# Using the new Masking Filters in ACR/Lightroom



## bulldurham (Nov 19, 2021)

This is an example of how much can be done using nothing but the new filters and one preset. I only used Photoshop for sharpening, cropping and output to a jpeg.

Original .nef






With New Masking Filters


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## terri (Nov 20, 2021)

That's a very pretty scene.   Where were you?


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## ntz (Nov 20, 2021)

Hello,

I've just used here a bit tone mapping + curves + few local adjustments (to imitate your look) and it's almost same  .. so I don't know what "new" does photoshop with that but my old opensource (and for free) Rawtherapee and Gimp can do it same if you know what you wanna do ..

cheers, ~d

ps. nice scene
pps. please ignore bit halo on my image .. I was editing screenshot and couldn't fight halo effectively ...


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## bulldurham (Nov 20, 2021)

Did you do yours in 10 minutes or less? And is yours as sharp as mine? I find Gimp to be a clumsy and awkward program to use...and $10 a month for PS...99% of all the people in this country spend more than that on a fast food snack, or Starbucks coffee.


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## bulldurham (Nov 20, 2021)

terri said:


> That's a very pretty scene.   Where were you?


Badlands NP, SD


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## terri (Nov 20, 2021)

I figured it had to be someplace like that!   Very rough terrain.   Love all the texture your processing has brought out.   

Very nice image!


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## ntz (Nov 20, 2021)

bulldurham said:


> Did you do yours in 10 minutes or less?


yes, in max 5 minutes .. looked on the differences between your images, realized straight away by looking on it that it's basically tone mapping what does 90% of look so applied tone mapping (30 seconds) and then shuffled a bit with curves (to emulate your original look better) and exported image (remaining 4:30) ...


bulldurham said:


> And is yours as sharp as mine?


yes, it is .. and I was working with small JPG, not with RAW or with tiff before downscaling ...



bulldurham said:


> I find Gimp to be a clumsy and awkward program to use...and $10 a month for PS...99% of all the people in this country spend more than that on a fast food snack, or Starbucks coffee.


I have photoshop too ... (rawtherapee +) gimp is my deliberate choice because I like it ... Also imnho it helps really good with understanding to the theory how it all works under the hood (masks, colors theory, layer modes, etc ...) because it doesn't apply some automated optimization and some additional scripted actions ..


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## jeffashman (Nov 20, 2021)

Very nicely done! I like how #2 came out with the detail in the rock.


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## stapo49 (Nov 20, 2021)

I am finding the "select sky", "select subject" functions in Lightroom work really well. Sometimes with an image of bird perched on a branch  it will include the branch as the "subject" but I just "brush" it out. Some of the suggested preset options are a bit out there but they do give you some interesting variations that you may have not considered.


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## Lez325 (Nov 21, 2021)

Original image 






2 mins edit - Photoshop 2020






Les


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## Braineack (Nov 21, 2021)

bulldurham said:


> only used Photoshop for sharpening, cropping and output to a jpeg.



Then why PS at all?


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## K9Kirk (Nov 21, 2021)

I like the sharpness/detail but those clouds and light really grab me the most.


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## bulldurham (Nov 21, 2021)

Braineack said:


> Then why PS at all?


Well, because there are still a lot of things ACR won't quite do quite as good as in PS. I do a lot of luminosity masking and there are some selections that are best done with quick select and masking. This post was just to show how easy it is to facilitate the new masking tools, not as an end all process.


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## smoke665 (Nov 21, 2021)

bulldurham said:


> I do a lot of luminosity masking


Then you should try out the new Luminosity Mask in LR. With its "fuzziness " slider it's pretty slick.


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## bulldurham (Nov 21, 2021)

smoke665 said:


> Then you should try out the new Luminosity Mask in LR. With its "fuzziness " slider it's pretty slick.


ACR has the same option but I find Tony Kuyper's Luminosity masks far superior.


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## smoke665 (Nov 22, 2021)

bulldurham said:


> ACR has the same option but I find Tony Kuyper's Luminosity masks far superior.



The good thing about LR and PS is the ability to work an image in multiple ways. Sometimes which method or tool comes down to the task at hand, time, and what you feel comfortable with. Nothing wrong with luminosity masks, I frequently use them in PS to control adjustments, but not every adjustment requires that level of control. 

I watched a video of Kuyper's work flow, I do most of the same things he does IMO,  just quicker and easier in my workflow. I was a PS junkie for awhile but evolved over time to learn the advantages/disadvantages of each tool in the box. Such is the case with the new LR masking features. They don't replace the features of PS but for some tasks they do it quicker, and coupled with the nondestructive parametric editing in LR makes it a more logical choice for me.


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## rambler (Nov 24, 2021)

Step one for me in ACR (shooting RAW) is to hit the Auto button. Gradients and Adjustment Brush can provide luminosity masking effects, too!


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## rambler (Nov 24, 2021)

For luminosity masking in PS use “Color Range” to find it Goto Select. It can make precise selections using the black and white options as well as individual colors. Spend time learning it. It’s a powerful tool!


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## smoke665 (Nov 24, 2021)

rambler said:


> For luminosity masking in PS use “Color Range” to find it Goto Select. It can make precise selections using the black and white options as well as individual colors. Spend time learning it. It’s a powerful tool!



In addition to the much touted AI Sky Select and Subject Select, check out LR's Mask Linear Gradient, Radial Gradient, Color Range, Luminosity, and Depth Range. You'll find the same familiar controls as PS, with the added benefit of nondestructive editing, and easy edits.

Most times I don't bother with ACR, choosing to open in LR (which uses ACR anyhow), because of the more broad file management capability. I do occasionally open an ACR layer in PS when needed for a specific task.


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