How to Sharpen the brightness channel in LAB mode in PhotoShop (PS)-PS tutorial

Lab brightness channel sharpening is one of the most commonly used sharpening methods for professional photographers. it can avoid the color halts and colors generated during sharpening and make the sharpening look more natural, it also makes it possible for us to sharpen an image multiple times. This sharpening technique comes from Scott Kelby's Photoshop CS3 digital photo professional processing techniques book Lab color sharpening, I have been asking why your work is sharp and whether there is any secret. I have always said that you can go online and Google the Lab Channel sharpening method, but someone has been asking, so let's explain it in detail today, hoping to help you.

Why is this sharpening method used?

Lab brightness channel sharpening is one of the most commonly used sharpening methods for professional photographers. it can avoid the color halts and colors generated during sharpening and make the sharpening look more natural, it also makes it possible to sharpen an image multiple times.

The source image is taken in the Australian north territory's love spring desert park. the bird name is Falcon or Falcon, a small fast bird.

SOURCE image

Shooting parameters:

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III high speed continuous shooting mode

Shot: EF 70-200mm f/2.8L is usm White Rabbit

Exposure time: 1/800 seconds

ISO: 1, 640

Focal lengths: 200

Aperture: f/9.0

SOURCE 100%

Actual operation diagram:

Step 1:

Open the picture. here I will jump from Lightroom click edit to Photoshop and go to the Channel panel. the default r g B Channel of the RGB photo is displayed.

Step 2:

Go to the Image menu and select the Lab Color from the Mode sub-menu. on the Channel panel, you will find that the light brightness is changed to three channels: Channel A and channel B, both A and B retain color data, and the brightness channel is black and white, which is also the place where we sharpen.

Lightness is the channel of brightness in Chinese.

Step 3:

On the Channel panel, click the "Lightness" brightness channel to separate the details from the color information, and the screen will become black and white. the purpose of this operation is to sharpen the background without sharpening the color, you can avoid the color halo problem caused by most of the sharpening methods.

To start sharpening, you can choose from multiple methods. The most common method is the Unsharp Mask (USM smart sharpening) provided by Photoshop ), or you can choose to use a third-party sharpening filter, such as Nik's Sharpen Pro 3.0. these filters must be operated in the Channel.