Ready for a mind-blowing, coffee-spitting fact? The High Pass filter is used by NASA to sharpen satellite images. Okay, maybe not, but it sounds cool and it works.
Duplicate your layer (press Ctrl+J like you mean it). Then go to Filter > Other > High Pass. Move the slider until you see gray lines outlining your subject—usually a radius of 2 to 5 pixels.
Now set that layer’s blending mode to Overlay or Soft Light (both sound like yoga poses, but they’re not). Boom: instant crispiness, like the photo took a cold shower.
