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Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: shank_ali on February 05, 2009, 14:08

Title: Sharpening an image..
Post by: shank_ali on February 05, 2009, 14:08
They say the last thing you do after post editing is ..sharpen.
I have not sharpened an image for 9 months.Don't feel the need.
Who does and why...
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: cdwheatley on February 05, 2009, 15:17
I'll do selective sharpening on those borderline sharp images, usually just on the main focal point. There is one site in particular that is very picky on image sharpness. Without sharpening a little the image would never get accepted.   :)
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: anton9 on February 05, 2009, 15:18
Same I do selective sharpening but only that. Sharpening an image adds too much noise so you can guarentee its going to get rejected most of the time
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: shank_ali on February 05, 2009, 15:32
I'll do selective sharpening on those borderline sharp images, usually just on the main focal point. There is one site in particular that is very picky on image sharpness. Without sharpening a little the image would never get accepted.   :)
If you used a tripod and remote  switch you would not get "those borderline sharp images" IMO.
Even with  an image stabiliser built in to a lens you may still get camera shake if you don't 'hold' that shot for a few seconds.
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: takestock on February 05, 2009, 15:34
Likewise - as and if when needed.
When I have to take out extra noise I will sharpen just a bit.
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: cdwheatley on February 05, 2009, 15:51
I'll do selective sharpening on those borderline sharp images, usually just on the main focal point. There is one site in particular that is very picky on image sharpness. Without sharpening a little the image would never get accepted.   :)

If you used a tripod and remote  switch you would not get "those borderline sharp images" IMO.
Even with  an image stabiliser built in to a lens you may still get camera shake if you don't 'hold' that shot for a few seconds.


I shoot everything hand held, prefer to work that way. I might be a little pissed off when the next wave comes in and takes out my tripod, camera, and leaves me holding the remote.  :P I hear what your saying though. I do use a monopod on occasion.
(http://69.90.174.250/photos/display_pic_with_logo/85718/85718,1217194852,1.jpg)
It happens  :)
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: vonkara on February 05, 2009, 16:07
First thing I do is sharpening. It can give jaggy edges for isolation as example if you do it after. Also it give an overall perspective of where are the need for noise reduction or to use the layer mask...
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: Twist on February 05, 2009, 16:35
I dont sharpen every single image, but most of them. The big thing is if you are going to print a digital image...then it definitely needs to be sharpened.
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: Graffoto on February 05, 2009, 16:38
Partially depends on what you are shooting with.
My Canon 20 has a very strong AA filter and all images MUST be sharpened.

OTOH, my Canon 5D has a very weak AA filter and seldom requires any sharpening at all. If anything, at times images look a bit too sharp - in the case of people that lack perfect skin  :-\
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: Xalanx on February 05, 2009, 16:50
sharpening is USUALLY the last thing to do to an image, indeed. Most of the time - selective sharpening. in 90% of the cases the only sharpening I do is in LightRoom in raw workflow. If the image is slightly OOF then I'm using some cool plugins... :D
But in more than 90% of cases there is no sharpening needed.
I have a 5D.
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: shank_ali on February 05, 2009, 17:17
I dont sharpen every single image, but most of them. The big thing is if you are going to print a digital image...then it definitely needs to be sharpened.
You have hit the nail on the head.The buyer can sharpen the image before going into print.
I do look and work on my photo's at 100% BTW
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: crazychristina on February 05, 2009, 17:34
Don't you usually downsize shank? That has a sharpening effect, especially if you're using the bicubic sharper algorithm to do the downsizing.
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: shank_ali on February 06, 2009, 02:03
Don't you usually downsize shank? That has a sharpening effect, especially if you're using the bicubic sharper algorithm to do the downsizing.
I have in the past but getting payed $6.40 for an XL sale tends to lean you towards being more careful with your composition and no cropping  ;D
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: e-person on February 06, 2009, 06:52
It depends on which lenses you are using.
For macro work, you don't need any sharpening since macro lenses are the sharpest.
Most wide angle lenses are not sharp, especially on the borders, and you might need to apply some mild sharpening.
It also depends on size. The smaller the size the more sharp it looks.
It varies on a photo by photo basis.

Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: CCK on February 06, 2009, 10:30
I don't sharpen microstock images at all.
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: null on February 06, 2009, 10:51
I do light selective sharpening by the supersharpen workflow (the Miz described it) in the lightness channel alone (convert to Lab colors) in a layer under the original.
If it's a landscape, I set the opacity for the original on top to 80%, but only for the land part and avoiding smooth gradients like sky and clouds where the added noise will be most visible.

For portraits, I use a soft erase brush 15-20% on the eyes, lip cracks and the nose opening (points of attention focus). Vonkara: on an isolation, never sharpen the borders to white of course. After flatten layers, I zoom in 600% (yes I'm a stupid pixelpeeper) and I blurr the single black pixels here and there with a soft brush 2px. The eye white gets blurred a little bit too with a larger brush.
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: shank_ali on February 06, 2009, 12:11
I don't sharpen microstock images at all.
Me neither now.
I do like the term "pixel peeker".
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: null on February 06, 2009, 12:19
I do like the term "pixel peeker".

I'm always puzzled by a rejection for pixel distortion. When I zoom in at 800%, they all look perfectly square to me  ;D
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: Dreamframer on February 07, 2009, 10:06
I use sharpening very rarely. I always try few different methods before I decide which one works best with specific image. In this image, the rock was pretty blurry
(http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/8254168/2/istockphoto_8254168-cross-and-moon.jpg)
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: shank_ali on February 07, 2009, 15:04
I use sharpening very rarely. I always try few different methods before I decide which one works best with specific image. In this image, the rock was pretty blurry
([url]http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/8254168/2/istockphoto_8254168-cross-and-moon.jpg[/url])

Well next time put your tampons on and climb the rock and it wont be so blurry ;D
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: travismanley on February 10, 2009, 15:51
If you shoot in raw (I do) you probably want to add some sharpening. I might be wrong, but from what I have heard raw photos tend to be on the soft side and need a little bit of sharpening.

Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: MatHayward on February 10, 2009, 16:53
I sharpen probably 99% of my images.  I only shoot raw and at least one (though usually two) runs of the Unsharp mask does the trick.  Granted, my work flow is not very practical...I do all my RAW conversions in Lightroom then open all images in PS for final tweaking which includes sharpening. 
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: RT on February 10, 2009, 18:18
I shoot everything hand held, prefer to work that way. I might be a little pissed off when the next wave comes in and takes out my tripod, camera, and leaves me holding the remote.  :P I hear what your saying though. I do use a monopod on occasion.
([url]http://69.90.174.250/photos/display_pic_with_logo/85718/85718,1217194852,1.jpg[/url])
It happens  :)


Could you please stop attaching images like this to your posts!  :D
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: gunnar3000 on March 26, 2009, 16:50
I never sharpend an image... even if I use my crappy zoom-lense  ;D
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: tan510jomast on March 26, 2009, 17:08
I shoot everything hand held, prefer to work that way. I might be a little pissed off when the next wave comes in and takes out my tripod, camera, and leaves me holding the remote.  :P I hear what your saying though. I do use a monopod on occasion.
([url]http://69.90.174.250/photos/display_pic_with_logo/85718/85718,1217194852,1.jpg[/url])
It happens  :)


Could you please stop attaching images like this to your posts!  :D


ya cd, where do you get all these gorgeous women ???  ;D
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: Magnum on March 26, 2009, 17:31
Minimal smartsharpen does the trick when needed.  without being visible.  I think I´ve even fooled a few Istock reviewers:) 

This is like a "push-off" discussion in skijumping. Kind of depends what equipment you have.  Grandpas old crosscountry skis and lederhosen or Pro skijumping skis + windsuit :D
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: cdwheatley on March 26, 2009, 18:14
I shoot everything hand held, prefer to work that way. I might be a little pissed off when the next wave comes in and takes out my tripod, camera, and leaves me holding the remote.  :P I hear what your saying though. I do use a monopod on occasion.
([url]http://69.90.174.250/photos/display_pic_with_logo/85718/85718,1217194852,1.jpg[/url])
It happens  :)


Could you please stop attaching images like this to your posts!  :D


ya cd, where do you get all these gorgeous women ???  ;D


The one taking the brunt of the wave would be my wife (good sport..huh!! hehe!!) and others I have found shopping at your local Model Mayhem store  ;D. There everywhere in Florida, just have to find the ones that are interested in being in front of the camera.
Title: Re: Sharpening an image..
Post by: sbonk on March 26, 2009, 20:21
I do not sharpen for stock. I only sharpen before I print and only for the version being printed.

But on many images for stock I do some local contrast adjustments which is sort of a form of sharpening.