CS3 Pro Sharpening using Smart Filters

Friday 10 February

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CS3 Pro Sharpening using Smart Filters

Pro Sharpening in Photoshop CS3 using Smart Filters

In Photoshop CS3 you have the ability to use Smart Filters. Your layer turns into a Smart Object first and then when you apply filters to it you can modify them over and over, because they are non-destructive.

Step 1: Convert For Smart Filters

Make sure your photo is in a separate layer. Select the layer with your photo and select 'Convert For Smart Filters' in the Filter menu. There is a message window telling you your layer will be turned into a Smart Object. Click OK.

Step 1: Convert For Smart Filters

Step 2: Change color mode to Lab

Now go to the Image menu and choose Mode > Lab Color. Choose 'Don't Rasterize' in the next message window and choose 'Don't Flatten' in the second message.

Step 3: Select the Lightness Channel

Go to the Channels palette (Windows > Channels) and click on the Lightness channel. This channel contains only the detail and not the color in the photo.

Step 4: Apply Unsharp Mask Filter

Go to the Filter menu and choose Sharpen > Unsharp Mask.... Here is a rule of thumb I learned from Scott Kelby's book 'The Digital Photography Book' (Volume 1):

For people : Amount 150%, Radius 1, Threshold 10
For cityscapes, urban photography or travel : Amount 65%, Radius 3, Threshold 2
For general everyday use : Amount 85%, Radius 1, Threshold 4

Step 4: Apply Unsharp Mask Filter

For my photo I used : Amount 150%, Radius 1, Threshold 10. Click OK.

Step 5: Change color mode to RGB

Choose 'Don't Rasterize' and next 'Don't Flatten' in the messages that follow, so the layer with the photo stays a Smart Object and the Unsharp Mask Filter is a Smart Filter. This way you can experiment with the Unsharp Mask Filter.

Step 5: Change color mode to RGB

Applying the Unsharp Mask Filter a second time

Sometimes you can apply this Fitler a second time and then go to the Edit menu immediately after you've applied this filter and choose 'Fade Unsharp Mask' to reduce it back in case you use an older version of Photoshop. Be aware that this fading only works right after you've applied the filter. With the Smart Filters however you double click the Filter and edit from there.

You need to make sure you don't overdo and the photo doesn't get too hard around the edges. In my example I didn't do this, because it would have been too much as you can see in the image below.

Applying the Unsharp Mask Filter a second time

The end result is subtle but nice

I've created an animated gif to show you the difference with and without the Unsharp Mask Filter applied:

With and without the Unsharp Mask Filter applied

For people using CS2 or older...

For people who uses an older version of Photoshop, you can use basically the same technique described here, except the only difference is that the Filters aren't Smart Filters. You just skip that part and use the 'Fade Unsharp Mask' under the Edit menu to reduce the filter effect if needed.

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