Sharpening images (Page 4): Also in Photoshop.

bleirer

DWU2 wrote:

In addition, in ACR or Lightroom, you can use local adjustments to sharpen in a specific area.

Also in Photoshop.

xt2 Loc: British Columbia, Canada

grichie5 wrote:

It may be an old fashioned technique, But I wonder if any one still uses The "high pass" filter method of sharpening. Some "old timer" taught me this process years ago and it still seems to serve my needs.

My photography is strictly amateur. I have tried Topaz Sharpen A1, but cannot seem to find any real improvement and it seems a slow process on my computer. Am I missing something other than more software?

Nope, use “sharpen” in C1 and or L4.

Cheers!

Dennis833 Loc: Australia

I personally prefer Frequency Separation sharpening over Hi Pass. Its great and does not over sharpen any smooth areas in an image. Iv'e been using it as a Photoshop action for many years and recently I made a macro for Infinity Photo. If anyone would like to try it for free just go to my contact - web page and ask for your preferred version.

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

grichie5 wrote:

It may be an old fashioned technique, But I wonder if any one still uses The "high pass" filter method of sharpening. Some "old timer" taught me this process years ago and it still seems to serve my needs.

My photography is strictly amateur. I have tried Topaz Sharpen A1, but cannot seem to find any real improvement and it seems a slow process on my computer. Am I missing something other than more software?

Try the Stabilize option in Topaz Sharpen, I think you'll like it.

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

rmalarz wrote:

I tend to use various methods as some work better than others depending on the camera I'm using. One of my favorite methods uses surface blur.
--Bob

Has that to do with the user settings you dial in?

janewynn

Very helpful. Thank you

bleirer

Dennis833 wrote:

I personally prefer Frequency Separation sharpening over Hi Pass. Its great and does not over sharpen any smooth areas in an image. Iv'e been using it as a Photoshop action for many years and recently I made a macro for Infinity Photo. If anyone would like to try it for free just go to my contact - web page and ask for your preferred version.

Can you describe how that is done, not as an action, but what is the action actually doing?

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Les Brown wrote:

Thanks for this thread. I've now learned about using HP filter for sharpening. I like it, added it to my never ending journey up the Photoshop learning slope.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

grichie5 wrote:

It may be an old fashioned technique, But I wonder if any one still uses The "high pass" filter method of sharpening. Some "old timer" taught me this process years ago and it still seems to serve my needs.

My photography is strictly amateur. I have tried Topaz Sharpen A1, but cannot seem to find any real improvement and it seems a slow process on my computer. Am I missing something other than more software?

I use high pass sharpening frequently. For some things, it's the best method. But I also use other sharpening methods at times, when they work better.

The "best use" of high pass sharpening, IMO, is when the image also needs some boost in micro contrast to bring out fine detail, such as a shaded subject.

I also like that it's easily used selectively. Since high pass is done with a layer, it's just one click to apply a mask and limit the effect to only the part of the image where I want it sharpened. While it's certainly possible to do other forms of sharpening selectively too, doing so requires a few more clicks and may be more difficult to "feather" and blend.

Seems like I see a lot of images that are over-sharpened, regardless of method used. By being able to apply it selectively, I find I can usually avoid artifacts, odd looking "halos" an other effects. Another thing with high pass, since it's done on a separate layer, I sometimes set it a little bit up "too strong", then increase the layer's transparency to dial back the effect. This can be handy when making different sizes and resolution of the same image, for example, where the level of sharpening typically needs to be adjusted differently for each.

P.S. I'm now Googling "frequency sharpening in Photoshop" to see what that's all about... new to me. (And sometimes you can teach an old dog new tricks.

)

bleirer

amfoto1 wrote:

I use high pass sharpening frequently. For some th... (show quote)

In modern Photoshop. Selection and masking has come a long way. Select subject is one click, quick selection brush is easy, as is magic wand. For complicated backgrounds the select and mask tools have a refine edge command.

Jeffers

The same is true for Elements.

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

I out-put sharpen with the high pass filter in Photoshop Elements. I've been using it, since reading about, for a number of years.

Bayou

anotherview wrote:

...I exit with one caution: avoid over-sharpening your photographs...

Indeed. I see many photos that are over sharpened, often grossly so. It's especially annoying in grass or water...and bird feathers.

grichie5

There is another tutorial on High Pass Sharpening that I found easy to follow. It shows how to use the High Pass filter for sharpening and then select the areas to which the sharpening is not applied, by using a mask. It also contains a tutorial on creating an action for this procedure.

Easy to follow the step by step instructions.

https://photoshopcafe.com/high-pass-sharpen-pro-way-sharpen-photos-photoshop-tutorial/#:~:text=Choose%20a%20radius%20that%20provides%20the%20amount%20of,1

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

bleirer wrote:

Can you describe how that is done, not as an action, but what is the action actually doing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoeZzxm5W88