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Workflow with Focalblade

Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 6:17 pm
by robertdfeinman
I'm evaluating your interesting filter. In my usual workflow I scan in a 35mm or medium format original. I then set the profile and convert to the AdobeRGB working space in Photoshop.

My next step is usually to apply USM to compensate for whatever loss of detail was due to the scanner. Sometimes I apply to the whole area, but quite frequently I mask off the sky or similar low detail regions to minimize grain.
In order to avoid clipping highlights I frequently mask these as well.

If there are perspective or cropping to be done, this is performed.

I next apply whatever color, brightness or contrast adjustments are needed using layers.

Finally I resize for desired printed output, aiming at 300 dpi using bicubic or bicubic sharper.

You suggest apply the sharpening as the last step. My questions:
1. If I'm reducing the image to print size which resampling algorithm should I choose?
2. Since I have already adjusted the dynamic range of the image how do I prevent the sharpening filter from clipping at the ends of the brightness range?
My workflow starts with a slightly flat image so that sharpening does not cause data loss whereas yours seems to risk this happening.

I'll keep experimenting while I wait for some advice.

Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 9:40 pm
by HaraldHeim
You can apply FocalBlade instead of USM as the first step if you like. But then I would only use a weak sharpening setting FocalBlade. I would nevertheless recommend that you apply FocalBlade as the last step for output sharpening.

If you sampled down the image for printing, I would recommend using Bicubic. Bicubic Sharpen already applies a bit of sharpening, so you would need to use a weaker setting in FocalBlade and may risk stronger sharpening halos.

Sharpening often appears to have the same effect as clipping highlights and shadows if you look at the histogram. The histogram sometimes displays different image changes in similar ways, becuase it skips one image dimension. That is also the case with sharpening. Sharpening just brings edges towards pure white and black and only damages the image if you extremely overdo sharpening, so that surface areas get involved, too.

The printing process usually blurs an image, so it is better to slightly oversharpen the image on screen to get it perfectly sharp in print.