Whats some good USM settings ?

[guitarbug]

What I some good unsharp mask settungs for people shots, like head shots and such ? Also what are some Good CS2 steps to use on to soften skin, but still keep eyes sharp ? I have downloaded some actions but I would like to be able to do some of this stuff just in CS2. One last thing, is anyone thinking about giving a Photoshop workshop in the DFW area soon. There was talk a while back but I don't think it ever happend. Thanks Guy and gals.

[SaundraU]

For UsM I find 100-150/1.0/0 works pretty well on anything

[iCe]

Here's a link to a pretty good technique that a guy posted on another photography site.

[guitarbug]

Thanks Saundra & Michael ! Ice, that link is great. Have you used that before ? Is is easy to do ? I am still new to layers and mask.

[iCe]

I played with it a little. It's a good tutorial and I didn't think it was difficult to do at all. Layers and masking are two of those things that you (I) hesitate to try and then once you start using them you wonder why you ever hesitated

[guitarbug]

Thanks Ice! I know what you mean, I found another step by step layer tutorial that took me into layers and I love working with them. I just need to get a better understanding of what I am actualy doing, lol!

[iCe]

Originally Posted by guitarbug

Thanks Ice! I know what you mean, I found another step by step layer tutorial that took me into layers and I love working with them. I just need to get a better understanding of what I am actually doing, lol!

ROFL... that's a lifelong quest for me

One thing I like about using adjustment layers is the ability to tone down what I've done with the opacity slider.

[jeffkohn]

One thing to keep in mind is that the optimal sharpening settings for an image are not just dependent on the content of an image, but also the resolution. You wouldn't want to use the same settings for a 12mp D2x shot that you use for a 4mp D2h shot. In USM terms, both Radius and Amount are tied to image resolution. Another variable is whether any sharpening was applied in the raw convertor or in-camera JPEG engine (in this case it's primarily the Amount that's affected).

Generally speaking, you want to use a smaller radius when sharpening fine details (say blades of grass in a landscape image), while using a larger radius is best to emphasis edges. For a portrait you'd probably want to use a larger radius, and also maybe bump the Threshold setting to avoid sharpening small details in the skin. Sharpeing methods that use an edge mask can also be useful for portraits.

If you want to really understand how sharpening works I recommend the book "Real World Sharpening" by Bruce Fraser.

[guitarbug]

I just tried it and got lost when it came to the mask layer part. I need a photoshop workshop. Thanks for you're help.