Example

In the photograph below, sharpening makes the reflection of the trees on the window, and the chandelier inside, more evident.

Original	Sharpened the Same Everywhere

Here are larger versions.

Original	Sharpened the Same Everywhere

However, the sharpening makes the out-of-focus areas, the distant window and the two vertical white bars, too sharp.

Compare

Compare the two versions below.

The photograph to the left was sharpened everywhere.

The one to right was selectively sharpened.

Sharpened the Same Everywhere	Selective Sharpening - Less on the White Bars & Distant Window

Here are larger versions.

Sharpened the Same Everywhere	Selective Sharpening - Less on the White Bar & Distant Window

In this example, the improvement wasn't great, because the areas affected were not front and center.

But, the improvement was enough to warrant a few minutes work to use selective sharpening.

In other photographs, where the main subject needs less sharpening, the improvement will be greater.

For example, a waterfall photographed with a slow shutter speed, will look better with less sharpening than that used on the nearby rocks.

Be sure to check off as you go along.

Preparation

1) Again, sharpening is the last step when editing a photograph.

2) Make two composite layers.

A composite layer contain all of the layers of your photograph.

Go to Composite Layer.

3) Move the composite layers to the top position in the Layers panel (Layers palette).

Steps

1) Label one of the composite layers as High, and the other, as Low.

2) Click the High layer (highlighted), go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask, and set a high level of sharpening.

For example, areas with detail may require more sharpening.

3) Click the Low layer, go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask, and set a low level of sharpening.

For example, areas without detail may require less sharpening.

4) Make sure the High layer is active (highlighted).

5) Create a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer by clicking on the Create adjustment layer icon, the half-dark, half-bright, circle at the top of the Layers panel (Layers palette).

6) Group the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer with the Low layer.

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

By grouping the Low layer with the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer:

• The white areas of the mask reveal the lower level of sharpening of the Low layer.

• The black areas of the mask conceal the higher level of sharpening from the High layer further down the palette.

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

7) Select the Brush tool.

In this example, because the areas to be selected were clearly demarcated, a brush with little feathering, and an opacity setting of 100%, was used.

In other situations, use feathered brushes to blend the effect.

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

• Make sure the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer is active.

• Make sure the foreground color is black.

If you haven't already, go to Foreground & Background Colors.

8) Paint the mask.

Where you paint with black, the layer below, the High layer, becomes visible.

Where the mask is white, only the Low layer is visible.

You can see the mask thumbnail in the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer.

If you brush an area that you didn't intend to brush, change the foreground color to white by pressing x.

Then, brush the unwanted area.

Be sure to switch the foreground color back to black, by pressing x again.

An Alternative Painting Method

You can also do the following.

1) Fill the entire mask with black.

2) Change the foreground color to white.

3) Paint with a white brush.

4) If you brush an area that you didn't intend to brush, change the foreground color to black by pressing x.

Then, brush the unwanted area.

Be sure to switch the foreground color back to white, by pressing x again.

The black mask blocks the Low layer.

Where you paint with white will reveal the Low layer.

Fill the Mask with Black

Do the following to fill the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer mask with black instead of the default white.

a) Make sure the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer is active (highlighted).

b) Make sure the foreground color is black.

If you haven't already, go to Foreground & Background Colors.

c) Press Alt + Backspace (or Delete).

The white mask in the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer is now black.

Study the Mask

If you press Alt and click on the mask thumbnail, the mask will replace your photograph.

Repeat the operation to return to your photograph.

If you press Alt + Shift, and click on the mask thumbnail, the mask will appear as a translucent red layer on your photograph.

Repeat the operation to make the mask disappear.

"Repair" the Mask

If you painted an area that you didn't intend to, change the foreground color by pressing x.

Then, brush the unwanted area.

Be sure to switch the foreground color back to the one you're using to create the mask, by pressing x again.

"White Reveals, Black Conceals."

Use the above mnemonic to remember how the masking colors affect how a mask functions.

10) Deselect the eye icon on the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to see the effect of the mask.

The next section discusses the High Pass filter method.

Why does Unsharp Masking Sharpening have unsharp in its name?

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