Advice on sharpning for the web

[ah5168]

Hi I am trying to optimise the sharpness of my images to show on the web, typically 800 px wide, without them looking over sharpened. I tend to used a couple of passed through the Smart Sharpen(CS4) filter at different settings and then reduce it to 800 px. using the Bicubic reduction. Is this the most effective way.

See below an example, it was taken hand held so that may have reduced the crispness slightly.

 

[Tyke Tiler]

Hi,

You can certainly take a sharp shot handheld, it's all about a high enough shutter speed to cancel tremors or vibrations.

As for web sharpening, do you use lightroom at all?

I used to apply all manner of various sharpening until I began using Lightroom, the export sharpening option is easily the simplest and most effective method for web IMHO.

If your not using Lightroom then I can recommend downsizing your image first in CS4 and then run your preferred method of sharpening as opposed to vice versa.

Some like to use the input and then output sharpening methods but I've not used this method since using Lightroom's facilities.

The above image is indeed a little aggressive on the sharpening IMO, it seems like the radius may be a little high but this is utterly to taste.

One of my favourite sharpening methods other than Lightroom's export sharpening, is to merge all the visible layers in CS4 and then change the blend mode of your merged layer to overlay. This looks terrible but hold on and select high pass in the filters menu and apply between a 1.8 to 2.5 radius. All the colours return to normal and you have a much crisper result. Turn the visibility of the layer on and then off again to see the difference.

This sharpens very effectively without aggression.

Hope that helps

T.

 

[ah5168]

Thanks for the advice I have just tried the High Pass method suggested and it seems very effective. It doesn’t have the effect of over sharpening the clothing and hair which my original method had. I will have a play around and repost the above image.

 

[Tyke Tiler]

Glad you find it of some use mate, it's a real nice method not just for portraits but also for general use. Architecture/interior/exterior can really benefit with this method.

It's also worth mentioning that you can add a layer mask to your overlay/high pass layer and paint in/out the areas you wish to sharpen.

Usually the eyes and maybe hair are good candidates but skin isn't generally an element that sharpening benefits

T.