Sharpening Strategy using Lightroom

Johnny V

Hello All,

I have new Smugmug Pro account and have a question about sharpening in Lightroom.

Did a ton of searching, but nothing I've found really answered my question.

Do I sharpen twice in Lightroom? Once while viewing at 100% and on Export--> Output Sharpening?

While viewing at 100% I usually sharpen just enough that it's not overly aggressive, but puts back the sharpness in the image.

Also if we are adding Output sharpening what's a safe overall setting? I'm sure Glossy Paper is one, but what about the Amount?

Images are shot with an Canon XTi and 50D....some cropped, some not.:huh

Thanks!

John V.

Johnny V

Just curious why this was moved as this a SmugMug output specific question?

arodney

Johnny V wrote:

Do I sharpen twice in Lightroom? Once while viewing at 100% and on Export--> Output Sharpening?

Yes; capture then output sharpening. Its based on the PhotoKit Sharpener technology and initially explained here:

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

Johnny V

arodney wrote:

Yes; capture then output sharpening. Its based on the PhotoKit Sharpener technology and initially explained here:

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

Hey Andrew what are you doing in these parts!? Hope all is going well!

I'm a long time Photoshop, PhotoKit user and Lightroom user... anyway...

Just trying to nail down what settings for output to SmugMug since they offer many print sizes. Is there a one setting fits all?

arodney

The output sharpening in LR is for ink jet (or web). SmugMug would be more likely to use a Contone output sharpening seen in PhotoKit Sharpener although you could try the LR output setting after testing the three options. As for size, well output sharpening is size (resolution) specific. In LR, you can export to a JPEG at a fixed size so this should be accounted for.

Johnny V

Looks like we are getting somewhere!

Yea might be best to over-sharpen a touch in Lightroom's Develop module and not add output sharpening on Export. Then have SmugMug apply print sharpening using Auto Adjust. That's my guess anyway. 8-o

What Lightroom sharpening settings does everyone else use when uploading to SmugMug? Still like to know why this thread was moved out of the SmugMug area!

pathfinder

I do not usually add further sharpening beyond capture sharpening in the RAW converter in Lightroom myself. I do sometimes add a pass of general contrast in Photoshop with Unsharp Mask Amount 18-22% Radius 50 Threshold 2 and then Edit >Fade to Luminosity Blend at maybe 90% for jpgs uploaded to my gallery.

Output sharpening I leave to SMugmug and their printers.

If I print in LR2, to my own inkjet ( Epson 3800), I do use the output sharpening offered in the Print Module in LR2.

Johnny V

OK Sounds good... Thanks!

I'll just sharpen (a touch more than capture sharpening) in the LR's Develop module and have SmugMug do the rest. I have over 600 images so don't want to go through Photoshop. Will buy a few test prints to see how the sharpening looks.

Yep I use PhotoKit/Output sharping when using Photoshop/LR to my Epson 4800. Works great.

Best,

John V.

arodney

Johnny V wrote:

Yea might be best to over-sharpen a touch in Lightroom's Develop module and not add output sharpening on Export. Then have SmugMug apply print sharpening using Auto Adjust. That's my guess anyway. 8-o

What would concern me is the sharpening workflow here and how capture and output sharpening are dependent on each other. We have no idea what SmugMug auto sharpening does, or how it expects the data to come to it (with or without capture sharpening). The result could be over sharpening which is far worse in print than under sharpening (unless you find halo's attractive).

Johnny V

arodney wrote:

What would concern me is the sharpening workflow here and how capture and output sharpening are dependent on each other. We have no idea what SmugMug auto sharpening does, or how it expects the data to come to it (with or without capture sharpening). The result could be over sharpening which is far worse in print than under sharpening (unless you find halo's attractive).

Yes I fully agree. Figured I ask the question here to find what other Smugmug users are doing for initial sharpening. Guess I gotta do some `sperments and report back.