Contrast Masking at DVinfo.net

Andrew J Hall · May 5th, 2005, 06:23 PM

A year or two ago Thomas Knoll at Adobe / Photoshop put out the idea of using unsharp mask with a very large radius and a low strength. This does not sharpen an image, instead what it does is increase local contrast, so whatever the image content, you get a larger local dynamic range. I first read about it at Michael Reichman's site - in fact rather than go over it again, far better that I provide the link:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tu...ancement.shtml

Contrast masking is one of the most win-win image adjustment techniques I have come across. It almost always significantly improves the image and it rarely does any damage. Sometimes it is useful to mask it from either or both of edge areas, or highlights, but often no masking is needed at all.

I imagine the technique would be equally beneficial with Video, probably it already exists. Is there a Premiere plugin that does anything similar? I find the sharpening tools in Premiere pretty lacking in sensitivity but perhaps I have not yet learned how to make best use of them.

Andrew

Luff Chen · May 6th, 2005, 06:27 AM

SORRY about this but I must say beacuse I'm totaly rookie to reply anything

but when I stare those two pic somehow I CAN merge them

they are so dynamic & went deep to my HD display

that is wonderful experience

THANKS

Jeff Baker · May 6th, 2005, 08:36 PM

Thanks, I will have to give it a try. I know you could export a photoshop sequence and then apply the filter as a batch action in photoshop. But, there may be a similar effect filter in AE for Premiere.

updated: THE unsharp filters DO EXIST IN aobe premiere and after effects and do seem to provide the contrasted image you report from photoshop.

Andrew J Hall · May 7th, 2005, 04:29 AM

I posted a more typical example of the potential benefits of contrast masking on my journal:

http://www.andrew-hall-artist.com/jo...ndex.php?p=149

To my eye, when a slight (standard) contrast boost is combined with a contrast mask the image clarity and definition improves well beyond what can be achieved with only a single contrast boost.

Andrew

Jeff: I can't see any unsharp mask in Premiere, I've looked through all the filters, also does it provide controls for amount, radius, threshold - because that is what you need to do this adjustment.

May 5th, 2005, 06:23 PM	#1
Andrew J Hall Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 80	Contrast Masking A year or two ago Thomas Knoll at Adobe / Photoshop put out the idea of using unsharp mask with a very large radius and a low strength. This does not sharpen an image, instead what it does is increase local contrast, so whatever the image content, you get a larger local dynamic range. I first read about it at Michael Reichman's site - in fact rather than go over it again, far better that I provide the link: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tu...ancement.shtml Contrast masking is one of the most win-win image adjustment techniques I have come across. It almost always significantly improves the image and it rarely does any damage. Sometimes it is useful to mask it from either or both of edge areas, or highlights, but often no masking is needed at all. I imagine the technique would be equally beneficial with Video, probably it already exists. Is there a Premiere plugin that does anything similar? I find the sharpening tools in Premiere pretty lacking in sensitivity but perhaps I have not yet learned how to make best use of them. Andrew __________________ http://www.ps-scripts.com/ Intel Core2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz, 2x 2Gb Ram, ATI Radeon HD 3850

May 6th, 2005, 06:27 AM	#2
Luff Chen Tourist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: ¥xÆW Posts: 2	well.. SORRY about this but I must say beacuse I'm totaly rookie to reply anything but when I stare those two pic somehow I CAN merge them they are so dynamic & went deep to my HD display that is wonderful experience THANKS

May 6th, 2005, 08:36 PM	#3
Jeff Baker Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Location: Northampton, MA Posts: 184	Thanks, I will have to give it a try. I know you could export a photoshop sequence and then apply the filter as a batch action in photoshop. But, there may be a similar effect filter in AE for Premiere. updated: THE unsharp filters DO EXIST IN aobe premiere and after effects and do seem to provide the contrasted image you report from photoshop. Last edited by Jeff Baker; May 7th, 2005 at 01:38 AM.

May 7th, 2005, 04:29 AM	#4
Andrew J Hall Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 80	I posted a more typical example of the potential benefits of contrast masking on my journal: http://www.andrew-hall-artist.com/jo...ndex.php?p=149 To my eye, when a slight (standard) contrast boost is combined with a contrast mask the image clarity and definition improves well beyond what can be achieved with only a single contrast boost. Andrew Jeff: I can't see any unsharp mask in Premiere, I've looked through all the filters, also does it provide controls for amount, radius, threshold - because that is what you need to do this adjustment. __________________ http://www.ps-scripts.com/ Intel Core2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz, 2x 2Gb Ram, ATI Radeon HD 3850 Last edited by Andrew J Hall; May 7th, 2005 at 04:46 AM.