Post Processing Sharpness Adjustment - Do you do it? How? How much? When? Where?

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
I've essentially stumbled on a couple revelations regarding post-processing sharpness adjustment recently - a combination of things I've seen in videos, read online and heard in seminars. All have added up to really change the way in which I not only view the importance of post-process sharpening, but also the how, when and where of doing it. It seems to have made a huge difference in the look and feel of some of my photos, in what I consider to be a very positive way.

My plan is to blog together some of these thoughts, but before I manage to find the time to do that, I'm very curious as to how you all use sharpening in your workflow? Do you do it at all? If so, what tool(s) do you use (Lightroom, Nik Sharpener Pro, Photoshop - and in PS which tool precisely)? When do you sharpen - towards the beginning, at the end, whenever you feel like it? And when you do, do you start somewhere and adjust, do you have set formulas for certain types of photos, or is it always a feel thing?

Really curious.
 

stmv

Senior Member
tons and tons of material on this, with most saying final step.

I'll often use the sharpening brush, controlling the area more selectively.

I tend to sharpen in layers, and mostly leave the sky alone, no reason to add noise

some subjects are noise insensitive, and tolerate well, while other spots are very noise sensitive like smooth surfaces, so,, take that into consideration.

I wish for the day for zero sharpening..
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Jake, I usually start with creating a duplicate layer and apply a "high pass" filter, then blend with vivid light. I can then reduce the opacity of this layer if I want. Then, after resizing for web 900x900 @ 72 dpi, I use the unsharp mask but usually on a duplicate layer so I can create a mask and remove sharpening where I don't want any.

​This is my usual workflow.
 

STM

Senior Member
Smart Sharpen in PS is your friend. It gives you a lot more control than just using "Sharpen" on the filter menu.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
... start with creating a duplicate layer and apply a "high pass" filter, then blend with vivid light. I can then reduce the opacity of this layer if I want.
This is pretty much my drill as well. High Pass with blending.

Although sometimes, instead of blending, I go straight to "Frappe". That might be because I like saying, "Frappe", though. Either way you should probably try it.
 

Dave_W

The Dude
I use the Nik standard workflow with "raw presharpener" in the beginning of my PP and then before I return the image back to Lightroom I use the "output sharpener". I also remove the option of sharpening when exporting from LR to create a JPEG.

I have no idea whether this is good, bad or indifferent since I'm a little perplexed by the whole sharpening paradigm and have a hard time noticing much of a difference (then again, my eyes aren't what they used to be). That said, I'll be looking forward to your blog and gaining some insight on sharpening.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
Raw opener "clarity" and then slight sharpening in CS6 if needed. Used more heavily for clouds. I use it to bring it up to the sharpness I saw it as.
 

carguy

Senior Member
I'd read it. I just started Kelby's Lightroom book this week. I need some 'edumacation' when it comes to adjusting my images.
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
This is pretty much my drill as well. High Pass with blending.

Although sometimes, instead of blending, I go straight to "Frappe". That might be because I like saying, "Frappe", though. Either way you should probably try it.

​Could you explain what you mean by "Frappe"?
 
​Could you explain what you mean by "Frappe"?

Frappé coffee (also Greek frappé or Café frappé) (Greek: φραπές, frapés) is a Greek foam-covered iced coffee drink made from instant coffee (generally, spray-dried).[SUP][1][/SUP] It is very popular in Greece and Cyprus, especially during the summer, but has now spread to other countries. Accidentally invented in 1957 in the city of Thessaloniki, it is now the most popular coffee among Greek youth and foreign tourists. The frappé has become a hallmark of the post-war outdoor Greek coffee culture.
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Frappé coffee (also Greek frappé or Café frappé) (Greek: φραπές, frapés) is a Greek foam-covered iced coffee drink made from instant coffee (generally, spray-dried).[SUP][1][/SUP] It is very popular in Greece and Cyprus, especially during the summer, but has now spread to other countries. Accidentally invented in 1957 in the city of Thessaloniki, it is now the most popular coffee among Greek youth and foreign tourists. The frappé has become a hallmark of the post-war outdoor Greek coffee culture.

;) I was looking for "frappe" in CS6 filter menu… DUH!
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member

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Happypuppy

Senior Member
I find spot sharpening to work the best for myself. Most of the tools I find if used overall can easily make the picture too sharp. I like to do eyes, edges and a touch on textures.
 
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