Adobe® Photoshop® CS4 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 you strive to create sharp images, you 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 Ansel’s pursuit to capture sharp images was focused on the camera and printing, you now have an even bigger advantage—Photoshop, which provides a number of sharpening filters. This chapter focuses on the most useful of these filters.

Keep in mind that no one sharpening filter is best, and no one sharpening technique ...