0 Replies Latest reply: May 22, 2013 10:26 AM by GitAmager1 RSS

    When in workflow to do localized sharpening and removal of blemishes?

    GitAmager1 Community Member

      I work with NEFs that I open into PS as 16 bit Tiffs in Prophoto RGB. My files are intended both for family photobooks and for further editing of the best  - plus these last ones will end up being resized to more than one size before their final output. I presently do not do any sharpening in Camera Raw (I use PS CS6) and remove noise after opening into PS where I convert for smart filters and use either PS's own filters or (mostly) the Neat Image plugin. I do not do any sharpening here as I have learned it would be best to wait as long as possible doing this.

       

      I want to be able to do some localized sharpening (using the sharpen tool) and also to remove blemishes (here I often use the brush tool that also cannot be used on a smart object). Also output sharpening. I have to admit that I previously did all this (except of course the output sharpening) on the background layer (to minimize file sizes and also because I always keep untouched original files elsewhere) before further editing in PS. When I got some very noisy files from family members with less good cameras and found pixel holes and remaining noise in darker areas I even used the blur tool directly on this layer (on faces) before applying the sharpen tool where needed locally. This is perhaps vandalism from a professional standpoint but a desperate attempt to save these files if important for the family history.

       

      1. Can I do the localized sharpening + other localized cleanup early on in the PS editing and only postpone the output sharpening till after rezsizings and JPEG conversion (the photobook files)?
      2. As for the noise filters: Could I after the above convert for smart filter and here use the noise filters (without sharpening) for an editable version of these and do the rest of my PS editing?
      3. Or do I really have to perform all this steps for each size of the file?

       

       

      I am sorry if the questions are dumb or disclose a lot of misunderstandings but my learning curve seems to become steeper and steeper with age.

       

      Git