Question on Photoshop CS5 extended: sharpen tool

[RichardsTPF]

First time trythe curve and smart sharpening filter in PS CS5 on an old pix. Didn't combine with layer and mask yet.
When I took this picture, I didn't know much about photography and used auto modes. The chipmounk was soft, the rock was blown out and the subject was center.

Original:

[/URL] Little creature by RichardsFlik, on Flickr[/IMG]

Edit:

[/URL] IMG_2924_2 by RichardsFlik, on Flickr[/IMG]

Did I over pp it?

 

[RichardsTPF]

Shall I cut it in portrait?

 

[Big Mike]

The edited version looks better, but I think that the sharpening is hurting the look of the out of focus areas. There is a situation where you might want to limit the sharpening to just the critter and the rock.

Further on in the tutorial I'm watching, and I've learned something new (or at least have a better understanding). When talking about sharpening, the best approach is to have two or even three separate goes at it. Firs, there is 'capture sharpening', which should be based on how & where the image is coming from. For example, a scanned image will need different capture sharpening than a 35mm DSLR, and different from a MF camera/back.
Next is custom sharpening as suits your image (and your taste). There is where you might selectively sharpen certain parts of the image etc.
Lastly is output sharpening. Ideally, you should sharpen according to what/where the image is going. If you resize the image, you need to sharpen accordingly. If you are going to print, you will sharpen differently than if it's for digital display (screen). Heck, some people sharpen differently for the specific printer and type of paper they're using.

Another consideration is when you do sharpening compared to something like noise reduction. For example, if your workflow is in Photoshop, you should run noise reduction before you do your capture sharpening, because you don't want to sharpen noise. But if your workflow starts in Lightroom or ACR, then you can do both your noise reduction and capture sharpening in any order, because it's not actually applied to the image until you export/open in PS. At that point, the software will decide the best order to perform the operations.

 

[RichardsTPF]

Do I have to apply noise reduction before sharpening even if I don't see any noise at original image?
I agree that the simple sharpening hurt my background. Regarding selective sharpening, I found this method using edge mask:
Adobe Photoshop CS5 * Sharpen selectively
What do you think?
Sorry I am slow. You give me tons of info yesterday. I still need to go back to read and get my hands on it.

 

[Big Mike]

Yes, that's certainly a great way to do it. (selective sharpening)

Lightroom has a similar feature that is built into the 'mask' slider in the Details section of the Develop module. The idea is to have the software detect and mask the edges so that you can apply the sharpening to the edges and no the 'surfaces'. As with everything, it's adjust to taste for what looks good in your image.

Of course you don't have to apply noise reduction, but applying just a bit of it might allow you to apply a greater degree of sharpening, which may give you a better image in the end. I've still got a lot to learn about it myself.

 

[KmH]

The ACR (Camera Raw/Lightroom) Sharpening panel is the place to first sharpen. There is a reason the Sharpening panel also has Noise Reduction controls. Sharpening/Noise Reduction is 2 sides of the same coin.

The Masking slider is an edge mask. by the way, in Camera Raw/Lightroom if you hold down the Alt key while moving a slider you ar shown a preview. The masking preview shows the masks 2 roles: where it is preventing sharpening from happening, and the width of the areas the wille sharpened. (Remeber the simple Photoshop rules about masks - White reveals and black conceals, and intermediaste shades of gray apply an effect proportional to the shade of gray.)

 

[RichardsTPF]

Redo the processing on this picture, this time I crop it in portrait, adjust color with curve, reduce the brightness of the rock with layer mask, reduce noise and sharpe the image with USM.

[IM
G] IMG_2924_2 by RichardsFlik, on Flickr[/IMG]

I also tried this method . But I don't see any difference.

 

[KmH]

If you want to really understand sharpening, read the book written by the experts that Adobe used: Real World Image Sharpening with Adobe Photoshop, Camera Raw, and Lightroom (2nd Edition)

 

[RichardsTPF]

Thanks, Find the electronic version on my school library web. Reading it.

 

[jaicatalano]

I use highpass sharpening for sharpening some portrait work. I level off at 2.1 around the eyes and then play with the opacity. It's great.

Still, I think you ought to look into highpass sharpening. Many people use HP in conjunction with USM.

From the way I learned it and the examples I've seen....USM does exactly the same sharpening as Highpass sharpening. I forget the proof, but you can do something that shows that what it's doing, is exactly the same.

But, I still liked to use HP because of the way it uses layers.

By the way...I just watched part of a great tutorial video where the above mentioned Jeff Schewe comprehensively explained the sharpening in Lightroom. Very interesting stuff. I know a lot more about it, than I did this morning...but it's going to take a while for it to sink in.