Sharpening Raw files: what am I doing...

My problem is getting my shots (Nikon D80 %26amp; Nikon Lenses + Tripod) through the Alamy quality control barrier!?I have had three rejections so far.?I am following the workflow suggested in Martin Evening's book on CS4 which suggests that CS4 camera Raw is the place to sharpen images.

On close inspection I have identified the following:?

1. The raw files when viewed in Bridge look soft even when I wait for a few seconds for the laptop to pick up (Vostro 1720 with truelife screen)
2. When clicked onto 100% view they look sharp, this is the criteria I use to open them in camera raw but dont understand why the first view (hitting the space bar in bridge) isnt sharp.
3. When opened in Camera Raw they look soft and that's when I have to try to fix
4. Using the Clarity Contrast and Sharpening sliders I can never seem to regain the sharpness viewed in the Bridge view
5. The Raw preferences are set to sharpen all images

My issue seems to be with my workflow rather than the images shot.

If someone could assist me with this I would be really grateful.?I have not included pictures as they are 5mb+ at jpeg.

Sharpening Raw files: what am I doing... The raw files when viewed in Bridge look soft even when I wait for a few seconds for the laptop to pick up (Vostro 1720 with truelife screen)

1. When clicked onto 100% view they look sharp, this is the criteria I use to open them in camera raw but dont understand why the first view (hitting the space bar in bridge) isnt sharp.

Sharpening Raw files: what am I doing...

gillimoore wrote:

Using the Clarity Contrast and Sharpening sliders I can never seem to regain the sharpness viewed in the Bridge view

Bill, many thanks for the comments, help and suggestions, I will post one of my files and see what comments come from this.

Should the image in camera raw at 100% be identical to the image in Bridge at 100%?

Thanks for this Jeff.?One of the things that Alamy wants is an interpolated image which translates into a tiff of 48mb min.?I know that increasing the size of the file (interpolating) will soften the image.?I guess sharpening is done after the increasing in size?

One of the things that Alamy wants is an interpolated image which translates into a tiff of 48mb min.?I know that increasing the size of the file (interpolating) will soften the image.?I guess sharpening is done after the increasing in size?

gillimoore wrote:

Bill, many thanks for the comments, help and suggestions, I will post one of my files and see what comments come from this.

Should the image in camera raw at 100% be identical to the image in Bridge at 100%?

www.usendit.com?comes up with the IBM USA website???Should I be looking somplace else?

http://www.yousendit.com/

As I remember correctly, Alamy doesn't want output sharpening, or very minor sharpening. That should be left up to the end user who purchases/licenses the image. The output sharpening would depend on how the image is to be used. A bit of input sharpening may be OK.

What resample method are you using when upsizing the images? I've used bicubic with no sharpening and have not had any rejections from Alamy.

John ...I open the raw image from the Nikon D80 into ACR with Adobe 1998 8 bits per channel and an initial size of 5120x 3427 %26amp; sharpen for none.

It gets adjusted and then opened in photoshop where its upsized to about 5500 x 3600.?I have tried both bicubic and bicubic smoother.?I have looked on the Alamy forums and it gives the impression that some of the selection process is a tad hit and miss.?I'm going to send another submission in this weekend and see what comes up.?Many thanks for the help.

gillimoore wrote:

...an initial size of 5120x 3427 %26amp; sharpen for none.

In the ACR workflow options I pick the following:

• Adobe RGB1998
• 8 bits/channel
• 5120x3427
• 300 Pixels/inch
• Sharpen for none which gives the other options of sharpen for screen, glossy or matte

in the camera raw preferences I have Apply sharpening for?all images chosen.

THe kind of images I shoot are mainly landscapes %26amp; macro flowers.?I have not changed settings for various types as I'm just trying to get the workflow working before making alterations.

thanks Gill

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