Alpha/Beta Testers Needed for Sharpening Scripts

[gmitchel]

I have just finished a release candidate for a set of Photoshop sharpening scripts. Hence my silence around here.

These are not actions. They are JavaScripts. So they have more options, power, and flexability than actions. They run on both PCs and Macs.

There are three scripts: TLR Capture Sharpening, TLR Creative Sharpening, and TLR Output Sharpening. Together, they will be Version 1.0 of the TLR Professional Sharpening Toolkit. Like my other PS resources, they will be free to all via download.

The scripts use a three-pass sharpening philosophy, just as Bruce Fraser described in his 2003 article on CreativePro.com and implemented in Photokit Sharpener.

If you use CS2, you can choose Smart Sharpening or Unsharp Mask for Capture/Creative sharpening. CS just gives you Unsharp Mask.

All three scripts work non-destructively, making their adjustments on layers and placing them in color-coded layer sets/groups.

With Capture Sharpening, you select an input source, a mask width, and sharpening method. Then you use sliders to determine how much to sharpen light edge pixels, dark edge pixels, and surface pixels. "Under the hood" the script sets the Smart Sharpen or USM settings.

You can finesse the result by adjusting opacity (65% by default) or the Blend If sliders.

If you sharpen JPEGs in camera or do it in your RAW converter or in Adobe Camera RAW, that's OK. Just skip the capture sharpening step.

Creative Sharpening is optional. It allows you to apply localized sharpening/blurring with a brush. It applies sharpening/blurring to the image and then adds a layer mask filled with black. You grab the brush tool, use a soft edge and something like 20% opacity and brush in the effect.

The capture sharpening script also includes a haze reducer effect. This is what Michael Reichmann calls Localized Contrast Enhancement. It is applied to the entire image and gives the image extra pop. I use it on nearly every image.

The third script is output sharpening. Just make sure your image is resized and resampled before you run the script, since it sharpens but does not resize images. You select the output medium and resolution you desire. Again, "under the hood" the script applies settings based on the output device, paper choice (for inket and halftone), and desired resolution.

If you like to take control -- that's my preference, too -- each script dialog includes an "Expert Mode" checkbox. Check it and you can finesse those settings that are taking place "under the hood" for complete control.

This is alpha/beta software. I would like to move all three scripts into beta this weekend and get the release out by next week. So I need help with alpha/beta testing.

Right now, the software is available in a Yahoo Group I use for discussions of my actions, tutorials, etc.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheLightsRight/

You'll find the scripts in:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheLightsRight/files/

Please, feel free to download it and use it. I just ask that you report any problems you experience. Suggestions for alternate settings are also highly desired. Any comments about the scripts are welcome.

Most important, enjoy! PDF documentation is on the way. Video tutorials on CD to follow.

Cheers,

Mitch

[delic]

Well I am running PS7 and can not run your scripts.. I do a lot of scripting myself and apparently somewhere between PCS2 and PS7 they added a scripting gui interface.. Do you know when they added this??

[gmitchel]

It was added in PS CS. PS CS2 adds even more GUI features.

What is missing is an editor. You have to enter the coordinates by hand. It's a PIA. I prototype in Microsoft Visual Studio. Convert the coordinates. Then edit the code in Macromedia Dreamweaver.

Cheers,

Mitch

[gmitchel]

The public release is now available from The Light's Right Studio website.

http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/...ingToolkit.htm

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Mitch