Today’s video tutorial from the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel demonstrates the power of Lightroom’s recently introduced Lightroom Selection mask that represents a big leap in functionality and precision. As you’ll see, this new feature will transform image quality, and it’s super easy to use.
In fact, we encourage you to download the sample Raw file in the description beneath the video so you can follow along with the simple steps as they’re explained. Christian Mohrle is the perfect person for the job as he’s not only a globally acclaimed landscape photographer but an expert Lightroom instructor as well.
As always, Mohrle begins with several global adjustments to improve his image as much as possible before demonstrating the selective masking enhancements responsible for the ultimate transformation. He’s working with a nicely composed (but flat and dark) alpine scene with imposing peaks surrounding a small lake.
The first step is opening Lightroom’s Basic panel and changing the profile from Adobe Color to Adobe Standard which cuts overall contrast for more flexibility later in the process. He then carefully increases overall exposure, shadows and blacks. Mohrle continues by bringing down highlights to accentuate details in the bright sky.
Other preliminary adjustments include refinements to contrast, white balance, vibrance, texture, and dehaze. As you can see with Mohrle’s side-by-side comparison, the enhanced image is already a noticeable improvement over the original.
The fun part now begins by selectively targeting different areas within the frame using Lightroom’s timesaving Landscape Selection mask to achieve a perfect balance of tints, tones, contrast and sharpness with just a few clicks. He patiently demonstrates every step required, and you’ll definitely want to add this effective trick to your everyday Lightroom workflow.
And be sure not to miss our earlier tutorial featuring an accomplished Canadian pro who demonstrates how to bring dull landscape images to life with a framing technique that introduces a dynamic sense of compositional “flow.”
Whenever Adobe updates their software it seems as though one or two new headline features grab all the attention, while other second-tier tools and capabilities don’t get the credit they deserve. Today’s eye-opening tutorial with one of the world’s foremost post-processing experts reveals six of these lesser-known upgrades you don’t want to overlook because they can make your workflow faster, easier, and more creative.
Julienne Kost is a photographer, author, workshop instructor, and self-proclaimed post processing evangelist, and when she speaks it’s a good idea to stop and pay attention. She begins the lesson with Lightroom’s oft-ignored Quiet mode that enables you to silence distracting pop-ups and notifications in both Photoshop and Adobe Camera Raw (ACR).
Second on the list is a tip for using the Selection brush that most of us employ by painting on the canvas to create a selection. But did you know that this ubiquitous tool will also behave like a Lasso tool when you brush around the periphery of a problem element in the frame? Then when you release the cursor Photoshop will select everything within the boundary in whatever color you prefer.
Rick #3 pertains to what’s called the Generative AI Model Picker and Kost explains it like this: “Since different AI models have unique strengths, Photoshop now lets you choose which model to use with Generative Fill.” You can also experiment with different variations by using an icon in Lightroom’s Properties panel.
Then when you select “Generate Again” Photoshop will use the newly selected model on the newly created content. At this point Kost is halfway through her discussion of overlooked features and tricks, and you’ll have to watch the video to see exactly how they work.
But here’s a clue: One involves using Curves to reference intuitive color gradients, another lets you send your work to other apps, and the third involves Star tool adjustments to easily modify points, corners, and radii with new onscreen controls.
