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02/12/2005 07:32:53 PM · #1 |
I spent the whole day preparing files for printing and prior to that tried to find some latest Unsharp Masking info (or stuff I hadn't heard of before).
I came across this article at Vividlight.com. It discusses getting your photo ready for printing. At the USM stage it suggest to do a normal sharpening USM first and directly after that another contrast enhancing USM. I believe they suggest a 0,8 radius with xxx% amount and x treshold for sharpening. This comes close to my own standard of 0.9 radius with 100-200% amount and 0-6 treshold.
The 2nd, contrast enhancing, USM is a base USM of 20% on a 50 radius. I was sceptical but it did improve all the images I edited today. Just when I was thinking "no way it is going to improve this photo", it did just that.
I used 10% on a 50 radius or 20% on a 35 radius. I liked what I saw. This doesn't mean it can improve your photos (prepared for printing) but it might be interesting to check out what it does for you.
(If this was posted before, I was not aware)
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02/12/2005 07:42:48 PM · #2 |
Thanks for posting this... I am always looking for new ideas since I am pretty new at all of the post processing part of this.
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02/12/2005 08:10:21 PM · #3 |
Last evening and this morning I was dealing with about a hundred photos from a recent trip. Many of them were landscapes, taken in hazy conditions. Contrast needed a boost on most, and this technique definitely does the trick. You do have to be careful that you don't blow highlights when using it though. I tend to run it on only the areas that need it (e.g. mask off the sky, run it on the rest). I normally use a radius between 35 and 80, and amount between 10 and 25%. Threshold should be always set to zero for this.
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02/12/2005 08:18:58 PM · #4 |
Or yet another method of using USM that can be saved as an action:
-USM: effect 18, radius 40, threshold 0
-USM: effect 150, radius 0.3, threshold 0
-go to edit, then fade USM: opacity 100%, mode darken
-USM: effect 150, radius 0.3, threshold 0
-go to edit, then fade USM: opacity 50%, mode lighten
For anyone wanting to know how to make this an action:
-have your photo open
-go to window, action.
-on the side is a circle with a little arrow in it. Click in that.
-select New Action
-call it USM (or whatever you want), and click record
-follow the steps above correctly, and the computer will record everything you are doing
-when you are done the 5 steps, click on the little circle with the arrow, and select Stop Recording
May be of help.
Message edited by author 2005-07-28 16:24:01. |
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02/12/2005 08:29:47 PM · #5 |
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02/13/2005 05:19:30 AM · #6 |
Thanks for your settings and suggestions, I will probably use this a lot from now on.
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02/13/2005 06:10:42 AM · #7 |
| Is it possible to do it in Photoshop Elements? I can't find any Fade USM in the Edit menu. |
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02/13/2005 09:27:06 AM · #8 |
I've seen a similar suggestion posted on Luminous Landsape.
This works great on many photographs.
-Terry
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02/13/2005 10:15:48 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by kirbic:
... You do have to be careful that you don't blow highlights when using it though. I tend to run it on only the areas that need it (e.g. mask off the sky, run it on the rest). ... |
This can be dealt with effectively by setting the 'blend if grey' sliders (in the layer's blending options dialog). Only the area between the sliders will be blended, and if you alt-slide the inside half the slider will split. This split is the area of a gradual cut-off instead of a sudden one. Sliding these in a bit (for both the current and the underlying layers) will keep the highlights from blowing out and the shadows from blocking.
David
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02/17/2005 08:37:17 AM · #10 |
pretty cool stuff here... question : I processed an image, and used the above style of contrast enhancement with USM. with a previously made duplicate, I simply hit the original USM image with a contrast boost of +15... looked the same, but thats on screem. does this simple contrast boost off the adjustment drop down menu do the same thing as the complex UASM contrast enhancement? i thought maybe some clipping occurs in the simple contrast booster. thanks
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02/17/2005 09:29:37 AM · #11 |
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02/17/2005 10:42:30 AM · #12 |
I have seen similar techniques from a number of Leica users who wanted to emulate the contrast of their Leica lenses when working with digital. It can be very affective when working with B&W images that are a little flat. The tip from Britannia is an excellent addition to the technique!
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02/17/2005 10:43:19 AM · #13 |
Bear in mind that this technique is NOT LEGAL in the Basic Editing rules, because it uses layer modes (darken and lighten) other than "normal". Only the normal layer mode is legal in Basic Editing.
Otherwise, this works great. I have used a variation of it for some time.
Robt.
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02/17/2005 10:51:35 AM · #14 |
I read somewhere of another technique that I have been using as of late.
Convert your image to Lab Color
USM only the "Lightness" Channel
Convert back to RGB.
Anyone else hear of this method? I think it works better than just plain USM.
Gonna compare it to some of the methods mentioned here and see how it fairs.
Martin |
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02/17/2005 11:42:27 AM · #15 |
Originally posted by MWitt:
Anyone else hear of this method? I think it works better than just plain USM. |
Hi Martin,
That is what I use. I save it as an action as I use it often.
I convert image to Labcolor, switch to the lightness channel, USM 50, 0.3, 0 and at times do it again (2 small passes is better than doing it all at once) then convert back to RGB.
Message edited by author 2005-02-17 13:22:33. |
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02/17/2005 11:48:00 AM · #16 |
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02/17/2005 11:49:47 AM · #17 |
| Very helpful information. Will try some, thx |
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02/17/2005 01:00:25 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by ace flyman:
save |
yes.... and make a BradP USM.atn and a BradP Lab Sharp.atn
thanks Brad |
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02/17/2005 02:38:25 PM · #19 |
Oh come on, those are easy to make! :)
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02/26/2005 01:47:34 AM · #20 |
Hey Brad--Thanks!
I've tried similar techniques before involving high radius USM (where you start out with a higher radius setting, and progressively lower and reduce the file size by half. But that never seemed to work "best" to me.
But I programmed this as an action and it works very well. Definitely gives those images some extra punch when reduced.
I'm curious about the two fade steps, with the layer blend to darken and lighten. What exactly is the purpose of doing those blends?
Thanks again. |
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