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Sharpening in Photoshop with ADP LumiFlow Photoshop Plugin has significantly improved in functionality. We have added an auto web sharpen section with 3 methods to sharpen included. You will also find a self sharpening section giving you complete freedom and control. In the tools and viewing section there are powerful tools for edge protection for further control.
There are many incredible and powerful new features, allowing you complete control over the entire sharpening process. Making sharpening in Photoshop easier than it’s ever been before.
In the top section of the panel, you will find all the tools to prepare you image for the web. There are three methods to sharpen built in. All of the standard web image sizes are also included or choose your own.
Here you have complete control over the process, including 4 methods of sharpening.
Included in this section are many viewing options, mask modification tools, saving tools and powerful edge protection.
When it comes to sharpening your images for the web we have realised there are many popular methods. We have built 3 of the most common methods into the panel to give you options.
You have the option here to choose any one of the 3 methods, or you can choose to sharpen using all the methods. Regardless of the method you choose, a new document will be created, so you are not effecting your original file. With each method of creation, you will have a sharpening layer applied, and the opacity of the layer will be set to a pre-determined opacity / strength. Each image has completely different requirements, you have control over the strength applied by adjusting the opacity. You will also have further control over the strength of the sharpening with each type choses, see the details below.
The 3-stage sharpen method uses 3 stages of Unsharp Mask. Using this method creates the strongest contrast of the three, adding some appealing contrast and detail throughout. The method used in this process is not able to be captured through smart filters, instead you are given each of the 3 stages provided as individual layers. You can modify the opacity of each of the layers to modify the effect of the sharpening, or add masks to the layers to paint out areas.
The Unsharp Mask tool in Photoshop is one of the most popular methods to sharpen images. With this method, we have provided the sharpened layer as a smart object. This gives you the ability to re-enter the Unsharp Mask applied to modify the settings. You can also adjust the opacity of the layer to modify the strength.
High pass is another popular method to sharpen images. This uses the High Pass Filter in Photoshop. You can modify the radius of the High Pass filter to increase or decrease the width of the edge selection. The resulting layer has its blending mode changed to Overlay to apply the sharpening. You have the option to adjust the opacity of the layer, use the smart filter to adjust the radius of the High Pass Filter. You can also change the blend mode to Soft Light for a slightly reduced strength in its effect.
Using all methods will create separate layers in the new document with all three methods of sharpening in Photoshop. Here you can view all of the different methods to determine which one is best for your image. As you are looking at each type, turn off the other two so they are not affecting each other.
We have provided 7 preset image sizes. These will size your images on their long edge to the number shown on the button. Your image will be changed to 72 pixels per inch and the colour profile will be changed to sRGB, ideal for display on the web.
Using this function, you enter the size you want your image to be on its long edge. When you press the Execute button it will sharpen in a new document with the method you chose, or all methods.
In this section, you have complete control and determine yourself how you want to sharpen in Photoshop. Also included is an additional method, with Smart Sharpen added.
In order to maintain your current document, this button will create a duplicate of your current image with all its layers. You can then apply sharpening without effecting your original image file.
When you image is duplicated it will retain all of the layers in your original file. This may be wanted as you might want to use the layer masks in your image to help in isolating areas in the sharpened image. If you want to work with a single flattened image, the flatten button will collapse your image into one layer.
This will create a merged copy of all your active layers and place it on top of you layer stack.
This will convert your image into an 8-bit image. If you are finished applying your sharpening and the image is at its final size, you may want to convert it to 8-bit to reduce your file size.
If you are placing your image on the internet or you’re taking it to a printing lab that works with sRGB printers you will want to convert your image to sRGB.
As we don’t know what size your image will be the amount of sharpening is not necessarily scientific. Therefore, all of the methods, excluding 3-stage, are built as smart objects so you can control the strength.
There are 4 methods for sharpening in Photoshop built in. See the section above for the details of how each of them sharpen your image. The only addition is Smart Sharpen. This method is very similar to the Unsharp Mask, giving you a slight difference in its sharpening method. This layer will be created as a smart object allowing you to modify the strength, or adjust the opacity of the layer to increase or decrease the strength.
This section works exactly as the Auto Web tools, refer to those details for more information.
In the bottom section of the panel is where you find some helpful tools to finish off your sharpened image.
Use this tool if you have a specific edge in the image you want to protect from over sharpening in Photoshop, or those dreaded halos. Make a selection in your image, using any selection tool, then select the sharpened layer before pressing the button. With your selection, a custom mask will be created to protect your chosen edge. You will be prompted for the thickness in pixels you want to protect. Typically, 2-3 pixels is enough depending on the size of your image. You can adjust the density of the mask to reduce the strength of protection.
Using this method of edge protection will find all detailed edges throughout your image and create a mask to protect them from sharpening. Make sure you are on your sharpened image layer before you press the button. You can then adjust the density of the mask to reduce the amount of protection.
Quickly make brush selections to paint on your layer masks.
This will fill your layer mask with your choice of White, Black or 50% Grey.
This button will invert you mask to its opposite, converting white to black and black to white.
This will place your original image and your sharpened image tiled on top of each other. This will allow you to view the original unsharpened image next to the sharpened image to see the difference between them.
This button works the same as the Tile Horizontal buttons, except it will place your images side by side.
This button will remove the tiling taking you back to a single image view.
This button will reveal the mask on any layer with a layer mask. It will make the mask visible so that you can see the areas controlled by the mask, and make adjustment. You can toggle between the mask view and image view by pressing the button again.
There are 4 zooming options built in. Zoom in and out, to 100% and also to full screen.
This will open up your standard save screen. This will allow you to select the file type, file name and location you want to save your image.
This will open the Save for Web window in Photoshop. Save for Web gives you finer control over your final image size with a 0 to 100 quality slider instead of the 0 to 12 in save as.
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