Photoshop Master Series: Giving definition with USM
A Layman's Guide to getting creative with Adobe Photoshop’s Unsharp Mask
Chances are, what with the likes of Nik Software Sharpener Pro 3.0, many Adobe Photoshop users have already ditched the once indispensable built-in Unsharp Mask filter in favour of a dedicated sharpening plug-in, capable of improved manual control.
Whilst we agree that Unsharp Mask is limited when it comes to neat, flawless sharpening, with a little bit of experimenting you can achieve some fantastic, punchy colour and exposure effect using this trusty filter.
So, everyone’s agreed that the best way to apply a USM tweak is to keep the Radius low and the Strength no more than 50 per cent, right? Well, that’s fine if you really are only intent on sharpening those slightly shaky shots, but aren’t rules there to be broken?
Provided you’re working with a well-exposed, sharp shot the following method is a great way of adding definition to your images and giving tones a boost that would make even the best Polarising filter steam up with embarrassment.
1. With your image open, load up the Unsharp Mask filter by selecting Filter>Sharpen>Unsharp Mask. Make sure that the Preview box is checked so you can ensure your tweaks are benefiting your shot.
2. Boost the Radius up to around 160 pixels. You will notice that bright areas are affected by a bit of fringing, but that’s easy enough to solve. Looks a little HDR, doesn’t it?
3. You can tame this effect down by reducing the Amount down to around 20-25%. Each image is different and you adjust according to taste, but it’s wise to check your tweaked shot compared to your original. Don’t be tempted to adjust the Threshold – just keep this at 0%.
Of course, USM doesn’t appear within Photoshop’s Adjustment Layers menu, so it’s always worth taking the following steps to ensure you can experiment without risking your original:
a) Duplicate your ‘Background’ layer to make a ‘Background Copy’.
b) Double-click on the ‘Background’ layer to unlock it.
c) Toggle-off the visibility on the ‘Background’ layer
d) Apply your USM tweaks on your ‘Background copy’ layer.
And that's it... Great looking, richly exposed photos without having to resort to plugins!
