, you can blur it again a little, and then change it using levels or curves.
The other process for creating a mask, which I used before, is a little more complicated, but it is convenient in that the effect of the mask is visible immediately, during the process itself. With this method, a copy of the image is made, a mask is immediately added to it, and any of the channels or the entire image is copied into it. Now the sharpness of the copy of the image is increased, and all the mentioned operations for finding the contours are carried out on the mask.
Using the example below, I tried to achieve the optimal result that each method allows. In the image with sharpening of the outlines, the "soapiness" is obvious, clearly visible in the trees. At the same time, unnecessary sharpening halos are visible along the contours of the mountains. But it is possible that it is for your motive that this particular method will give optimal results.
This de-sharpened photo looks much better. But that's for my taste.
Personally, I have not used any of these methods for a long time, preferring more long way sharpening the entire image with subsequent painting over problem areas on the mask or working with sharpness in areas with different structures.
3.8. Phased reduction
Another common tip for reducing photos is to do it in stages and sharpen the image after each reduction. In this way, it is argued, details are preserved that would be lost in a one-time reduction. I will not say that this method is useless, it is quite possible that it helps someone. But it should be noted that when reducing the image small parts will disappear one way or another, only with a step-by-step reduction they will die slowly and painfully, at each stage enriching themselves with a dark and light border along the contours, which, with the next reduction, will create new contours. If, in addition, you have small structures in your photo and you are a fan of multi-colored stripes, then a phased reduction - The best way achieve moire. In my opinion, which I, of course, do not impose on anyone, the phased reduction with sharping is only good for killing extra time... If anyone can give an example of a photo scaled down this way that I can't achieve the same with a one-off reduction and sharpening, I promise to take my words back and apologize.
4. Some general rules for sharpening
1. Sharpen the image last before saving the image. An exception can be made only if you want to create the notorious "glamorous" effect on the photo by making a copy of the layer in Soft Light overlay mode and blurring it. Then it is better to increase the sharpness before this procedure.
2. When sharpening, view the image at 100% size. As a last resort, Photoshop gives you the ability to evaluate sharpness at 50% or 25% reduction, but not at intermediate scales.
3. If necessary, walk with a noise reduction tool on the solid surfaces in the photo.
4. Try whichever method suits your image better: Unsharp Mask or Smart Sharpen, their results may be different for different cases.
5. Do not increase the Threshold parameter too much. For most photographs, it is best left at zero.
6. Sharpen either on the Luminance channel in Lab, or on a separate layer with the Luminosity overlay mode.
7. Remember that LCD monitors look sharper than CRT monitors. In addition, some users who buy high-resolution LCD monitors find it difficult to read letters of this size and set the monitor to a “non-native” resolution. This never has a positive effect on sharpness, and how much degradation in image quality is noticeable depends on the quality of the monitor.
5. Conclusion
As a final word, I would like to remind you ... no, not once again about white halos. I wanted to remind you that the description different methods Imaging, including sharpening, should suit your photographs, your motives and your preferences. Therefore, the best thing you can do is to try all the methods and do as you see fit. And do not forget that the main thing in photography is the idea and the moment, and processing in Photoshop plays a secondary role.
A poorly produced, unclear photo is easier to repeat than to change. However, at certain times, you have the opportunity to try to polish the image a little. Our editor Photoshop equipped with the richest opportunities for this.
Management
1. Open the image, the clarity of which needs to be improved, in the editor. Perform an action using buttons Ctrl + O or option Open (« Open») From option File (« File»).
2. We translate the photo into a color profile Lab... Required in function Image (« Image») Select function Mode (« Mode"). In this function, select Lab.
3. Go to the channel list. This list is located below the list Layers (« Layers"). To go to it, you must press the main key of the manipulator on the page Channels (« Channels"). Only the channel remains visible Lightness (« Brightness"). It is necessary to press the main key of the manipulator on this channel. The photo will turn out to be black and white.
4. We use to the function “ Brightness»Element Unsharp Mask (« Contour sharpness"). It is on the list Sharpen (« Sharpening») In option Filter (« Filter"). In the menu, set the function to eighty-five percent Amount (« The quantity"), And the function Radius (« Radius") By one or three points. On 4 levels you need to set the option Threshold (« Threshold»).
5.View a color photo by left-clicking on a channel Lab in the channel list. If necessary, use the element again.
6. Move the photo back to position RGB... This operation takes place through a function familiar to us (see point 2)... The photo must be transferred to this profile, then it will be saved in size Jpg.
7. The modified image is saved using the function Save (« Save") Either Save as (« Save as…») Functions File (« File»).
If we enlarge the image by 100%, we get detailed information over all the changes taking place in photography.
This action is obtained in case of dragging the slider under the palette “ Navigator"- extreme right position. By enhancing the clarity of a large-scale image opened in the Photoshop window to 15% of its actual size, you can skip the result of using the filter, as a result of which excessive sharpness will degrade the image.
Until then, good luck!
