Have you got people photos that are slightly out of focus? Or, maybe some nice architectural shots you'd like to enhance? Try using your sharpen tool to get the results you want. Here's what to think about.

People vs. Object Photos:
For softer images like portraits, you'll want to go quite light on the sharpening or you'll risk making things look unnatural. For images with lines and angles, such as architectural shots, you can sharpen considerably more before worrying about noticeable negative results. Experiment to see what suits you and think about what purpose you
have in mind for each image.

Onscreen vs. Printing Output:
If your intended use for an image is onscreen viewing, simply trust you eyes for the best results and experiment with small sharpening increments. If you're intending to print an image, a good rule of thumb is to sharpen your photo until it looks slightly too sharp. This is because the printing process will soften it just enough to make it look natural again.

Avoiding Noise:
One thing to watch for when sharpening images is additional lines or noise appearing next to the outlines of objects. This can be especially apparent when you zoom in for a closer look. As with most tools, practice and
experimentation are essential to getting the most out of sharpening. Also, living with some noise may be necessary to get a
better overall result.

Tools:
Depending on the photo editor you are using, you will have a varying range of sharpening tools available to you. Some
of the common tools include the basic Sharpen, along with others such as Sharpen Edges, Unsharp Mask, Adaptive Unsharp, and
Directional Sharpen. When and how to use these tools to best advantage is a detailed subject for a future article ’‚’‚…‚’‚‚‚¦‚“ in most cases, however, with some experimentation you will quickly find the one that gives you the most improved results.

Summary:
Sharpening photos is a subtle and subjective business. (In addition, changes are usually slight so it is difficult to convey onscreen with photos that have been optimized for the web, as above.) What to one person is a perfectly good shot,
may be a candidate for sharpening to another. Likewise, some people may disagree that sharpening has made a photo better.

The bottom line is that you will find photos in your collection that you want to sharpen and your opinion counts most.