after some feedback

Hi everyone!
Trying to understand the working of the unsharp mask, and came up with a different way to do it as follows:

First duplicate orig image twice
top Layer set blending mode to Linear dodge
middle Layer set blending mode to Difference
then goto background and add gaussian blur between 0.2 and 2.0


I am after some feedback with this technique, as I am interested in introducing it with a class I teach (teaching photoshop to photographers).
If someone thinks I am wasting my time, and stick with USM or the filter High Pass technique, plz say so.
I dont have a working knowledge of USM, so someone with prepress background may be able to see something I can't see, and come up with other ideas as well.

thanks heaps
Chris

ps Some of the 'old school' photographers I teach may get a buzz out of this, as its very similar to old darkroom technique (called unsharp mask I think?), so I may show them anyway

The unsharp mask filter is based on the same principle. it is pretty easy to use, but I'll check out this method and get back to you.

Alternate methods are ALWAYS good to teach/learn! (Have you ever heard of Emboss sharpening? ;) )

Even if it is not the faster way, it is indeed close to the darkroom method. I've read a similar approach at http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/u-contrast-masking.shtml

Search also in the luminous landscape site for numerous alternate sharpening methods/workflows/tools

A good sharpening thread can also be found at: http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?128@187.CdHFcLcFwV7.568947@.ef9cc7f

Good readings and teaching!

thnx for a quick reply. I know which forum I am going to hang around now ;)

As I teach photographers with different backgrounds in photography, I really need a big repetoir in sharpening techniques. USM isn't that appropriate for the portrait photo's, but perfect for structures and landscapes.
But as proven in last exhibition I was involved with, with poster sized enlargements, the photographers really need to learn some sharpening. And being photographer, they want to know how and why :(

I checked on Emboss Sharpening (cool name) and this is sometimes called Faux Sharpening. Used to fool the eye into looking sharper than the picture actually is.
Good technique for soft or slightly out of focus pictures.

Technique called smart sharpen looks good also, for portrait pics maybe?
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/smart_sharp.shtml

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-usm.shtml
this is where I first got the idea for my technique. That is why I think my tec maybe exactly same as USM, but less configurable.


by product of my original technique to get neat airbruch effect is to:
blur the background alot - 250pixels
then middle layer add about 20-40 pixel blur

thnx again

I won't bore you with the details but you could do worse than investigate using the high pass filter for sharpening. It eliminates a lot of 'halo' problems and associated sharpening problems.

There are indeed a lot of useful forums on the WWW!
this one, of course, but also
http://www.photoshoptechniques.com/forum/index.php?s=
http://www.photoshopgurus.info/forum/index.php
http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?14@@.ee6b366
http://www.dreamweavercafe.com/cafe/
http://www.purephotoshop.net/index.php?
http://www.ozoneasylum.com/page.php?action=topics&number=3&SUBMIT=Go
Are places that are "must see" for me



Look also at http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?50@187.1qiTc5p0wRt.2@.1de5f905.2ccf89ab for haloless sharpening!

lol...lots of good forums indeed. Though you guys have been the first to answer my question and been a big help :D

High pass filter + layer masking has been a favorite for a while now.
Haloless sharpening sounds really interesting. Could be good for portraits!

Just tried Haloless sharpening, and this is perfect for portraits
Good stuff :D

I like that smart sharpening, I tried it today and I must say it kicked @$$.

CryptoManiac, did you follow the suggestion of converting to Lab mode, when using smart sharpen technique?
If not, did colour halos happen for you in RGB mode?

Smart sharpening is really cool, and what I had in mind when I worked on original idea, but this is much, much simpler ;)