Unsharp Mask and High ISO images

[mateoc15]

I love the unsharp mask in GIMP and use it all the time but I have come across a problem. In high ISO images (3200+) where the image is already a little grainy the unsharp mask seems to help the subject, but makes the rest of the image even grainier. In my example below (which has the unsharp mask applied to it) I used an ISO of 2000 and it is a bit grainy. I think part of that is because of the smoke/fog machine also.

I guess my question is... could I have done anything to sharpen this photo without making the smoke and grain stand out more?

Example photo here

By the way, this is one of my favorite pictures I've taken in my 4 years of DSLR'ing! Other comments on the photo in general are certainly welcome also!

[Japaslavian]

I'm assuming Gimp has masking, so you could just duplicate your main image, sharpen in, and mask out everything but the things you want sharpened.
If there's no masks, you could just erase it on the sharpened layer too.

[Digidave]

I think that photo would benefit more from "High Pass Sharpening". I haven't used it all that much myself but there are times when it works a lot better than USM. Here's one tutorial I found by Googling it.

The High Pass Way to Sharpen in Photoshop - Photo Tips @ Earthbound Light

From my understanding of it, it will sharpen the details(edges of objects) without sharpening the open field areas of a photo. Tutorials explain it better.

[mateoc15]

Originally Posted by Digidave

I think that photo would benefit more from "High Pass Sharpening". I haven't used it all that much myself but there are times when it works a lot better than USM. Here's one tutorial I found by Googling it.

The High Pass Way to Sharpen in Photoshop - Photo Tips @ Earthbound Light

From my understanding of it, it will sharpen the details(edges of objects) without sharpening the open field areas of a photo. Tutorials explain it better.

That helps. I haven't had a chance to try it out but it looks like there's a plug-in for GIMP here.

Thanks. I'll let you know how it works out.

[sybren]

Yep, The Gimp has masking, and what Japaslavian suggests is a very useful technique. You could even blur the non-subject parts of the image a bit to reduce the noise a bit further, but that also tends to make the image look more processed and artificial.

[PRH]

Originally Posted by Digidave

I think that photo would benefit more from "High Pass Sharpening".

Great tip Digidave. I'd never heard of this technique. I've just had a go at it and I'm looking forward to testing it out more fully.

[fletch]

Sharpening using a high pass filter and using USM aren't really that different, its really just personal preference for which one you use. They key to sharpening an image like this is selective sharpeing as a few above have sugested.

[dcclark]

I personally use high pass sharpening in several steps, with masks. You can have several different sharpening layers, and use masks to selectively sharpen different parts of the image, in different amounts. It's very useful, especially in the situation you mention with noise.