So I am going through my pictures from a wedding over the weekend and everything is in focus, but I'd really like to get it razor sharp....for instance Jessica Claire's amazing work. I am using Lightroom for most of my processing....any advice?

Kevin Kubota's Magic Sharp.

Thanks! From looking around it seems like Photoshop actions are the way to go....I need to learn more about batch processing with Photoshop actions, I am used to Lightroom. The sharpness on that image is great...I love it!

I need to suck it up and get that Kubota stuff, I hear nothing but good things about magic sharp

You get crisp images when they are resized and sharpened for the web. The right post processing helps here too.

UNSHARP MASK

Try this setting and tell me what you think:

Amount - 300% - 500% (depending on the size of the original * for the 5D, 450% is almost perfect)
Radius - .35 - .50 Pixels
Threshold - no more than 1

Then boost your contrast with Levels or Brightness/Contrast or Curves.

The images should pop real nice then.

I use Kubota's magic sharp on everything too. It was totally a great and worthwhile purchasd!

Ditto. I use about 250% (30d) for web, and about 350% for print.

Sometimes I use high-pass sharpening to really bring out details.
check out this easy tutorial

Unfortunately, Lightroom isn't great for noise reduction or sharpening...

Ok, I gotta say that I always wonder when I see these threads and everyone immediately comes up with a Photoshop answer.

Supersharp and crisp images HAVE to start off with a properly focused and properly exposed image. Good glass that gives you good images, and proper exposure will go a long way towards getting you the gorgeous color and crispness and sharpness you want. Postprocessing should should only enhance that which is already there.

I'm certainly not saying anything about anyone's work ... but I have seen a lot of photgraphers who "fix" their work in PhotoShop afterwards and then complain that they can't get the crisp, sharp, saturated look they want.

Just something to think about.

karen

could you explain please, the difference between sharpening and using 'unsharp mask'? i find sharpening probably the most confusing.

Karen,

She mentioned that the images were already sharp.
I think she's wondering how to get them to appear even sharper, and if I can assume based on her post, POP like [b]'s and Jessica Claire's.

But you are correct. Sharp image in = sharp image out.



When you use the unsharp mask, you are fine tuning the sharpness and removing the 'mask' that makes images look soft.
At least, that's how it was explained to me.

everyone has given great answers so far, and if you were looking for some post production answers im sure you got them. just in case you weren't though i would highly recommend some glass with some large aperatures. even a 50 1.4 can blast everything out of focus that isn't on the same plane as the subject. to me that's what gives so many people the "sharp" look to their images.... you mentioned jessica and she is quiet open about the fact that she uses her 85 1.8 a lot. i think that gives her images that crisp look you are referring too.

could also be sharpening as well, but no amount of actions and/or filters are going to create that buttery look of an image shot with a large aperature with the subject completely in focus.

Actually, like a lot of thing in PS, the "unsharp" mask referred to a technique from the wet darkroom days where a blurred, or "unsharp", copy of an image was made and that image was used as an "unsharp mask" over the original image to determine where the edges were and adjust the exposure on either side of an edge. The edges are not really sharpened, but contrast is enhanced along the edges to make it appear sharper.

Here is a more detailed explanation from Luminous Landscape.

Lots of PS tools have their roots the wet darkroom techniques. Dodge, burn and screen are but a few.

Steve - that is an awesome answer.
Thank you for clarifying it.

http://www.aftercapture.com/print-archives...-not-to-sharpen


www.sdohana.com

Thanks! I am looking for both post production and shooting tips. The images are already in focus and have correct exposure...I am not trying to "fix" my images, but enhance them to give them that "POP". I mainly use Canon L series lenses, but 2.8 is as wide as I usually shoot. I'll have to add a 1.4 or 1.8 to my equipment sometime....something to look forward to! Thanks again for the input!

Could someone please write a little more about Kubota's Magic Sharp? I'm interested in getting it but am curious -- is it only for web? How about prints? Does it do everything automatically depending on the image or do you need to specify settings yourself? Has it really helped your images that much? Help me justify the $70.

Not to change the subject here, but Johnny, has anyone ever told you that your avatar bears a striking resemblance to Ze Frank? (www.zefrank.com)

This is Johnny-Frank, thinking - so you don't have to.

I miss his daily blog.

Hmmm.....I guess it's not okay to assume that a professional photographer knows that.....taking a sharp picture......makes your images sharper. (?) Karen, Kubota Magic Sharp has been a great tool for me and I want other photographers to know that it really is very helpful. There's nothing wrong with that.

my pleasure Ashley! as i mentioned id highly recommend the 50mm 1.4 to start. its only like $250 so its a tiny investment and will allow you to start playing with those crazy wide open apertures. take a poll, i bet at least 90% of the photographers will say the 50mm is in their top 5 favorite lenses. i left it home one wedding and will never forget it, one of those things you dont realize how much you use it until you cant reach for it.

the 85mm 1.8 is another lens that people love and is again a tiny investment (relatively speaking of course).

and for one more final option.... if you are a member of CPS remember you can borrow lenses from them for free. so borrow one of their fixed lenses with extra large apertures and try it out for yourself! i promise that tack sharp prime look will blow away any sharpening filter you can purchase

ps - kubota's actions are a must for me, so please no one take it as me knocking them at all. those actions are a part of life in the studio!

Right on! I love the high pass.

I'll echo Luke's sentiments about shooting wide open with a 50/1.4 or 85/1.8. They are fabulous lenses, and if you haven't used a prime lately, you should definitely check one of these two out. You'll love them. And you'll also find that if you're using a zoom lens, that some of them will gift you a slightly soft looking photo, while still being in focus.


That being said, KPD Magic Sharp is a good action, as well as Smart Sharpen in CS2

+1

While I don't use the 50 all the time, it's definitely my favorite lens.

i agree with chris, the canon 24-70mm 2.8 L lens is especially soft in my opinion. frank was one of the first people to convince me that it wasnt just me, that lens is SOFT. ali and i barely take that lens out of our bags anymore unless we have too.

I've got the older 28-70L, and that lens and my 70-200IS are totally sharp on my cameras. I throw my 85 or 50 on though, and they are amazingly sharp.

Do a search on this and other forums and see how many people don't understand why their underexposed images aren't sharp and crisp. Anymore, it's not an assumption I make ... that "professional" photographers understand that exposure and quality of glass affects the quality of their images. Sad but true.

And yes, I use Kubota's Magic Sharp quite a bit. It's part of the Kubota Action Pack that you can buy at his website.

Karen

Really?

I've got the (current model I think?) 24-70 2.8L and it's razor sharp - and I'm very picky about sharp. That and my 70-200 2.8L IS are perfectly sharp, the 70-200 especially so. I own the 50 1.4 prime but very rarely take it out. People ask me why I don't shoot primes and I just think the zooms are so incredibly sharp already that 'what's the point?'. I found the 50 1.4 to focus a bit slow - even on the MkII.

I wonder if the camera has something to do with this - really. All of my lenses were intermittenly 'soft' when I was shooting 20D's. They'd be okay, then everything soft in a set, then okay again - it was really messing with my head for a while. Then after going to the MkII's (for focus reasons more than anything) all of a sudden all of glass was perfectly sharp 99% of the time.

I really think the focus system in the 1-serries cameras drives the focus motors to a much finer degree than the 20D class. I really think there is a certain amount of 'slop' in those focus systems which explains the intermittent nature of my problem. That's also the reason I passed on the 5D as it has essentially the same focus system from everything I could read.

It really is sad though - you buy a $1300 lens and a $1500 camera body and they should focus dead on every single shot, no question about it. But it just doesn't seem to be that way - wasn't in my experience anyway.

I also shoot the Tokina 12-24 f/4 for my wide stuff (the 'generic' replacement for the 16-35L) and it's a bit soft, but hey, it's less than half the price of the real deal.

kevin do me a favor... take out your 24-70 and push it all the way to 24. that huge a$$ barrel sticking out in front? all that light bouncing around in the front of that lens can be a problem. there was problems with the 16-35 and people knew it so canon finally had to replace it, i wouldn't be surprised if they replaced the 24-70 as well. there are times when i think my old 28-70 was better

i agree that the camera can be a variable in focusing, chris humphreys and i just had this discussion the other day when he was in NY. the vast majority of the time i think my 1D focuses spot on, but i actually think the 5D focusing seems to be damn good as well. the problem i run into with the 1D is i like to use all 45 autofocus points. if you are using one point all the way to the side of the frame in broad daylight it's fine, however use that single point on the edge of the camera during dancing in a low light reception and you are definitely getting some backfocusing.

id think maybe it was something else other than the lens, but all the other lens i have are tack sharp (especially the 70-200mm). whether it's on the 5D, 20D, or 1D it's always slightly soft. not enough for the client to notice, but enough for me. then i might think it was just my version of the lens, but 2 of the closest people to me (ali and frank) both said the same exact thing before i even spoke out about it.

its not a big deal though, ive really just started phasing the lens out of usage for me. the 16-35, 50, and 70-200 is my "starting rotation" on the wedding day anyway.... the 24-70 starts in the bullpen.

PS - you asked "whats the point?" of using a 50mm over a zoom so i have to answer.... 1.4. that's the only reason for me. no matter how sharp a zoom is it cant deliver 1.4.

+ 1!

Sharpness = Great light + great glass

(then run Kubota Magic Sharp at size!)

j

Now, Before getting all this thinks ready. I have a question?
I am getting my 5D on Monday very excited, do I need to set my camera settings?
I shoot Raw and choose shade or sunny etc.
I talking in your litle monitor, any comments.

Gloria

Gloria, I have a 5D and shoot RAW as well. I sat in last week on Blu's blog with Happy Hour with Jessica Claire and she indicated that she turns off all settings in her 5D. No sharpening, Auto WB. I'm going to try that and see the difference in my pics.

Also to respond above, I LOVE Kubota's Magic Sharp!! That feature ALONE is worth the investment of the actions. During HH with Jessica, she mentioned that this is the last feature she runs on her photos, as does [b]ecker.

Thank for your responce Suzie!

;-}

Gloria

Just wanted to chime back in and say a few things:

1) Yes, absolutely I have found that getting the sharp pic with camera control and great glass is #1!

2) Magic sharp is great, but it's no miracle worker. Having said that, I do love it.

3) I LOVE my 85/1.8 . . . I mean, sometimes I cannot even believe how awesome it is.

4) I have the cheap-o 50/1.8 and it's not AMAZING, but it's definitely not bad.

5) I shot with the 24-70 this weekend and was disappointed by how soft it was. Luckily, I was able to return it to it's rightful owner without having to pay a dime. Borrowing is good.

6) I shoot RAW with a 5D and I love that set up. Having awesome lenses is most important, but I also think the 5D has made a big difference in my image quality.

yup! fast glass, great soft light, and Magic Sharp.

but i also find our 24-70 2.8 pretty sharp. it's still an amazing lens!