How to Apply Tack Sharp Selectively in ON1 Photo RAW
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ON1 Tack Sharp is a straightforward tool when you want to correct camera shake throughout a photograph. Turn it on, evaluate the result, and apply it.
The decision becomes more complicated when the photograph contains two different kinds of softness. Some may come from unwanted camera movement, while other softness may be an intentional part of the scene. Fixing one without disturbing the other requires a more selective approach.
When Sharpness Helps—and When It Hurts
My example is a handheld photograph made at dusk. The bridge, railings, and surrounding buildings are slightly soft because of camera shake. At the same time, a moving gondola and the water beneath it have a natural blur that suits the photograph.
Tack Sharp does an excellent job on the stationary parts of the scene. The architectural details become clearer, and the railings recover much of their definition.
The problem is the foreground. Applying Tack Sharp globally makes the transitions in the water and reflections look crispy. That additional detail works against the softness and motion I want to preserve.
Tack Sharp restores detail in the stationary architecture, but the global adjustment makes the moving water look unnaturally crisp.
This is an important distinction. Not every soft area in a photograph is a flaw. Camera shake may need correction, but subject motion and soft water can contribute to the mood. The goal is not maximum sharpness everywhere. It is appropriate sharpness where the photograph needs it.
Why the Solution Requires Layers
Tack Sharp is found in the Noise & Sharpening section of Develop, where it affects the entire image. There is no mask attached directly to the Tack Sharp adjustment.
However, a mask can be attached to a layer. That gives us another way to control where the sharpening appears.
The idea is to create two versions of the photograph:
A sharpened version containing the Tack Sharp correction
The original softer version containing the water and subject motion
A layer mask then determines which version is visible in each part of the frame. We are effectively blending the photograph with itself.
Build the Sharpened and Soft Versions
Begin by duplicating the original layer. I like to rename the layers so their roles remain clear. In this example, the upper layer is named Tack Sharp, while the lower layer is named Camera Shake.
With the upper layer selected, apply Tack Sharp normally. At this point, the sharpening still affects the entire photograph. That is fine. The mask will provide the selective control in the next step.
The sharpened layer sits above the original image, providing separate versions for the selective blend.
Keeping the original version underneath is important. Once parts of the sharpened layer are hidden, the softer original will show through those areas.
Mask Away the Sharpening You Don’t Want
The next step is to add a mask to the Tack Sharp layer and erase the sharpening from the water and moving gondola.
The Quick Mask AI brush can make a useful first selection of those foreground areas. I can then inspect the mask overlay and refine it with the regular masking brush. The mask does not need unnecessary precision in every dark corner, but it should keep Tack Sharp away from the visible water, reflections, and moving subject.
The layer mask removes Tack Sharp from the water and gondola while preserving the correction across the stationary parts of the scene.
The result combines the best parts of both layers. The sharpened upper layer provides clearer detail in the bridge, railings, and buildings. The mask creates an opening through that layer, revealing the naturally soft water and gondola from the original layer below.
This is more than a technical workaround. The mask protects the visual character of the photograph. The stationary elements gain clarity, while the moving areas retain the softness that helps communicate motion.
Create a Stamped Layer Before Continuing
Once the sharpened and soft areas are blended, I create a new stamped layer. This combines all the currently visible pixels into a single layer while leaving the underlying layers intact.
This step matters if I plan to continue into Effects or make other changes. Without the stamped layer, an effect applied to only the upper layer would not affect the softer areas revealed from below. For example, converting the Tack Sharp layer to black and white would leave the visible portions of the lower layer in color.
A stamped layer gives me one complete version of the photograph containing both the sharp and soft areas. I can then continue editing the entire image consistently.
When to Use Selective Tack Sharp
This workflow is useful whenever unwanted camera shake and intentional softness appear in different parts of the same photograph. Common examples include moving water, reflections, clouds, foliage, people, or vehicles photographed with a slower shutter speed.
It is less useful when the entire photograph suffers from the same degree of camera shake or when the Tack Sharp result looks natural across the whole frame. In those cases, adding layers and masks creates extra work without improving the result.
Before building the layers, inspect the photograph at a sensible magnification. Look at what Tack Sharp improves, but also look for areas where it introduces texture or edge detail that does not belong. Let the needs of the photograph determine whether selective sharpening is worthwhile.
Final Thoughts
Sharpening does not need to be an all-or-nothing decision. Tack Sharp may work beautifully on most of a photograph while being too aggressive for areas containing intentional motion or softness.
Duplicating the image, applying Tack Sharp to the upper layer, and masking away the unwanted sharpening gives you control over that balance. Finish with a stamped layer, and you can continue editing the photograph as a unified image.
The key is to distinguish between softness that weakens the photograph and softness that contributes to it. Correct the first. Preserve the second.
Gondola At Dusk, Venice
Contact Scott to commission a print or license this image.
Shape The Light – Tell Your Story
Light shapes your story, and Lightroom gives you the tools to mold it. In Mastering Light & Shadow, we’ll dive into how to read the light in your photos, control it with intention, and shape it to match the story you want to tell. You’ll walk away with practical techniques, clear workflows, and the confidence to interpret your photos and bring your creative vision to life.