Output Sharpening

[snerd]

I am going to have a few images printed. Hopefully, it will bolster my confidence a little. I didn't think to change the output sharpening before exporting, and used the Screen option. Will this affect the print output? Should I go back and use Standard?

 

[Ido]

If you've got paper and ink to spare, you can certainly try it out and see what works best for you.
If you don't, go back. If you use Lightroom, there are two things you need to change in the export dialog:

1. Reize: Choose the print size in inches or centimeters, and the resolution in pixels per inch or pixels/cm. Lightroom will choose the correct image size to output. Make sure "Don't enlarge" is unchecked; it can sometimes do miracles in upscaling images, to allow for bigger prints than the native-resolution image enables.
2. Output sharpening: Choose the media type (glossy or matte paper) and then just leave it at Standard.

 

[snerd]

Oh, I'm sending them to an online printer. Landscapes, and I want to get bigger prints like 16x20 or bigger. Maybe canvas.

 

[Derrel]

I would re-export, using the PRINT option, and either Standard or High. Good advice above on making sure the re-size image option is un-checked. Sharpening for printing is different than for on-screen viewing.

 

[mcap1972]

With big prints you need a lot of sharpening, which looks bad on computer screen but looks great on prints.

 

[Overread14 2]

I think the key with editing for printing is one of two angles:

1) Corner a local person who's done it before (to a good standard) and have them go through a range of your photos with you to help get them print ready. Ergo you're learning the bulk of your workflow from someone already experienced and who can see your actual photos fullsize to help give an element of experienced judgement as to how much/little/what is needed.

2) Print - check - adjust - reprint - repeat as needed.
Basically trial and error; partly a result of the fact that not every shot is the same, so there is an element of experience in knowing how much (eg sharpening) of each variable is needed to give a proper desired effect in print.


Also remember the larger a print the further away you're supposed to view it for optimal clarity.

 

[KmH]

There are some threads/posts in the Graphics Programs forum section that speak to your question.

How much and what type of sharpening a photo can tolerate depends on image content.
But, as a general rule images destined to be printed can tolerate somewhat more sharpening than images destined for electronic display.
That said, it is better to somewhat under sharpen than to over sharpen.

Over sharpening means edge contrast is to extreme.
I highly recommend this inexpensive book written by the guys that wrote the software that is used by ACR (Camera Raw/LR) -
Real World Image Sharpening with Adobe Photoshop, Camera Raw, and Lightroom (2nd Edition)

 

[tirediron]

Interesting; I almost never do ANY sharpening and I've never seen any issues with the work I've had printed.

 

[Scatterbrained]

Well, now go and do some sharpening and compare. I used to do only the capture and export sharpening in Lr, using their defaults, and was perfectly happy with the results. That was until I started doing additional sharpening in Ps.