http://www.digitalcameraworld.com JUNE 2019 DIGITAL CAMERA^77
TOOL SCHOOL1
The Smart
Sharpen
command
Access Smart Sharpen
under Filter > Sharpen. Before
doing so it’s best to either duplicate
your current layer, or right-click it
and choose Convert to Smart
Object: this will keep the effects
editable. Tick More Accurate under
the cog dropdown at the top. This
setting means the sharpening
will take longer, but the results
will be worth waiting for.3
Radius slider
This determines the
distance from edges
in which sharpening
occurs. If it’s set to 2px then the
sharpening will spread two pixels
away from edges in the image. This
is why it’s important to resize your
image to a chosen output (like a
print or a screen): the effects of
the sharpening should be tailored
to the resolution of the image. If
you begin to see unsightly haloes,
try reducing the radius.2
Amount slider
In essence, sharpening
is localised contrast,
applied along the edges
within an image. (An edge is
anywhere where lighter pixels meet
darker pixels.) Amount controls the
strength of the change in contrast:
it determines how much brighter
the pixels on the light side of the
edge will go, as well as the darkness
of the pixels along the dark side of
the edge. This contrast heightens
detail, giving a sharpening effect.4
Reduce Noise
This is a handy addition
to Smart Sharpen that
lets you apply noise
reduction while you are fine-tuning
your sharpening. It can be useful
for reducing grainy image noise,
especially with any images taken
using a high ISO setting (as these
will display increased noise).
Sometimes the act of sharpening
can amplify image noise, so if you
see this happening, try using
the Reduce Noise slider to
reduce the impact of the effect.6
Shadows
and Highlights
These let you reduce
the sharpening effect
at either end of the tonal range –
useful if you see haloes appearing.
Use Fade Amount to reduce the
strength of the sharpening. Radius
controls the area around each
pixel that is sourced to determine
whether it’s a highlight or shadow.
Tonal Width lets you zero in on part
of the tonal range – smaller values
restrict the effect to the very
darkest or lightest tones.5
Remove Blur
This allows you to
change the way the
photo is sharpened.
Gaussian Blur applies sharpening
along edge details. Lens Blur
detects sharp edges and details
in an image and can result in fewer
haloes, especially at stronger
sharpening strengths. Motion Blur
attempts to reduce the effects
of camera shake or subject
movement. The Angle control is
enabled, which lets you specify
the direction of the motion blur.