Boris, Thanks for the tip. This is a post that I will archive and try out.
Bruce Monday, January 13, 2003, 8:54:55 AM, you wrote: BL> Hi! BL> Here's a little trick I've been taught by people who know :). BL> Instead of using any of sharpening filters you can do something BL> slightly different: BL> 1. You're given the single layer image. BL> 2. Duplicate that layer. That is Menu->Layer->Duplicate Layer. BL> 3. On the copied layer (usually it is called Background Copy I think) BL> press Ctrl-Shift-U or Menu->Adjust Color->Remove Color 4. Apply then Menu->>Filter->Other->High Pass filter. The filter BL> parameter would be the sharpening value. I usually choose value BL> between 0.2 to 0.5. The bigger the value the worse is the result with BL> respect to grain popping out, etc. The smaller the parameter - the BL> smoother the outcome. It is often useful when choosing BL> the value to take a look on specific part of the image under some BL> magnification. For my 3000x2000 scans I use 100% or 200%. BL> 5. On layers tab choose "Overlay" instead of "Normal". BL> 6. Flatten the image. BL> You're done. BL> Advantages of this procedure are: BL> 1. Once you've applied the high pass filter before you merge the BL> layers, you could take a Blur Tool brush and blur out these parts BL> that you don't want to sharpen. It takes some effort but sometimes BL> it is useful. BL> 2. Usually when any of the sharpening filters is applied some BL> undesired results come out. As I said, graininess becomes more BL> apparent. Also usually sharpening filters are not subtle if you will. BL> Here you have very fine control and sometimes it is quite difficult to BL> tell whether any sharpening was applied all together. BL> 3. This procedure can be applied several times with cumulative effect BL> far outweighing the undesirable side effects. If you were to apply BL> unsharp mask twice on the same image in my experience the result is BL> usually quite ugly. BL> Your mileage can obviously vary :). BL> --- BL> Boris Liberman BL> www.geocities.com/dunno57 BL> www.photosig.com/viewuser.php?id=38625 BL> ===8<==============Original message text=============== BD>> Mike, BD>> Thank you. A much more sensible reply to the question rather than BD>> questioning my intent. Makes sense and works pretty well on that BD>> front. BD>> Using the sharpening filter - are there some recommended starting BD>> values for the unsharp mask for amount, radius and threshold? BD>> Bruce BD>> Monday, January 13, 2003, 5:57:51 AM, you wrote: >>>> In Elements it seems even clumsier. Tell me how to quickly and easily >>>> crop to a given ratio. MJ>>> Bruce, MJ>>> Just click on the crop tool, and you'll notice "width" and "height" boxes at MJ>>> the top of the frame. Just fill in those values and the aspect ratio of the MJ>>> crop will stay constant. MJ>>> --Mike BL> ===8<===========End of original message text===========
