Sharpening often breaks an image in quiet ways. Edges buzz, noise creeps in, and soft areas start fighting for attention when they should stay calm.
Coming to you from Terry Vander Heiden, this practical video walks through a sharpening workflow inside Lightroom Classic that avoids the Detail panel entirely. Instead of touching the sharpening sliders, Vander Heiden relies on masks and contrast to decide what gets attention and what stays untouched. The approach starts with a side-by-side comparison using virtual copies, one sharpened the usual way and one left alone for masking. Seeing the two together makes problems obvious fast, especially the noise that appears along edges when sharpening is applied globally. The example image is a wildlife frame shot at ISO 800, and even at that modest setting, sharpening artifacts show up quickly.
The video spends time showing how standard sharpening settings can look fine at first glance, then fall apart at 100%. Feather texture turns gritty, smooth edges start vibrating, and areas nobody cares about get sharpened anyway. Vander Heiden calls out the issue directly by comparing the masked version to the conventionally sharpened one. With global sharpening, the full frame pays the price for detail in one small area. With masks, only the subject parts that matter even get touched.
Instead of sharpening, the method uses contrast adjustments inside masks. A brush mask goes straight to the eye first since that is where attention lands whether planned or not. Contrast, whites, and blacks get adjusted to create separation without pushing exposure. The result looks sharp without looking processed. The same idea gets applied to other areas, like the side of the head and the bill, each handled with its own mask so nothing spills over. The controls stay simple and familiar, but the intent is different. Contrast becomes the sharpening tool, not the sharpening algorithm.
The video also shows restraint, which is where most workflows fail. Each adjustment gets pushed too far on purpose, then pulled back until it stops looking extreme. That step matters more than any setting value. Clipped highlights get checked, blacks get protected, and transitions stay soft. When Lightroom’s object selection falls short, the brush finishes the job without ceremony. Nothing here relies on automation or presets, just intention and checking the image at real viewing sizes.
The later part of the video shifts focus by doing the opposite of sharpening. A linear gradient mask gets added to parts of the bird that don’t deserve attention. Texture and clarity get pulled down hard, muting detail so the eye doesn’t wander. This makes the sharpened areas feel sharper without touching them again. It also avoids that brittle look that comes from trying to force sharpness everywhere. The comparison between before and after shows less noise, smoother backgrounds, and a clearer visual path through the frame. The image ends up calmer and more controlled without losing detail where it counts. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Vander Heiden.