Sharpening Photos: Free Photoshop Tutorial

Topics Covered in This Photoshop Tutorial:

The Smart Sharpen Filter, Sharpening Hi-res Photos for Print

Exercise Preview

Photos by Dan Rodney

Exercise Overview

The photo shown above suffers from a common photography challenge: slight focus issues that compromise image quality. While Photoshop cannot resurrect severely blurred images, its sophisticated sharpening tools can dramatically improve photos with minor focus problems. This exercise demonstrates how to strategically apply the Smart Sharpen filter to enhance image clarity while avoiding the telltale artifacts that mark amateur post-processing work.

The Smart Sharpen Filter

The Smart Sharpen filter represents one of Photoshop's most sophisticated sharpening algorithms, offering superior control over traditional Unsharp Mask techniques. Let's begin with a practical application to understand its capabilities.

1. In Photoshop, go to File > Open.
2. From the Photoshop Class folder, open Heather landscape.jpg.

3. Go to View > 100% to see the most accurate view of the image. This viewing percentage is critical for proper sharpening evaluation—zoom levels above or below 100% can misrepresent the actual sharpening effect.

4. Go to Filter > Sharpen > Smart Sharpen.

5. Position the dialog window so you can see as much of the photo in the background as possible. Professional tip: Always evaluate sharpening on the actual image rather than relying solely on the preview box, which shows only a small portion of your image and may not reveal problematic artifacts.

6. Enter the following settings but do NOT click OK yet—we'll analyze the results first:

   Amount:	400%
   Radius:	3 px
   Reduce Noise:	10%
   Remove:	Lens Blur (this algorithm produces finer, more natural-looking sharpening compared to Motion Blur or Gaussian Blur options)

7. Toggle the Preview checkbox several times to assess the sharpening effect. Notice how the image details become more defined, particularly in areas like hair texture and fabric. However, observe that the original focus issue—where the camera locked onto the background rather than the subject—limits how much improvement is possible through post-processing alone.

8. Click OK to apply the filter.

9. Close the file without saving changes when prompted.

Now let's examine how the same technique performs on a properly focused image that simply needs enhancement:

1. Go to File > Open.

2. From the Photoshop Class folder, open Heather portrait.jpg.

3. Set your view to View > 100% for accurate evaluation.

   This portrait demonstrates proper camera focus but lacks the crisp clarity that elevates professional imagery. This scenario represents the ideal candidate for Smart Sharpen enhancement.

4. Navigate to Filter > Sharpen > Smart Sharpen.

5. Reposition the dialog window for optimal image viewing during the preview process.

6. Apply these initial settings without clicking OK:

   Amount:	400%
   Radius:	3 px
   Reduce Noise:	10%
   Remove:	Lens Blur

7. Toggle Preview on and off repeatedly, focusing your attention on high-contrast edges such as the teeth, eyes, and hair strands. You'll likely notice unwanted light and dark halos around these elements—a classic sign of over-sharpening that immediately identifies amateur post-processing work.

8. Reduce the Radius setting to 2 px.

9. Preview the adjustment again. The smaller radius should significantly reduce the haloing artifacts while maintaining the sharpening benefits.

10. Fine-tune both Amount and Radius values to achieve optimal results. For this particular image, professional settings typically fall around 300% amount and 1.5 px radius. Remember: subtle enhancement often produces more convincing results than dramatic adjustments.

11. Once satisfied with your settings, click OK, then save your work with File > Save before closing the file.

Sharpening Hi-Res Photos for Print

Print production requires different sharpening considerations than screen display. High-resolution images destined for physical printing can—and should—accommodate more aggressive sharpening because the printing process inherently softens detail. Additionally, viewing distance affects perceived sharpness: images viewed at arm's length (like prints) can handle stronger sharpening than those viewed at typical screen distance.

1. Open do not feed the animals.jpg from your class folder.

2. Immediately create a working copy by choosing File > Save As and saving it as a Photoshop document named yourname-do not feed the animals.psd. This preserves your original file while creating an editable working version.

3. Set your view to View > 100% to ensure accurate sharpening assessment.

4. Access Filter > Sharpen > Smart Sharpen.

5. Position the dialog for optimal background image visibility during preview.

6. Configure these print-optimized settings before previewing:

   Amount:	400%
   Radius:	2 px
   Reduce Noise:	10%
   Remove:	Lens Blur

7. Use the Preview toggle to evaluate the sharpening effect. Notice how surface textures become more pronounced and defined—this enhanced detail compensation accounts for the softening that occurs during the printing process. The apparently aggressive on-screen sharpening will appear natural and crisp in the final printed piece.

8. Apply the filter with OK, then save and close your file to preserve the print-ready enhancement.

Mastering these Smart Sharpen techniques provides the foundation for professional image enhancement across both digital and print media. The key lies in understanding your output destination and adjusting your approach accordingly—restrained sharpening for screen viewing, more aggressive settings for print production.