I have received a few request for the technique that Mark Adamus uses for sharpening. Here it is...Thanks Mark!
Sharpening for the Web —Mark Adamus
- Take full res image and reduce size to between 1000 and 1300 pixels. As much as 1300 for detailed forest scenes and such, 1000 for rock and more simple images. Apply "Sharpen" filter (easy enough right?) twice.
- This will create a very oversharpened, noisy, mid-size image.
- Further reduce image size to your web preference, such as 600 or 700 pixels.
- When reduced, this "tricks" Photoshop into applying an ultra-fine USM that you simply cannot acheive through other methods and all with maybe a 5-10% increase in file size vs. traditional methods - which is rarely a problem (I saved this one on 10)
- Play around with this technique and make it work for you. Every image is different. Sometimes I'll apply a sharpen filter 3 times at 1500 pixels and then reduce for an even finer sharpness (this is what I did for "winter dream"), but other times it has too much of an adverse effect on color. Sometimes I'll just lasso an area (here the middleground) and apply the filter 3-times and 2 to the rest of the image before reducing. Just experiment.
- Last, keep in mind not to sharpen skies too much as this will unecessarily increase file size. Do local touch-ups with 'sharp brush' to improve textures/definition in sky and water.
There are some other neat PS tricks and tips at the PNWNP site.
From photos from 350D this method worked as a charmed. Mega ultra sharp images, always!
With the larger photo size from 5D mark II, this method gives entirely different results. I am not sure why, but the photos don't look as good as they used to after this sharpening. I guess there are too many pixels or something? Does anyone have an idea what I am talking about?
Discussion
1 repliesSharpening for the Web —Mark Adamus
- Take full res image and reduce size to between 1000 and 1300 pixels. As much as 1300 for detailed forest scenes and such, 1000 for rock and more simple images. Apply "Sharpen" filter (easy enough right?) twice.
- This will create a very oversharpened, noisy, mid-size image.
- Further reduce image size to your web preference, such as 600 or 700 pixels.
- When reduced, this "tricks" Photoshop into applying an ultra-fine USM that you simply cannot acheive through other methods and all with maybe a 5-10% increase in file size vs. traditional methods - which is rarely a problem (I saved this one on 10)
- Play around with this technique and make it work for you. Every image is different. Sometimes I'll apply a sharpen filter 3 times at 1500 pixels and then reduce for an even finer sharpness (this is what I did for "winter dream"), but other times it has too much of an adverse effect on color. Sometimes I'll just lasso an area (here the middleground) and apply the filter 3-times and 2 to the rest of the image before reducing. Just experiment.
- Last, keep in mind not to sharpen skies too much as this will unecessarily increase file size. Do local touch-ups with 'sharp brush' to improve textures/definition in sky and water.
There are some other neat PS tricks and tips at the PNWNP site.
-PB
From photos from 350D this method worked as a charmed. Mega ultra sharp images, always!
With the larger photo size from 5D mark II, this method gives entirely different results. I am not sure why, but the photos don't look as good as they used to after this sharpening. I guess there are too many pixels or something? Does anyone have an idea what I am talking about?