Lesson 17

Image Sharpening
Techniques

CHESTER M. APOSTOL
Photoshop Instructor
Lesson Objectives

 Explain how to sharpen image using

the Unsharp Mask filter.
 Explain how to sharpen image using
the High Pass filter.
 Sharpening Image Using
Unsharp Mask Filter
 It makes an image look sharp by increasing the contrast
of the edges in the image.
 It offers three sliders for adjusting the sharpness of the
image.
 The Amount slider is used to set the degree of
sharpening that will be applied to the image.
 The Radius slider is used to set the size of pixels around
the edge pixels that will be affected by the sharpening.
 The Threshold is used to determine how the pixels must
differ from the surrounding pixels before it is considered
as edge pixels and sharpened by the filter.
 Steps in Sharpening Image
Using Unsharp Mask Filter

1. Open the image that needs sharpening.

2. Zoom the image to 100% by double-clicking the
Zoom tool in the tools palette.
3. Click [Filter]-[Sharpen]-[Unsharp Mask] in the menu
bar to display the Unsharp Mask dialog box .
4. Drag the Amount, Radius, and Threshold sliders to
adjust their respective values; or you can directly
type the values in each textbox.
5. Click the OK button to apply the Unsharp Mask
filter and close the dialog box.
Sample Image Sharpening
Result using Unsharp Mask Filter
Sharpening Image Using
High Pass Filter

 The High Pass filter can also be used to

sharpen the image because it applies sharp
contrast to the edges of the image based on
the specified radius.
 It only has the Radius slider to control the
effect of sharpening on the image.
 Steps in Sharpening Image
Using High Pass Filter

1. Open the image that needs sharpening.

2. The High Pass filter will be applied to a separate
layer. Press [Ctrl]+[J] ([Command]+[J] on Mac) to
create a new copy of the image to a new layer.
3. Click [Filter]-[Other]-[High Pass] in the menu bar to
display the High Pass dialog box.
4. Drag the Radius slider to the leftmost side.
5. Gradually drag the slider to the right until you see
enough edge details in the image without having to
see halo (grow around the edges) on the edges.
 Steps in Sharpening Image
Using High Pass Filter

6. Click the OK button to apply the High Pass filter

and close the dialog box.
7. In the layers palette change the blending mode of
the layer where you applied the High Pass filter to
Overlay or Soft Light.
8. Optionally you can reduce the opacity of the layer if
the effect is too intense.
9. Apply the Flatten image command.
Sample Image Sharpening
Result using High Pass Filter