The Unsharp Mask

a mirror with a reflection of a person

The Unsharp Mask

n.
the tendency for social networks to magnify unexpected personality traits of people you know, a consequence of compressing someone’s raw persona into a low-res digital format, which can randomly brighten their outer glow, sharpen their comic edges, darken their shadows, or add motion blur to a stationary life.

In digital photo processing, unsharp mask is a filter that combines the original negative with a blurred positive image. The resulting image may look sharper but is actually a less accurate interpretation of the subject.

Heartmoor

a campfire with a kettle many small logs

Routwash

Cover image for the Routwash word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Nyctous

a person walking in the middle of a street

Anthrodynia

Cover image for the Anthrodynia word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Siso

Cover image for the Siso word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Allope

Cover image for the Allope word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Ludiosis

Cover image for the Ludiosis word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Pax Latrina

Cover image for the Pax Latrina word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Anti-Aliasing

Cover image for the Anti-Aliasing word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Wenbane

a person standing on a ledge looking at a city skyline

Eigenschauung

Eigen-schauung

Cover image for the Eigenschauung word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Covalent Bond

Cover image for the Covalent Bond word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Monachopsis

Cover image for the Monachopsis word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Innity

a neatly made bed with diffused light glowing

Eisce

Cover image for the Eisce word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Anecdoche

Cover image for the Anecdoche word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Kuebiko

Cover image for the Kuebiko word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Ledsome

Cover image for the Ledsome word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Galagog

a person alone in a snowy desolate landscape

The Unsharp Mask

a mirror with a reflection of a person

Nullness

Cover image for the Nullness word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Feresy

Cover image for the Feresy word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Lilo

Cover image for the Lilo word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Keta

a hand reaching through paper with a flower drawing

Zysia

a kite soaring above an empty landscape

Backmasking

a woman's face with a double exposure

Appriesse

a blurry image of a person looking at mounted images