--- In artshow_photo@yahoogroups.com, Rod Melotte <grinder12000@...> wrote:
>
> I'm using the Unsharp Mask Filter if that is what you mean! Sort of a self
> learner so perhaps not! I was hoping there was some magic software I did know
> about!
> Rod
FWIW - Many advanced photographers subscribe to a 3-step sharpening process from RAW capture to output printing. The late, great Bruce Frasier and Adobe Photoshop creator, Thomas Knoll, have long advocated this method. It consists of sharpening your image a total of 3 times during the processing cycle:
1. Capture Sharpening - This is a very mild sharpening that should be applied to your RAW file as soon as it is opened in your favorite RAW processor. Every RAW processor should have this sharpening capability.
2. Creative Sharpening - This sharpening can be more assertive and creative (local and/or global applications). It should be applied later in your processing cycle after the RAW file is converted to an actual image, ie a TIF, PSD, etc.
3. Output Sharpening - This is often considered the most crucial and important sharpening step, but one which is often overlooked. This step needs to be precise, and the amount applied is fully based on your paper type (glossy, satin, matte) and your FILE's resolution, based in increments of 180, 240, 300, 360, and 480 ppi. (NOT, I repeat NOT based on your printer's selected dpi, such as 1440). Both Bruce and Thomas agree that FILE ppi's less than 180 and greater than 480 need to be resampled to within these boundaries. Files that are between 180-480 ppi SHOULD NOT be resampled or interpolated.
There is also a 4th step that I and many include towards the end of the processing cycle, between Creative and Output Sharpening: I call it micro contrast sharpening. Using USM, you would add a small amount of Sharpening (say 10-20%), but a HUGE Radius of 50.0 pixels, and NO Threshold. Sharpening, in general, is all about increasing the contrast between two neighboring pixels, and applying this somewhat unusual amount of USM does the trick, adding to the perceived sharpness.
There are a few PS plug-ins that take the guesswork out of these sharpening steps. My favorite is Photokit Sharpener, but similar auto sharpening techniques can also be found in Nik Efex.
Michael H. Cothran
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