Sharpening USA - Photography Terms & Glossary

Glossary Of Photography Terms [1]

Sharpening Sharpening is a post-processing technique used to enhance the clarity and definition of details in digital images by increasing the contrast along edges and fine textures. While digital cameras capture images with inherent sharpness, factors such as lens quality, camera settings, and image compression can result in subtle loss of sharpness and detail. Sharpening helps to address this by selectively boosting the contrast of edges and high-frequency elements within the image, making them appear more distinct and defined.
In photo editing software, sharpening is typically applied using specialized algorithms and filters that identify and enhance areas of contrast and detail, such as the Unsharp Mask (USM) or Smart Sharpen filters. These filters allow photographers to control parameters such as sharpening amount, radius, and threshold, enabling precise adjustments tailored to the characteristics of the image and the desired level of sharpness.