Easy trick to improve every photo

George 11 · Dec 24, 2009

I would like to share a technique about using "Unsharp Mask" filter in a different way which can help improving any photo.
Most people are afraid of using photo editing software like Photoshop because it is too complicated and time consuming.
There is actually a way to improve every photo with a couple of clicks only, which I believe many people would find very useful and time saving. I have just created the following short tutorial about this technique:

http://www.phototouchup.net/photo-touch-up...ove-every-photo

I would love to hear what you think about it.

George

rufus5150 · Dec 24, 2009

I think you've created some terrible looking halos in your methodology. I'd venture to guess 90% of the people on this board who have more than one post knows the oooooo magic of unsharp mask.

And, really, the threshold, amount and radius are depended on a vast number of things -- source image, overall image size, amount of noise, etc. Try a 0 threshold sharpen with high amount, low radius on one of the crammed-pixel sensor images and you're likely to see a bunch of dots rather than anything useful from your sharpening pass.

And for the image you're showing in your example, a low amount, high radius sharpen would likely be superior. Or in lab mode with only the luminosity layer would reduce the haloing.

But welcome aboard TPF, and congrats on driving at least one hit to your site.

burnws6 · Dec 24, 2009

rufus5150 said:
I think you've created some terrible looking halos in your methodology. I'd venture to guess 90% of the people on this board who have more than one post knows the oooooo magic of unsharp mask.

And, really, the threshold, amount and radius are depended on a vast number of things -- source image, overall image size, amount of noise, etc. Try a 0 threshold sharpen with high amount, low radius on one of the crammed-pixel sensor images and you're likely to see a bunch of dots rather than anything useful from your sharpening pass.

And for the image you're showing in your example, a low amount, high radius sharpen would likely be superior. Or in lab mode with only the luminosity layer would reduce the haloing.

But welcome aboard TPF, and congrats on driving at least one hit to your site.

LoL passive/aggresive post of 2009! But I agree with what you said.

rufus5150 · Dec 24, 2009

Passive/Aggressive? Sarcastic maybe. Or just outright aggressive.

rufus5150 · Dec 24, 2009

Ooh and here's an awesome quote from another post on the site:

One of the biggest advantages of digital photography over film photography is the ability to improve the final output of the image.

Sam6644 · Dec 24, 2009

that final image doesn't look so hot.

Peano · Dec 24, 2009

I suppose its a matter of individual taste, but I really think these halos make the image worse.

BIG RYAN · Dec 24, 2009

yeah im not really diggin it myself....

bigtwinky · Dec 24, 2009

not liking the final results, but as long as you are happy, enjoy!

Shockey · Dec 24, 2009

Once in a while this technique could help a photo. Other more traditional methods do a much better job of giving your photo pop.
I used this method a little bit 7 years ago, but quickly moved on as I didn't really like the effect.
Wouldn't use it as a general rule but for people who are having a difficult time getting their photos to pop, maybe used conservatively.

The_Traveler · Dec 24, 2009

Local contrast enhancement can be 'tamed' by using an edge mask and masking off the areas you don't want/need sharpened.

The example given was, IMO, way overdone and the radius/amount/threshold values are best arrived at by experimenting on the specific image rather than having specific values that one uses every time.

ricke46 · Dec 27, 2009

Sorry, not diggin' it.

jbylake · Dec 27, 2009

rufus5150 said:
Ooh and here's an awesome quote from another post on the site:

One of the biggest advantages of digital photography over film photography is the ability to improve the final output of the image.

Click to expand...