ABSTRACT
All digital images require sharpening – even if shot on a state-of-the-art digital SLR in focus. Most cameras can sharpen in-camera but the highest quality sharpening is achieved in post-production. Photoshop Elements will allow photographers to select the amount of sharpening and the areas that require it the most. The basic concept of sharpening is to send the Unsharp Mask filter on a ‘seek and manipulate’ mission. The filter is programmed to make the pixels on the lighter side of any edge it finds lighter still, and the pixels on the darker side of the edge darker. The best sharpening techniques are those that prioritize the important areas for sharpening and leave the smoother areas of the image well alone. These advanced techniques are essential when sharpening images that have been scanned from film or have excessive noise, neither of which needs accentuating by the Unsharp Mask.
