Tutorial: Sharpen in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements

With the correct sharpening effect, each photo looks even better. But do not sharpen your recordings directly in the digital camera. It is better to focus on Photoshop or Photoshop Elements before you can adjust the sharpness of the image to match the subject and the print size. In addition, much more computing power is also available for complex, high-quality algorithms.


1. Unsharp mask


In Photoshop's full version, select "Filter, Sharpen Filter, Unsharp Mask". In the large image in the program window, click on a contrasting, as sharp as possible image area - this area now also appears in the preview directly in the dialog box. The preview in the dialog box should keep the zoom level 100 percent, which is the most accurate.


2. Threshold


We start with exaggerated values: Raise the strength to 350 percent, the radius to 3.0 pixels, the threshold remains at 0. This makes the brickwork much more distinctive. However, they also recognize the typical consequences of exaggerated sharpening: the picture shows strange flash edges, here the white line on the building. In smooth surfaces like the sky, picture noise is spreading.


3. Radius


Good to know: Even while the dialog box is open, you can still change the zoom level in the program window. Use commands from the view menu such as "100 percent" or "Actual pixels."


4. Strength


Raise the threshold value to 7 - the grain size decreases sharply in the sharpened image. The background: Photoshop no longer sharpens all the small contrast differences with skin and sky. The program now ignores smaller contrast differences and only edits contingent contours.


Good to know: In the case of heavily noisy pictures or in troubled skin, you raise the threshold even to 10 or 15. Thus minor disturbances remain unobtrusive and are not accentuated.


The radius control is responsible for the superfluous color edges: move the radius back to 1.0, and the disturbing contours will shrink significantly.


The explanation: The radius control determines how much the focus is spread around a contrast zone. At a low radius, the focus detects only a small image area near the contrast point, producing very thin new lines that fake a sharp image to the viewer. Radius values ​​range between 1.0 and 1.5.


Good to know: If you are slightly blurred in architecture or objects, raise the radius slightly further than 1.5. The newly created contour lines are less disturbing than landscape, nature or portrait.


Lower the thickness to 130. Often even values ​​range between 80 and 120. With low intensity values, your image is less artificially, small disturbances remain unobtrusive. The values ​​that are now used are suitable for many recordings: Strength 130, Radius 1.0, Threshold 7. Click "OK."


Good to know: You have canceled the sharpening after the OK-click and need the filter dialog again? Then just press Ctrl + Alt + F. Or would you like to have a different image immediately with the same values? Activate it and press Ctrl + F.


For the "Unsharp Mask" command, Photoshop provides an interesting alternative: Select "Filter, Sharpen Filter, Selective Sharpener". This command is especially useful for very large files. For "Thickness and Radius," use lower values ​​than "Unsharp Mask". A threshold controller is missing completely, so too much noise is generated quickly (see step 2). The new Photoshop CC avoids this problem.


Good to know: For best quality use the "lens defocus" (formerly "Depth of Field Depth") and "More.


Tip: Selective sharpener