When to sharpen...

[AtuspidsGoddess]

Jeebus it was the 4th of July that I was last in here?!

So...aside from that...quick question for you peeps...when in your workflow do you sharpen? is it the first thing you do before anything else or it is the last thing?...or in between somewhere?

I am starting to get annoyed with my photos...maybe looking too sharp?...too...I dunno...but I was wondering...when do you sharpen...and when SHOULD you be sharpening?

 

[Kerbouchard]

Both. Typically a 'capture' sharpen in Camera Raw and then a final Smart Sharpen as a last step. I'll also resharpen if I happen to resize after that.

 

[katerolla]

I never sharpen I don't like the look of it

 

[Overread36]

Strictly speaking sharpening should always be the final stage, since its a destructive method; destroying data to provide a sharper image. Thus to get the best results in editing you do the destructive editing at the final stage. In addition sharpening for best output depends how the photo is going to be displayed (experience helps here) since a print will need different properties to a web displayed photo. Note also that resizing is destructive as well to data, but can also soften a photo, so sharpening is oft needed after resizing as well.


Note however that with RAW processing most RAW converters have a default sharpening stage as part of the RAW conversion and most people leave this alone, since it gives a RAW a more pleasing and easy to work with working appearance (straight out of camera RAWs without the sharpening do look soft).

 

[AtuspidsGoddess]

Maybe that's what my punk a$$ is doing wrong...I have been sharpening first thing...hmmm....ok....thanks for the input...I am going to try processing frst without sharpening...*must resist urge to sharpen first at all costs!!!!*

 

[Tee]

I sharpen when finished with the original sized file and also sharpen differently for when I put in the interweb. I do this as my final step in my workflow.

 

[manaheim]

What over said.

BTW, all digital cameras have anti-aliasing filters to convert an analog world to digital representation without stepping or moire patterns. Therefore, by definition, all digital images need sharpening. How much depends on the model of camera (and strength of the filter), situation, and preference.

 

[clanthar]

What over said.

BTW, all digital cameras have anti-aliasing filters to convert an analog world to digital representation without stepping or moire patterns. Therefore, by definition, all digital images need sharpening. How much depends on the model of camera (and strength of the filter), situation, and preference.

Actually, there is one exception to the in-camera anti-aliasing filter, not that many of us can afford one, well at least not me: Leica Camera AG - Photography - M9 & M9-P

And I'm going to third what Overread and manaheim said here. All digital photos require sharpening and NEVER sharpen a digital photo except as a final (not saved!) step during output since the amount and type of sharpening is entirely output dependent.

Joe

 

[johnke93]

im new to the forum- how do i post a new question?

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

As others have said, typically you capture sharpen at the RAW conversion point ( if you shot in RAW, if you shot in JPEG the camera is already sharpening the shot ). Then I sharpen as the final step. You could also be sharpening too much. Zoom to 100% when sharpening. Watch for halos forming when you ramp things up too much. i think that is a common mistake of beginners, not quite having an eye yet for seeing that they are overdoing it. There are many methods to sharpening and depending on the shot, some work better than others. You really have to do some homework on it. Here is a link, to get you started...Sharpening 101

 

[Overread36]

Sharpening is a two view process - first you have to view the photo at 100% to help avoid sharpening artifcats such as haloes from forming; however you also have to take a step back and view the photo as a whole, because sometimes what looks ok at 100% looks over or under sharpened when viewed in context as a whole.

Of course for printing this is a case of trial and error in the early days as you experiment to understand how to show on the screen what will be sharp in a later printed photo.

 

[KmH]

Sharpening is a subject so complex as to require an entire book:

Real World Image Sharpening with Adobe Photoshop, Camera Raw, and Lightroom (2nd Edition)

At issue is: when (where in the workflow), how (using which technique), and how much (scene content, and final output dependent).

I advocate the capture sharpen, local sharpen, and lastly output sharpen approach to sharpening.

 

[dsquared]

I sharpen it standardly,filter>sharpen>sharpen but I ALWAYS minimize the opacity about 50% or so...

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

Sharpening is a subject so complex as to require an entire book:

Real World Image Sharpening with Adobe Photoshop, Camera Raw, and Lightroom (2nd Edition)

At issue is: when (where in the workflow), how (using which technique), and how much (scene content, and final output dependent).

I advocate the capture sharpen, local sharpen, and lastly output sharpen approach to sharpening.

I think you should change your avatar to a picture of a librarian. You have a book for EVERYTHING! I am going to start calling you "Dewey" instead of Keith, as in "Dewey Decimal System":lmao::lmao::lmao:

Also, if you get into having your pics published, many places do not want your photos given a final sharpening ( only capture sharpening ) because they need to be able to resize as they see fit and sharpening will ruin a picture if you re-size afterwards. ( I know as an example Arizona Highways wants images unsharpened ) IMO this is also why, aside from just being better for the image overall, you need to have tack sharp shots, because you can't always hide behind some unsharp mask when you send off your shots to an editor if they do not allow sharpening.

 

[Forkie]

I sharpening is usually the last thing I do (I may occasionally sharpen slightly in RAW first though). I use Smart Sharpen and rarely put the slider higher than 35%