Adobe Photoshop CS3 How-Tos: 100 Essential Techniques

Chapter Thirteen. Sharpening Images

There is something incredibly compelling about photographs that are vivid and sharp. It’s as if the sharpness draws us in, making us want to look closer. As we strive to create sharp images, we stand on the shoulders of many great photographers, including Ansel Adams, who pioneered and evangelized the idea that precision and sharp focus are fundamental to good photography.

While Adams’ pursuit to capture sharp images was focused on the camera and printing, we now have an even bigger advantage—Photoshop, which provides a number of sharpening filters. This chapter focuses on the most useful of these.

Keep in mind that no one sharpening filter is best, and no one sharpening technique works for every image. It’s important ...