Sharpening Powerhouse

Download the free 3 layer Sharpening for Newbies Action here.

Receive the free 5 layer Sharpening for Amateurs by subscribing to the Texas Chicks Rooster Roster over on the right.

And purchase the 13 layer Sharpening Powerhouse here for $25 subscribe to this and all future actions for an introductory price of $6 per  month.  After purchasing, use your user id and password to login here and download the action.

All versions are compatible with Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.

Guide for Using the Sharpening Powerhouse Action:

  • No sharpening effects will be visible when the action finishes running.  You will need to turn each layer on by clicking on the eyeball to see the effects.
  • Zoom in to 100% by pressing control + alt + 0 (that’s zero) so that you can see the sharpening effects in detail.  If the effect is too strong, zoom back out before you discard the layer.
  • Need a bit more sharpening?  Duplicate your favorite layer.
  • Need a bit less sharpening?  Reduce the opacity of your favorite layer.
  • All layers have masks attached so that you can limit their effects, if necessary.
  • Press Continue after reading the message at the end of the Powerhouse action.

Layer by Layer Rundown:

  • Basic Portrait Sharpening – works nicely for well-focused portraits
  • Hard Stuff Sharpening – this one is for sharpening photos of items that aren’t soft
  • Soft Stuff Sharpening – soft things like stuffed animals and babies
  • Try This First – A good place to start if you just need a little sharpening.
  • Spot Sharpening – Paint in white on the mask over areas you really want to emphasize, like eyes.
  • Halo Avoidance
  • Sharpen Lots of Straight Edges – great for architectural shots
  • Super Sharpening – very strong sharpening for those shots that need all the help they can get.
  • Contrast Boost Sharpen (High Pass)
  • Smoother Skin Sharpening – sharpens only the channels that don’t emphasize skin imperfections.
  • Noisy Photo Sharpening – sharpens only the red and green channels, which don’t have much noise
  • Edge Mask – another one that’s great for images with strong lines
  • Luminosity Sharpening – this one might look too harsh zoomed ino 100%.  Zoom out and see what you think.