Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 6:37 pm
Very interesting excercise. I really enjoyed this. After CM by using usharp mask 20% radius 60 the contrast jumps up, esp the rocks in the foreground.
Great final result. Using USM as you descrive is called HIRALOAM- meaning "high radius, low amount".
It's a very powerful way to control contrast, and discussed at great length in Dan Margulis's books. You can even use this on the a and b channels of Lab to get some interesting color variation.