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Sharpen an Image

Lesson 9 from: Learn How to Use Photoshop Elements

Khara Plicanic

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Lesson Info

9. Sharpen an Image

Lessons

Class Trailer
1

Class Introduction

02:57
2

Understand How Elements Works

05:53
3

Importing Images

11:31
4

Workspace Basics: Organizer

14:47
5

Workspace Basics: Editor

16:12
6

Tonal Adjustments in Quick Fix

09:59
7

Color Adjustments in Quick Fix

07:58
8

Apply Black & White Filters

04:01
9

Sharpen an Image

03:33
10

Fix Red Eye & Pet Eye

03:05
11

Straighten an Image in Quick Fix

03:01
12

Explanation of Photoshop Elements

08:23
13

Basic Cropping in Quick Fix

14:13
14

Guided Edit Overview

02:46
15

Guided Edit: Tilt Shift

04:07
16

Ways to Save Files

14:37
17

Layers & Simple Selections

20:47
18

Combine Images with Layers

15:34
19

How to Use Layer Styles

15:11
20

Make Selections with Layers

11:05
21

Make Selection with Lasso

10:43
22

Compositing with Multiple Images

17:11
23

Refine Edge Selection on Image

19:52
24

Use Refine Edge on Images

12:40
25

Create Gradient in Image

02:35
26

Gradient Map Differences

42:38
27

Options for Saving

11:40
28

Brushes Overview

15:12
29

Creatively Use Brushes

07:19
30

How to Change Brush Settings

07:17
31

Use Shape Tool with Brushes

08:22
32

Work with Multiple Shape Layers

08:53
33

Finish Image with Custom Shape Tool

03:21
34

How to Load Brushes into Elements

04:59
35

Add Layer Style to Image

04:46
36

Clip Image to Shape & Use as Template

05:49
37

Retouching Overview

04:11
38

How to Use Content-Aware Fill

05:47
39

How to Use Content-Aware Move Tool

09:38
40

Spot Healing Brush on Blemishes

08:53
41

Remove Frown Lines with Retouching

05:51
42

How to Remove Tattoos

20:32
43

Remove a Gap in Teeth

03:52
44

How to Whiten Teeth

07:17
45

Adjust Facial Features

03:29
46

Working with Type Overview

23:17
47

Match Type for Image

12:11
48

How to Manipulate Type Layers

08:02
49

Create Postcard with Type

16:08
50

Add Type on a Path

16:59
51

Organizing Images in Elements

16:03
52

Add Keywords to Images

19:49
53

Smart Tags Overview

07:51
54

Using Albums in Elements

24:52
55

Places Workspace Overview

06:20
56

Use Event Tags on Images

04:56
57

Timeline for Image Organization

02:45
58

Recommended Workflow

07:26

Lesson Info

Sharpen an Image

The first thing that we want to do is talk about sharpening. So I'm gonna click this image right here of this cat. This photo comes to us from unslash. I'm gonna go back over to this adjustment button. And we have the option here to sharpen. Sharpen is something, I think, you hear a lot of photographers talking about and wanting to sharpen their images and sharpen this and sharpen that. And I think, a lot of times, people are like, I don't really know what that means. Why am I sharpening my photo? When I think of sharpening, I think of knives. And I think, how does that apply to my photo? But, when we are shooting our digital images, there's some softening that happens to our image. And some images get it worse than others. Your lens can exaggerate that depending on the lens that you're using. So here, we have this picture of a cat, and you know, it looks great. It's probably coming from unslash. I'm sure it has received some sharpening already. But just to show you what happens when w...

e play with our sharpening. If I open this drawer here and I drag this slider around, this image really shows it because of the cat's fur and the texture that that has. So you can really see what I mean when I say sharpen. So the way that sharpening works is that it exaggerates the contrast between edges of things, which is kind of a lot of words but still give you a vague answer. So if I zoom in a little closer, you can see this is a cat's fur and I mean, this is overly sharpened so it's very exaggerated. If we dragged this down, you can see that's what we started with. And basically, when you sharpen an image, elements create the illusion of sharpness by exaggerating the contrast along the edges of things. That's basically just what it is. So you can use your sliders to adjust how much sharpening you want. And you can zoom in using the slider up here. I think it's a good idea when you sharpen your images to view them at around 100%. The quick way to do that I think if we grab our zoom tool over here and we click this button one to one, that means, well that's what I would think but, it's important to view that one to one so that you can evaluate if you're over sharpening. Because I can tell you that it's easy to do. So there is an example of way over sharpened. That's too much. And if you print that, it will just look weird. And you will know that that's been run through photoshop with a little too much excitement. So you don't wanna go too high with that. Just be gentle with it. I think less is definitely more and if you're not sure, I would air on the side of not doing maybe enough because it can just go bad really quickly. So that's what sharpening looks like.

Class Materials

Bonus Materials with Purchase

Resource Guide
Class Images
Project Mockups

Ratings and Reviews

Patricia
 

Just watching this class live. It's my first class with Khara; she is a wonderful teacher, moving at a steady speed but always being careful to let us know what she's doing in the moment. I would classify myself as intermediate in terms of PSE but I've learned lots of little things that will make further use even easier and more fun. I really appreciated her descriptions of the difference between PS and PSE and her encouragement in using Photoshop Elements and all that it can do.

Lilygram
 

I have only been able to watch portions of this class but every single part that I have watched has been technically clear and inspiring to me. Based on this experience and the thorough, 58 item list of lessons, I will surely be buying this class soon! Thank you Khara and Creativelive for making a class on this topic and making it be super!!

Ven S
 

Great course. You can tell she knows the programme inside out.

Student Work

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