SmugMug Sharpening

timgangloff

Hi,

I like the sharpening SM applies to my images by default. I've read the online stuff referenced on the help page about SM default sharpening settings, but am struggling to get the same results in photoshop. Do you have the exact numbers I could plug in to photoshop to get the same effect. I don't see anywhere to apply the "Sigma" number and don't know how much of an effect that value has. Is there any action available? Thanks.

Tim G

arodney

timgangloff wrote:

Hi,

I like the sharpening SM applies to my images by default. I've read the online stuff referenced on the help page about SM default sharpening settings, but am struggling to get the same results in photoshop. Do you have the exact numbers I could plug in to photoshop to get the same effect. I don't see anywhere to apply the "Sigma" number and don't know how much of an effect that value has. Is there any action available? Thanks.

Tim G

Heres a start:

http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/20357.html

There are no magic numbers.

timgangloff

I realize sharpening for the screen may not be what's needed for print and different images may need differing amounts, but I am simply looking to see if SM can share whatever technique they are using. When I upload my full resolution images to my galleries, a sharpening is applied (SM's default values are fine with me) and I am curious how they do it and if the "action" they use can be translated to a photoshop action for pure speed. I am not talking about fine art, but rather simple kids sport stuff and most of the prints are 4x6 and 5x7 so it's not critical stuff.

arodney wrote:

Heres a start:

http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/20357.html

There are no magic numbers.

pathfinder

arodney wrote:

Heres a start:

http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/20357.html

There are no magic numbers.

Andrew, how does the three step approach to sharpening described in that link, work in the current workflow with Lightroom v2 and ARC, or Photoshop and ARC 4.5? What I am asking about, specifically, is creative and output sharpening, as capture sharpening is done in Adobe RAW converter now, isn't it?

Creative sharpening in Lightroom v2 can be done with the brush tool to a certain extent, while in Photoshop can be done on a selection in a layer. Any comments or suggestions for these aspects of sharpening?

Pupator

Aren't the numbers smugmug is using displayed in the "Customize Gallery" settings for each gallery (where we can edit them if we like)?

arodney

pathfinder wrote:

Andrew, how does the three step approach to sharpening described in that link, work in the current workflow with Lightroom v2 and ARC, or Photoshop and ARC 4.5?

Capture and output sharpening in LR 2.0 is based on the Pixel Genius PhotoKit Sharpener code and was worked on by Bruce prior to his death (then continued by Jeff Schewe). In Print, its for output to Inkjet printers. Naturally slideshow and web are output sharpening for screen. There's no alternative for creative sharpening. Well you can play with Clarity a bit but its not quite the same as what's currently available in Photoshop. ACR 5.0 will have parity with LR 2.0 in this respect.

sweet caroline

Pupator wrote:

Aren't the numbers smugmug is using displayed in the "Customize Gallery" settings for each gallery (where we can edit them if we like)?

I believe this is correct- just what I was going to say.

timgangloff

still trying to understand this
I still don't understand how you can translate the numbers in smugmug's custom gallery settings to lightroom, photoshop or any other program. From a bit of reading, it looks like those numbers are for ImageMagick and maybe smugmug is running a scrip on the images on a linux box and if so, is there a windows equivalent sript I can run?

sweet caroline wrote:

I believe this is correct- just what I was going to say.

jfriend

timgangloff wrote:

I still don't understand how you can translate the numbers in smugmug's custom gallery settings to lightroom, photoshop or any other program. From a bit of reading, it looks like those numbers are for ImageMagick and maybe smugmug is running a scrip on the images on a linux box and if so, is there a windows equivalent sript I can run?

You cannot translate Smugmug's numbers to either Photoshop or Lightroom. Smugmug appears to be using a different sharpening algorithm than Photoshop or Lightroom which uses different sorts of numbers to control it. You are better off just reading some good articles on sharpening in Lightroom in the web and finding your own Lightroom settings from there. A google search on Lightroom sharpening for web display turns up a lot of hits that you can learn from.