Online Photography Course
Unsharp Masking Techniques: Sharpening Photos in Photoshop

Your Instructor
Todd Morrison

---

What You Get

Top

	Benefits: You get direct feedback on your photos from world-acclaimed, professional photographers. You can learn photography in this way from anywhere in the world.
Learn at your pace, with structure. Be guided by a real pro instructor. Get your photos critiqued every week. Join students from around the world. Go far beyond any book or DVD. Make great pictures, again and again!

Instructor

Top

Todd Morrison
Todd Morrison has acquired more than 16 years of experience in the professional photographic industry. Todd's experience includes professional photo lab management, portrait studio management, oil painting, portrait photography, commercial photography, Interior photography, editorial photography and stock nature and wildlife photography. Todd also specializes in training and instruction for Photoshop, Painter, digital photography and lighting.

Todd brings real-world experience and advanced Photoshop techniques to digital photographers. Clients include Epson America and Adobe. Todd also serves as a contributing writer for Photoshop User, Digital Capture, Focus on Imaging, Create, Professional Photographer and Rangefinder magazines.

Contributing Author:
Photoshop World Dream Team Book

Author:
"Photoshop for Portrait Photographers and Creating Digital Art" - video training programs by Software Cinema

Trainer and public speaker for the following events:

• Dpix Conference
• Photoshop World
• Epson Workshops
• PPA Focus On Imaging
• WPPI Convention
• Software Cinema Live

• Listen to Todd on BetterPhoto Radio: First Interview and Second Interview.

A Couple of Photos by the Instructor

© Todd Morrison

© Todd Morrison

Course Outline

Top

Lesson 1: Unsharp Mask: What a Funny Name for a Powerful Tool!
In this lesson, you will learn all about Unsharp Mask and why it is the filter of choice for getting started with Sharpening your images. You will learn the proper use of Amount, Radius and Threshold. We will also examine the side affects of sharpening our images.
Assignment: Sharpen your images while varying your settings.

Lesson 2: Lab Mode Sharpening, Fade Unsharp Mask and Guassian Blur Techniques.
This week, you will learn techniques for dealing with Color Fringing. We will learn to completely eliminate this artifact from our sharpening process by sharpening only the Luminous information in our images and avoiding the color information completely. We will also learn techniques for using Guassian Blur to soften pre-existing color artifacts in our images.
Assignment: Apply new techniques.

Lesson 3: High Pass Sharpening and the Smart Sharpen Filter
This lesson covers the techniques for Using Layers, Blend Modes and Filters to create a different type of Sharpening. We will also learn the controls for the exciting new Smart Sharpen Filter in Photoshop CS2.
Assignment: Work with images that might benefit from High Pass Sharpening ... then work with Smart Sharpen.

Lesson 4: Edge Sharpening and Contrast Control with Unsharp Mask
In this lesson, we will learn the advanced technique of Edge Sharpening. This technique involves many steps but is worth the effort for stubborn, slightly out of focus images. We will also learn a creative way to control Local Contrast in our images with Unsharp Mask. This method really gives zip to flatter Landscape images!
Assignment: Work with softer photos in order to create sharper images! 

© Todd Morrison

© Todd Morrison

Requirements

Top

Digital or film-based camera Ability to control aperture/shutter speed and ISO in full Manual mode Adobe Photoshop - versions CS3, CS2, CS or 7. You may also download a free 30-day trial of Photoshop CS3 at Adobe.com.

FAQ

Top

The lessons are straightforward and offer step-by-step instruction, but you will be more comfortable if you know your way around in Photoshop.  

I am sorry, but many of the techniques we will be learning are not possible in Elements.  

No, There will only be one technique (Smart Sharpen) covered in the class that will not be available in older versions of Photoshop. You can certainly get by with version CS or 7.0.  

No, as long as you have the ability to scan and send digital files in a timely manner for review, you could shoot with a film camera.  

No, as long as your camera allows you to control aperture, shutter speed and ISO in full Manual mode, you will be fine.  

 

© Todd Morrison

No, you do not need to be online at any specific time. The lessons are sent to your email and you are also provided the Campus Square - where you interact with your classmates and instructor. This is also where you upload your photos to be critiqued by your instructor. The instructors are very punctual and respond quickly.

Absolutely! Students can ask questions in the special Q&A forum set up in the course's Campus Square, or can ask the instructor via email.

Yes. We are confident that you will fully enjoy our courses. All the same, for our 8-week classes, we offer a 100% money-back guarantee before the Wednesday that Lesson #3 is sent out. If for any reason, you are not satisfied and let us know that you would like to withdraw before the Wednesday that Lesson #3 is sent, you will be promptly refunded.

For our 4-week courses, we offer a 100% money back guarantee before the Wednesday that Lesson #2 is sent out from BetterPhoto. If for any reason you are not satisfied and you let the ordering department know that you would like to withdraw before the Wednesday that Lesson #2 is sent, you will be refunded within 7 days. After the second lesson has been sent out, no refunds will be given.