Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Adding Punch to Your Images with Clarity
This is one of my favorite features in Camera Raw, and whenever I show it in a class, it
never fails to get “Oooohs” and “Ahhhhs.” I think it's because it's just one simple slider,
yet it does so much to add “snap” to your image. The Clarity slider (which is well-named)
basically increases the midtone contrast in a way that gives your photo more punch and im-
pact, without actually sharpening the image. I add lots of Clarity anytime I want to enhance
the texture in an image, and it works great on everything from landscapes to cityscapes,
from travel photos to portraits of men—anything where emphasizing texture would look
good.
Step One:
The Clarity slider is found in the bottom section of the Basic panel in Camera Raw, right
above the Vibrance and Saturation sliders. (Although its official name is Clarity, I heard
that at one point Adobe engineers considered naming it “Punch” instead, as they felt using
it added punch to the image.) To clearly see the effects of Clarity, first zoom in to a 100%
view by double-clicking on the Zoom tool up in the toolbar (it looks like a magnifying
glass). In the example shown here, I only zoomed to 17.5% so you could see more of the
image.
