Supersize it
This custom action will let you supersize a standard-size photo with very little loss of
image quality. Open a photo. Choose "Actions" from the Windows menu.
Click "Create New Action," on the Actions palette, and assign a function
key (like F3). Click record. Then go to the "Image" menu, select
"Image Size" and click "Resample Image." Switch the
measurement unit from inches to percent. Type "110" in the height and
width boxes. Click ok. Then click "Stop" in the Action palette. Now
whenever you want to size up an image just keep whacking whatever function key
you assigned until the image is as big as you want it to be. Photoshop's
algorithms apparently prefer to upsize in 10% increments. (I picked up this tip
at one of Scott Kelby's Photoshop Pro workshops.)
Photos that Pop
For a perfect finishing
touch, when you're finished editing an image in Photoshop duplicate the final
image (Layers/Duplicate Layer) and change the new layer's blend mode to
"Overlay" then reduce the opacity to 20% or 30% percent. This
technique makes many images really pop, but doesn't look harsh or overdone.
Looking Sharp
This Photoshop sharpening technique works with almost every image: choose "Unsharp Mask," from Filters/Sharpen, enter "Amount: 85" "Radius: 1" "Threshold: 4," hit ok. Immediately after the image is sharpened, go to "Edit" choose "Fade Unsharp Mask" set the fade to 100% and mode to "Luminosity." This sharpens only the contrasting data in your image and leaves the colors alone, resulting in a crisper image with no pixilation or weird artifacts. You can repeat the entire process again if your image needs more sharpening.
These tips were originally published in Scrapbook Answers' "Tips From The Pros" feature. I was totally stoked when they asked me to contribute tips to the feature. Me? A Scrapbooking Pro? Cool!
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