Hi! Here's a little trick I've been taught by people who know :).
Instead of using any of sharpening filters you can do something slightly different: 1. You're given the single layer image. 2. Duplicate that layer. That is Menu->Layer->Duplicate Layer. 3. On the copied layer (usually it is called Background Copy I think) press Ctrl-Shift-U or Menu->Adjust Color->Remove Color 4. Apply then Menu->Filter->Other->High Pass filter. The filter parameter would be the sharpening value. I usually choose value between 0.2 to 0.5. The bigger the value the worse is the result with respect to grain popping out, etc. The smaller the parameter - the smoother the outcome. It is often useful when choosing the value to take a look on specific part of the image under some magnification. For my 3000x2000 scans I use 100% or 200%. 5. On layers tab choose "Overlay" instead of "Normal". 6. Flatten the image. You're done. Advantages of this procedure are: 1. Once you've applied the high pass filter before you merge the layers, you could take a Blur Tool brush and blur out these parts that you don't want to sharpen. It takes some effort but sometimes it is useful. 2. Usually when any of the sharpening filters is applied some undesired results come out. As I said, graininess becomes more apparent. Also usually sharpening filters are not subtle if you will. Here you have very fine control and sometimes it is quite difficult to tell whether any sharpening was applied all together. 3. This procedure can be applied several times with cumulative effect far outweighing the undesirable side effects. If you were to apply unsharp mask twice on the same image in my experience the result is usually quite ugly. Your mileage can obviously vary :). --- Boris Liberman www.geocities.com/dunno57 www.photosig.com/viewuser.php?id=38625 ===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 ===8<===========End of original message text===========
