Process for blowing up shots.

[The23rdman]

I'm working on blowing up some shots using Alien Skin Blow Up right now. The question is do I need to do anything post blow up apart from a little USM? Do you tend to run through noise software at all?

 

[swanseamale47]

De-noise should ideally be early in the editing process, I'd do it before enlarging.

 

[The23rdman]

Thanks. I do generally do it as early as possible. I was just wondering if there was any need to do it again afterwards. Also if there is anything other than a sharpen I need to do post enlargement.

 

[swanseamale47]

I don't use blow up so don't know what it's doing exactly, some software uses bicubic sharper as a sharpening method (or is an option) that may not need any external sharpening, others use different methods. It's usually advised to sharpen for output at the finished size (if needed) it's probably best to do a test print and see how much sharpening is actually needed at output size.

 

[stewsmith]

I was always led to believe thet Bi cubic sharper was for down sizing and bi cubic smoother was for enlarging. Always sharpening prior to sending it to the printer.

STew

 

[swanseamale47]

I was always led to believe thet Bi cubic sharper was for down sizing and bi cubic smoother was for enlarging. Always sharpening prior to sending it to the printer.

STew

That is the general advise given but there are a number of well known togs using bicubic sharper in preference (claiming it gives better results) Whether it does or doesn't I couldn't say never having really tried big enlarments that way, I use Genuine Fractals which seems to do a pretty decent job.