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4 - Sharpening the Eyes Only

Sharpening is used to cure the jaggies.

Digital photographs are made from square pixels.

The pixels jut out, rather than being smooth like the dye clouds in a film negative.

We perceive this rough edge as being unsharp.

Sharpening increases the contrast between edges, such as the edge of an eyelash and the eyelid.

This increase in contrast tricks our visual system into thinking the eyelash is sharper.

Here, we'll use sharpening to make the eyes stand out more.

1) Make sure the Background copy layer layer is active (highlighted).

Sharpen the Background copy layer.

Go to Enhance > Unsharp Mask.

Try the above values.

You can preview the effect by selecting and deselecting Preview.

2) Select the Background layer.

3) Create a blank layer.

Layer 1 will appear above the Background layer.

4) Group the Background copy layer with Layer 1.

Make sure the Background copy layer is active (highlighted).

If you haven't already done so, go to How to Group.

5) Select Layer 1.

6) Make sure your foreground color is set to black by pressing d.

7) Select the Brush tool.

Use a brush with a feathered edge.

If you haven't already done so, go to Feathered Brush.

8) Click, hold, and drag the brush across the eye.

The sharpening will appear only where you brush.

The rest of the face will remain unsharpened.

The black area in the Layer 1 thumbnail is the mask you painted.

For more about complex grouping, go to Layer Groups & Clipping Masks.

Here's the previous version and the sharpened version.

Whitened with Increased Saturation on the Iris

Whitened, Increased Saturation, and Sharpening on the Eye

Saving the Photograph

If you haven't already done so, go to Saving Files.

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